(The following passage is taken from my forthcoming introductory textbook on Laban Movement Analysis, Meaning in Motion: Introducing Laban Movement Analysis. The following excerpt is from the chapter on effort.)
First and foremost, human effort is volitional. “Man moves in order to satisfy a need,” Rudolf Laban asserts. The voluntary motions we make require energy. Not only can we be more or less energetic when we move, we can also change the quality of energy applied. We can alter at will how we move. For example, it takes more force to push open a heavy door then to smooth a piece of tissue paper. We can choose the right amount of pressure to apply. Similarly, it takes more precision to cut a straight line than to scatter breadcrumbs for the birds. We can choose whether to focus our movements precisely or follow random pathways. These variations in how we move are what Laban called “effort”.
Obviously, controlling how we move is important in executing practical actions. But as Laban observed, even practical actions “are distinguished by personal expression.” Because movement is a psychophysical phenomenon involving the whole person, how someone moves reveals something about how they are feeling. The individual’s inner attitudes become visible through effort…
Find out more about these inner attitudes in the next blog.