Today
we will review Laban's concept of kinesphere. The kinesphere contains
the cube. Then, we will explore Laban's concept of movement scales. Laban's Movement Scales are based on the regular structures of five concentric polyhedra.
These structures fit into each other like a nest of tables, from small
to large although they have different forms. They can be visualised as
encasing the body, with the body's centre coinciding with the centre of
each form.
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
Alignment
Stretching
2
Review of Solos and Ensemble Phrases
3
Harmonic Spatial Sequences Analogous to Musical Scales
However,
in keeping with its Pythagorean roots, Laban's Choreutic theory goes
beyond mere descriptions of natural movement to designate harmonic spatial sequences analogous to musical scales.
In which way are musical scales and harmonic spatial sequences analogous to each other?
4
Activity 1
Create your own scale by choosing a geometric figure and designing 8 movements within it. Create your own “harmonic” three-dimensional patterns by adding other dimensions to your 8 moves.
In creating these harmonic designs, Laban utilizes his artistic understanding of human anatomy, proportion, and range of motion. Moreover, he draws on his Art Nouveau background to generate spatial patterns that are highly symmetrical.
Art Nouveau designers stylized the curves of natural forms such as butterflies, flowers, and leaves to create beautiful two-dimensional patterns.
Cohen, Selma J. (2011). The Modern Dance: Seven Statements of Belief. The Wesleyan University Press
7
ACTIVITY 2
Bring
your 8 movements to your group. Offer your moves to your group. Add an
Art- Noveau style, whatever that means to you, to your movements, based
on the video above.
Practice the scale and add it to your ensemble phrases
--------------------------------------------
V
A Note to Remember
Laban’s
space harmony scales are similar. Laban has taken the curves of natural
movements and geometricized them, creating “harmonic” three-dimensional
patterns.
VI
Case Study
Marie Boyette is an Assistant Professor in Residence at
the University of Connecticut where her primary responsibility is
movement training for actors. In this video, her Freshman actors at UConn learn and play with the diagonal scale. (3)
The video above shows an example of a “harmonic” three-dimensional pattern. Compare this one with you own.
Question 3
What did you experience?
POST YOUR ANSWERS ON BLACKBOARD'S DISCUSSION BOARD.
VII
Glossary
Polyhedra:Platonic solid, any
of the five geometric solids whose faces are all identical, regular
polygons meeting at the same three-dimensional angles. Also known as the
five regular polyhedra, they consist of the tetrahedron (or pyramid), cube, octahedron, dodecahedron, and icosahedron.(2)
3.
Boyette, Marie (2015) The Oxford Handbook of Dance and Theater.
https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-oxford-handbook-of-dance-and-theater-9780199917495
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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