Antonia (they/them) is a MINT student at IHEID and a young development & peacebuilding professional, with a BA in Choreography and Philosophy. Interested in utilising mixed-movement methods to enhance peacebuilding activities such as mediation and trust building, they are currently teaching a course called "Intro to Practicing Embodied Awareness" at the graduate institute, free and open to everyone.

Throughout my studies and work in Geneva, I have observed a recurring problem in international peacebuilding: A profound abandonment of self-awareness and reciprocal empathy, prioritising a distanced standpoint that favours pity and simple messaging over complexity. To counter this, I am developing a educational mixed-movement method that fosters “a tri-fold embodied awareness”–a deep awareness and connection to the self, others, and the world–rooted in my own practises including dance, physical theatre, wellness arts, martial and defensive arts, and principles of physiology, anatomy, and neuroscience. The research process of this method is informed by my nearly lifelong dance training, my BA in choreography and philosophy from Bard College, my current social scientific research and studies at IHEID regarding peacebuilding and development, and my professional work at the Principles for Peace Foundation. I hope that this method can enhance social cohesion, peace mediation, and trust-building activities.
 

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Photo credit to Chris Kayden and choreography Antonia Salathé