Labanotation/LMA

Labanotation

A realization came to Laban one day. He noticed that all other art forms had a notation or a way for the art to remain long after it was revealed. Painting and Sculptors could last decades, literature and music had their own written symbols, but dance, all dance had was a few moments and then it was gone. Laban then realized he would have to invent a way to notate what the body was doing mechanically so that the piece of work could, like other art forms, stand the test of time. And thus we see Labanotation or Kinetographie Laban be born.

“Labanotaion is set up much like musical notation, except that it reads vertically instead of horizontally. Direction, levels and each part of the body are represented by shapes and symbols. Each section of the central staff delineates from left to right which part of the body (and which side) is being addressed.” 

As you can see, he had a symbol for every direction and then different shadings for levels.

These next two images are excerpts from his book, The Language of Movement, to help you see how the directions and levels look when combined.

Laban Movement Analysis or LMA

This system was created by Laban to clarify and help the mover understand movement in a new way.


In The Language of Movement, Laban expresses the individuality of movers, and how each dancer has their own comfortable way of moving but that all should experiment and experience all kinetic and dynamic possibilities. A single phrase of movement can change drastically depending on what effort and weight the mover gives to the movement. Thus creating a connection between “integration of body and mind in movement,” which in return creates a stronger performer.