Shaking Hands

Abstract

This thesis makes a case for movement as a tool for improving cross-cultural communication, negotiation and peacemaking in conflict. A review of negotiation strategies by Roger Fisher and William Ury, Marian Chace's original philosophies, which have inspired today's practice of Dance Movement Therapy, and Judith Lynne Hanna's theories of nonverbal communication provide scholarly support for this research. In addition, this thesis includes reflections from my own experiences teaching movement workshops in Peru and Morocco. These examples serve as reference points for applying Fisher, Ury, Chace and Hanna's theories within my own cross-cultural experiences. Also included is an outline for movement exercises, which can be found in the appendix. This serves as a point of reference for practical application, illustrating the many possibilities for incorporating movement in different contexts and using it as a tool for improving communication, especially when familiar verbal tools fail to achieve reliable and meaningful dialogue.