Negotiation Journal: The Rhythm of the Deal: Negotiation as a Dance: Both Fight and Dance: Capoeira, especially as considered relative to negotiation, reveals a unique fusion of opposite metaphors related to both fight and dance, with much relevance for negotiation. For when two capoeiristas engage in athletic dance movements, they are essentially playing a game (jogo), during which they continuously explore their strengths and weaknesses, their fears, and fatigue limits. For this is a ritualized fight with no physical contact and independent movements of the capoeiristas, who essentially do little more than signal their level of skill to the opponent. As a dance of harmony, grace, and playfulness, capoeira operates without any truly normative system of codified rules. Creative chaos is integral to the parties’ interaction, and their gradual process of learning and acquiring skill. Each interaction between parties is unique and inspired by improvisation, leading to different sequences of movements with each repetition. (An example of capoeira can be seen at www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMX9KKzG4-0&feature=related.)

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