Laban’s theory of the dynamics of human movement (effort) is deceptively simple. There are only four motion factors (Weight, Time, Space, and Flow) and eight effort qualities. But the theory becomes much richer because different combinations and sequences of effort qualities express very different states of mind.
It is difficult to convey this richness in a semester-long course. And I think that is okay. Students should not believe they have mastered all there is to know about Laban in only a few weeks. The key is to spark curiosity and a desire to continue to learn about movement expression.
Consequently, while Meaning in Motion is meant to be an introductory text, there is more material than can be covered in one semester. For example, the chapter on Effort not only introduces the four motion factors and eight effort qualities. It also covers all the states and drives, providing suggestions for creative explorations of these more complex dynamic expressions.
In explaining effort as expression, I discuss the psychological correlations that Laban drew with the motion factors and the basic phrasing pattern of preparation, exertion, and recuperation. These notions are also linked to a reflective movement exploration.
Increasingly I have come to feel that it is important for students to understand relationships between states and drives – how states build to a drive or provide recuperation from a drive. This is obviously more advanced material, but the adequate explanation is incorporated in the chapter on effort as well as in appendix material to help students begin to “think in terms of effort.”
This was always Laban’s admonition. Thinking in terms of effort requires a conceptual shift from focusing on what is done to appreciating how the movement is done.