Father of Expressionist Dance

Father of Expressionist Dance:

“The expressionists considered the universe as a harmonically structured whole, subject to the laws of physical motion….The expressionists, like the nature movement and practitioners of art nouveau, viewed nature itself as a formal structure; they interpreted the concept of ‘nature’ neither positivistically nor as a symbol, but through ‘abstract-organic’ means. The movements of nature follow inner laws that express themselves as abstract patterns.”

As an artist starting out, Rudolf Laban attended several courses by Hermann Obrist, an expressionist artist. There he was taught and began to conceptualize the principles and theories behind expressionist dance. From this training, Laban began to learn and think as an abstract artist.

In Labans book, Tanz, he explains his belief in the existence and its effect of natural powers that tend to express themselves by coming to life when the form is in motion. “The dancing body is ‘organic nature’ and generates dynamic forms that, like ‘natural images’ can grow, change shape, gain strength, consume each other, fight, split up, or re-form, finally achieving order in the ‘zone between the fixed and the moveable.’” 

Labans piece, Titan, choreographed in 1928, gives a great example on how Laban took this approach in his actual choreography. An account written by a contemporary press described how performers created various groups and would either move with or against each other in different dynamic qualities. “The method by which Laban ‘causes groups and countergroups to form on the stage, separate, stream together, flow into solo dances,’ and the way in which the parts of the group interact to form an apparently single living organism, are all hallmarks of the expressionist stylistic principle.” Thus, the press having seen this work, began to call Laban the founding father, or father of expressionist dance.

A drawing from Laban showing spatial tension

The Crystal Dancer

The crystal was the symbol for expressionists. The crystal seemed to connect the gap from nature to theoretical geometry. This symbol spatially embodies the theory that nature is governed by laws and a dancers movement, though seen as free, are none the less subject to the same physical laws, thus being an ideal symbol for its believers and in representing Laban and his choreography.

Music

“What if I take music away from the dance”

And he did, taking music out of the mix, he found that movement could more naturally drive itself intead of being dictated to by musical scores. 

He also played with other sounds from nature, or used words as his score. He was very cutting edge trying to push away from what was the norm.