#TEDTuesday Watch Party: Biohacking the Self - 29 July 2025

Join us for an exciting new series of TEDxCapeTown watch parties as we launch #TEDTuesday, a monthly gathering of curious minds, bold ideas, and community conversation. In partnership with Workshop17, our official venue partner, we’ll revisit some of the most powerful TEDxYouth@CapeTown talks delivered on our stage in 2023.

Whether you're a long-time TED fan or new to the community, these sessions are your chance to go deeper into the “ideas change everything” that shape our city, continent, and future.

Event theme: Voice, vulnerability & self-healing

What if the most powerful tool for healing is your own voice?

In this talk, Kelsey Buchalter shares her transformative journey of overcoming anxiety and disordered eating by reconnecting with her voice, not just metaphorically, but biologically. She explores how vocal expression, from singing to speaking, can stimulate the vagus nerve, regulate the nervous system, and rewire how we relate to ourselves and the world.

As a nutrition practitioner, podcast host, and creative healer, Kelsey brings a unique blend of science, storytelling and soul to this conversation on what it means to be truly well — mentally, physically and emotionally.

This session will explore: The mind-body-voice connection; Mental health through the lens of creativity; and How ancestral wisdom and modern science intersect

Each session will feature:

• Watch party of a selected TED talk by a South African speaker
• A live Q&A session with the speaker, Kelsey Buchalter and panelists: Claire Berlein (Accent coach); and TEDx speaker coach, Carol Legg
• A themed conversation led by our moderator
• An opportunity to connect, reflect, and share insights with others passionate about change

IMPORTANT TO NOTE:

We’re so excited to bring this TEDx experience to our community — and we’d love your support. To help us cover the cost of hosting the event, we’ve included a small donation option as part of the ticketing process. A minimum contribution (even just R1) is required to secure your spot — and anything more is deeply appreciated.

Please note: Quicket’s service fees have already been included, so your full contribution goes directly toward making this event possible.

Thank you for being part of the TEDxCapeTown journey.

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ABOUT PANELISTS: Carol Legg & Claire Berlein

Carol Legg is a seasoned speech and hearing therapist, academic, and advocate for communication equity, whose career has spanned clinical, research, and educational spaces for nearly thirty years. A graduate of the University of the Witwatersrand, Carol’s work has focused on supporting adults who have lost their ability to communicate due to stroke, brain injury, or illness—helping them rediscover their voices and rebuild their lives.

She holds a PhD in Anthropology and Speech & Hearing from Wits University for her research that explored the lived experiences of adults with communication disabilities in Khayelitsha. Her work critically examines how language loss intersects with identity, dignity, and systemic inequality—particularly within marginalised communities.

Carol has worked across hospital, rehabilitation, and community-based settings, always centring human communication and empowerment. She has also spent over a decade as a Lecturer at the University of Cape Town, contributing to the training of future health professionals in the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.

In addition to her clinical and academic work, Carol has supported youth development through communication training with a national youth employment initiative. She is passionate about equipping young people with the confidence and language tools they need to thrive.

Carol’s deep belief in the transformative power of storytelling led her to become a TEDxCapeTown speaker coach, where she’s helped speakers articulate powerful, authentic narratives. Known for her integrity, empathy, and insight, Carol continues to be a quiet but powerful force in the field of communication accessibility.

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Claire Berlein is a highly respected dialect coach, actress, and performance mentor with nearly 40 years of experience in the performing arts. She began her career on stage and in front of the camera, earning multiple prestigious awards including three Fleur du Cap Awards, eight nominations, and national accolades like the Vita and Evening Post Awards.

Since graduating from UCT Drama School in 1985, Claire has worked extensively in South African and international theatre, film, and television. As a dialect coach, her work has spanned productions such as Raised by Wolves, Warrior, Eye in the Sky, and Goodbye Bafana, coaching actors like John Malkovich, Joseph Fiennes, Diane Kruger, and Alice Krige.

Over the last decade, Claire has become a sought-after coach in the film and TV industry, working closely with young and emerging actors as well as seasoned professionals. Her coaching combines technical mastery of accents with deep character exploration, offering a unique and empathetic approach that supports actors both emotionally and creatively.

Claire is also a faculty member at LAMTA (Luitingh Alexander Musical Theatre Academy), a guest examiner for UCT, and has led voice and performance training workshops for motivational speakers, auctioneers, and community leaders. Off the stage, she is a visual artist, a certified massage therapist, and has studied life coaching and Tarot for over 40 years — all of which enrich her holistic and intuitive coaching style.

Claire brings a rare mix of rigor, artistry, and soul to everything she does, and we’re thrilled to have her share her insights at this event.

ENDS