During the period when the Effort/Shape Certification Program was based at the Dance Notation Bureau in New York City, Irmgard Bartenieff characterized the program’s foci as “seeing, doing, and writing movement.” This trifecta offers three avenues for understanding movement – objective, third person analysis; subjective, first person experience; and symbolic representation using Kinetography/Labanotation.
July 2025 offers a chance to revisit these three different avenues of understanding during the joint conferences of the International Council of Kinetography Laban and the Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies at the Ohio State University.
As I reflect on my own history as a movement analyst, I simultaneously look forward to a historic gathering in Columbus, focused on “seeing, doing, and writing movement.” I am sure Bartenieff would approve!