Space: refers to the space through which the dancer's body moves (general or personal space, level, size, direction, pathway, focus). Time: is applied as both musical and dance elements (beat, tempo, speed, rhythm, sudden, slow, sustained).
Directions
Levels
Rudolf Laban
(15 December 1879 – 1 July 1958), was an Austro-Hungarian dance artist and movement theorist. He is considered one of the pioneers of modern dance in Europe as the "Founding Father of the Expressionist Dance" in Germany. He
is considered to be one of the most important figures in the history of
dance. Today, we will discuss Laban's concept of choreutics by
exploring directions, levels and space.
Being one of the founders of European Modern Dance, his work was
extended through his most celebrated collaborators, Mary Wigman, Kurt
Jooss and Sigurd Leeder.
Laban's Choreutics
Laban
links his modern studies of movement to Pythagorean mathematics,
notably musical scales and the “harmonic relations” of geometrical forms
such as the right triangle and circle.
Laban appears to have coined the term Choreutics from two Greek root words: “khoreia” (dancing in unison) and “eu” (beautiful, harmonious).
Laban goes on to define Choreutics as “the practical study of harmonized movement.”
Latter
day colleagues of Laban’s, such as Valerie Preston-Dunlop and Vera
Maletic, have delineated Choreutics respectively as the “spatial organization for dance” and “the theory and practice of ordering movement in space.”
Choreutics, then, deals with the spatial aspects of movement, with its organization and order.
I
Unit: Kinesphere
Theme: Trace Forms
II
Introduction
Today
we will explore Laban's concept of kinesphere. The kinesphere exists
withing the cube. According to Vera Maletic, spatial forms and shapes,
resulting from the linking of several directions are seen as creating
space-rhythms. These rhythms can be produced successively as a melodic
line in music or through simultaneous actions or different body parts.
While the former refers to trace-forms or air and floor patterns, the
latter is articulated further as the shape of body carriage. (See
Glossary). Today, we will explore trace-forms within the cube along with
concepts like size, focus and pathways.
III
Learning Objectives
Understand the application of the concept "trace forms."
Explain how "trace forms" relate to the concept of choreutics.
Gain awareness of the possibilities that "trace forms" bring to the organization of movement within the cube.
Experience the harmonic qualities of dance and movement when integrated through directions, levels, size, focus and pathways in addition to "trace forms."
Reflect on the work done in class
IV
Main Lesson
1
WARM UP
2
STRETCH
3
Activity 1
REVIEW: LEVELS & DIRECTIONS and add, SIZE,
FOCUS, PATHWAYS to
COMBINE it ALL
4
We are in the exploration of space as one of the elements of dance
5
Apply these qualities to space
Size
size is the magnitude of a body shape or movement, from small to large.(6)
Focus
Aim and focus are good for goal-oriented actions, such as the locomotor
movements like walking, running, in addition to axial movements of
reaching, pulling, and catching. Our ability to scan and precisely focus
are important to our ability to hit the mark, catch and throw objects
accurately, and thus potentially critical to our very survival. The
quality of our focus in performance alters the audience’s viewpoint
along with our own. (4)
Pathways
The use of directions creates Pathways in the Space forming patterns in the air or on the ground. These can be zigzag lines, right angles, traveling in a circle, figure eight, spiral, zig-zag, straight or curved. (5)
Partsch-Bergsohn, Isa (2013). Modern Dance in Germany and United States. Taylor and Francis
V
A Note to Remember
Laban was
a visionary, humanist, teacher and theoretician, whose revolutionary
ideas bridged the gap between the performing arts and science.
VI
Case Study
Framing our Practice
VII
Activity 2
Group Work
Add
to your groups' 8 movement phrase from last class (the movement within
the cube) the elements of dance studied in class today (size, focus
& pathways) and repeat the same phrase using the idea of trace
forms. Now, you should have 3 phrases [(cube), (size, focus, pathways),
(traces)].
VIII
Discussion Question
QUESTION 1
Explain the meaning of choreutics in your own words.
QUESTION 2
Why are trace forms useful when moving within the cube?
Students who are making up, please post your answer on Discussion Board.
IX
Glossary
1. tracing: In figurative tracing, dancers are going to establish figures in space using their arms, head, torso, feet and then interact with what they have 'drawn.' For instance, when the dancers draw something with their arms in space.
2. trace forms: one of the concepts developed by Rudolf Laban's Movement and Dance Concepts. Vera Maletic refers to it as form theory, later referred to as ... trace - forms
or air and floor patterns. , The latter is articulated further as the
shapes of body carriage, which can be one-dimensional, two-dimensional
and three-dimensional.
3. Kinesphere is the immediate area surrounding the body
and is described as a three-dimensional volume of space. Imagine a
bubble around the dancer's body, with their arms and limbs extended to
their fullest extent in every possible direction without moving from a
fixed spot, this is considered a personal kinesphere.
3. Elements of Dance. https://louis.pressbooks.pub/danceappreciation/chapter/chapter-2-elements-of-dance/
4. Stephens, Blythe (2021). Approaches
to Space: Qualities of Focus in Dance & Life.
https://ablythecoach.com/approaches-to-space-qualities-of-focus-in-dance-life/
5. Spieth, D. (2022). Chapter 8: Elements of Dance: Exploring the Arts. https://louis.pressbooks.pub/exploringarts/chapter/elements-of-dance/
Review I Concepts Developed by Rudolff Laban Choreutics: Laban defined choreutics as “the practical study of harmonized movement.” Latter day colleagues of Laban’s, such as Valerie Preston-Dunlop and Vera Maletic, have delineated Choreutics respectively as the “spatial organization for dance” and “the theory and practice of ordering movement in space.” Kinesphere : “the sphere around the body whose periphery can be reached by easily extended limbs without stepping away from that place which is the point of support when standing on one foot” (1966, p.10). This spherical space around our body shifts as soon as we shift our weight. It is also the first area of movement exploration before going into “space in general”. It follows anatomical limitations, being actually more elliptic than spherical as constitutionally, the average body has a wider area of reach forward than backward. Visibly speaking the kinesphere stays invisible until the moment we mo...
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