Laban identified 8 “Basic Actions” found in practical physical labor. He also identified 8 diagonal directions, marked by the internal rays of the cube. He combined these to conceptualize a cubic model of effort/shape affinities, writing “the eight fundamental dynamic actions evolve in areas of the dynamosphere which correspond approximately to the eight diagonal directions of the kinesphere.”
Laban’s model is a logical extension of his basic notions of relationships between effort qualities and cardinal directions. And this model, embedded in a stylized physical practice, provides a clear structure for both effort and space.
In the upcoming MoveScape workshop, Harmonies of Effort and Shape, we reconsider this model by actually looking at where work actions tend to unfold in the space around the body.
Join us for an exciting observational adventure!