Warren Lamb set out to use his skills in movement observation and analysis to tease out differences in how men and women perform the same physical tasks. Before discussing what he observed, it is necessary to review some core concepts in Laban theory.
Rudolf Laban delineated four motion factors: space, weight, time, and flow. Each motion factor varies between contrasting dynamic qualities that Laban conceptualized as having either a fighting or indulging quality.
Fighting effort qualities include directing (space), increasing pressure (weight), accelerating (time), and binding (effort flow). In contrast, indulging effort qualities include indirecting (space), decreasing pressure (weight), decelerating (time), and freeing (effort flow).
Moreover, movement occurs in three dimensions – horizontal, vertical, and sagittal. How the body shapes itself in relation to these dimensions can also be characterized in fighting and indulging terms. For example, in the horizontal plane, enclosing is the fighting shape quality and spreading is the indulging shape quality.
Laban found that fighting effort qualities tend to go with fighting shape qualities and indulging effort qualities with indulging shape qualities. But there is a complication. There are four motion factors and only three dimensions. So what about effort flow and shape flow? How do they match or clash with the other effort and shape qualities?
This is where Warren Lamb’s observations become relevant. Find out more in the next blog.