In the Vaccination Theory of Education, students are led to believe that once they have “had” a subject, they are immune to it and need not take it again.
Though Postman and Weingartner proposed the vaccination theory in 1969 as a criticism of educational practices, it is hardly a dated critique. Courses in higher education and professional training are still arranged as seemingly finite subjects. Laban Movement Analysis is no exception.
Certainly there is more to movement analysis than can be gleaned in a one-semester course. Yet far too many students are inclined to feel that they have “had” Laban once the course of study is complete.
For this reason, I have put more material in Meaning in Motion: Introducing Laban Movement Analysis than can be covered in a single semester. I’m hoping that some students at least will see that there is more to learn about movement. Four separate bibliographies in Appendix A are also there to show that the field of study is deeper than one slim text.
The textbook is also designed so instructors can tailor courses. In the next blog, see how Laurie Cameron uses selected parts of Meaning in Motion in her LMA classes for dance majors and non-majors at Pomona College.