This paper examines the educational potential of an arts-informed performance ethnography which comprises a series of stories, songs and poems. As a classroom action research project - a 'teaching experiment' – the authors gave three performances to undergraduate and postgraduate sport and health science, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy students at two universities in the United Kingdom. By considering student responses in relation to narrative theory, the authors explore how performance ethnography can contribute to learning, critical reflection and transformation among students more familiar with scientific approaches to research and teaching.