The Effort/Shape Certification Program

In addition to Labanotation classes and dance documentation services, the Dance Notation Bureau added the Effort/Shape Department in 1965, under the direction of Irmgard Bartenieff.

Initially, training in Effort/Shape took the form of a series of different classes, mostly taught by Bartenieff.

By 1975, when I started training, Effort/Shape classes had become a year-long Certification Program, with a trained faculty in addition to Bartenieff.  The program proved so popular that it was attracting more students than the notation programs.

This popularity led to a rebellion.  Find out more the next blog.