Beyond words: an embodied empathetic process

Today, empathy is repeatedly considered a highly important influence in human interaction, yet our active and embodied practice of empathy seems scarce. Empathy is commonly recognized by many academic fields including philosophy, psychology and biology. In my experience as a dancer, my movement education has had a profound influence on my understanding of others. Teaching and learning movement is an interchange that is inescapably an act of empathy. But what is empathy? What does it require of the body? What is our empathic capacity? The main purpose of this thesis is to illuminate the relationship between movement and empathy. I will review many scientific models and draw parallels to my creative endeavors by analyzing and reflecting on two choreographic works Sync and Revealing Wavelengths. I use empathy in the creative process and as the subject and product of my art. How can choreography as a research tool add to the current empathic paradigms? Conclusively, I determine that human movement and physical experience are fundamental to the empathic process. My choreographic explorations were effective in underlying complexity and intricate details of this concept of humanity, which will continue to educate me in life and in the field of dance.