In 1962, Irmgard Bartenieff was expected to lecture on “Notation in Physical Therapy” for a national conference hosted by the Dance Notation Bureau in New York City. Instead, she lectured on “Effort Observation and Assessment in Rehabilitation.”
In this historic lecture, Bartenieff clearly differentiates how the structural notation, developed by Rudolf Laban, and the effort/shape notation, developed by Warren Lamb, provide complementary information for those involved in physical and psychological therapies.
Her paper provides much food for thought. Since November is the month of the Thanksgiving feast, Bartenieff’s observations are the subject for my November blogs.