Author Archives: Carol-Lynne Moore

Laban’s Times

Posted on by

For an insightful look backwards, I recommend Stefan Zweig’s memoir, The World of Yesterday.  Zweig (1881-1942) was a contemporary of Rudolf Laban (1879-1958).  Both were born and educated in the Austro-Hungarian Empire and both became artists – Zweig as a popular writer in the 1920s and 1930s; Laban as a leading dancer during the same period.

In his final book, written in 1942, Zweig provides a first-person description of peaceful European culture before the first world war and the subsequent violent disruptions of the war, the rise of fascism, and the beginning of the second world war.… Read More

Back to the Future

Posted on by

The month of January is named after the Roman god, Janus.  Janus, the god of doors, gates, and transitions, is depicted as having two faces – one looking back and one looking forward.

This depiction calls to mind Winston Churchill’s observation:  “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

Movement is evanescent, yet by now, movement study has a history, in part due to the seminal work of the 20th century polymath, Rudolf Laban.   Lest we forget this history, this month’s blogs address books that provide insight into the life, times, and career of this pioneer in the study of human movement.… Read More

Santa’s Effort Hack

Posted on by

Our exclusive interview with Santa Clause continues….

MoveScape Center (MSC):  It must take a lot of effort to deliver all those gifts on Christmas Eve.

Santa(S):  No kidding – I prepare all year long, by drawing on the effort ideas of Rudolf Laban.

MSC:  Tell us more!

S:  I’ve been very aware of my public image ever since the poem, “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” went viral.  There is lots of action in the poem.  So I take some of the verbs – nestle, spring, throw, dash, prance, fling, shake, twist, jerk, turn, bound – and arrange them in a short sequence.… Read More

Santa’s Chimney Hack

Posted on by

MoveScape Center (MSC):  I’m sure readers are eager to know how you manage to enter and leave homes through the chimney. The famous poem by Clement Clark Moore makes it sound easy.

Santa (S):  I know, but it takes more than laying a finger on the nose and nodding to get up a chimney.

MSC:  So what is your secret?

S:  I use Laban’s idea of spatial tension.  He relates diagonal pathways to mobility – I use these to hop in and out of my sleigh. … Read More

Santa’s Ups and Downs

Posted on by

MoveScape Center (MSC):  Delivering all those gifts in one night is an arduous task.  What is one of your biggest physical challenges?

Santa (S):  Level change.  I’m hopping out of the sleigh, zipping down the chimney, kneeling to place the gifts around the tree, then popping back up the chimney over and over again.

MSC:  What’s your secret?

S:  Bartenieff Fundamentals.

MSC:  Tell me more.

S:  Of all the somatic practices, this is the one that really supports the ability to change levels. … Read More

New Holiday Hacks from Santa

Posted on by

Despite his venerable age, Santa Claus remains as “lively and quick” as ever.  His labors delivering gifts on Christmas Eve put even Amazon Prime to shame. How does Santa stay fit?  Inquiring readers want to know!

Once again MoveScape Center has secured an exclusive interview with this jolly old elf.  We have asked him how he maintains his youthful vitality – and received some surprising answers.

Find out more in the next blogs.… Read More

Thinking in Terms of Effort

Posted on by

In the beginning of her 1962 lecture, Irmgard Bartenieff explains: “My work in rehabilitation has been almost from the start research into the nature of physical disability (distorted functional movement) and of mental illness (disturbed emotional or expressive movement).”

She goes on to note that “thinking in terms of EFFORT eliminates the arbitrary separation of the physical and the psychological.”

She closes by recommending that the Dance Notation Bureau promote effort notation and observation in addition to Labanotation.  “The existence of both systems, supplementary to each other, opens up new possibilities for research in all areas of human movement, whether it be dance, science or industry.”… Read More

Effort Assessment in Therapy

Posted on by

After explaining that effort notation captures the essence of movement – its quality and dynamics, Bartenieff describes how effort assessment can be of value to the physical therapist.  She notes that many patients have vague complaints that cannot be tracked down to any organic source but do relate to an imbalance of dynamic energy (Effort) and how that energy is formed (Shape).

Bartenieff affirms that “Movement expression alwas comprises functional and emotional components which may weaken or reinforce one another; in looking at a physically distorted movement, one is often viewing emotional expression.”… Read More

Labanotation in Therapy

Posted on by

Bartenieff begins by explaining that Labanotation can capture in every detail “the path and design of a faulty movement,” providing the physical therapist with precise information about what needs to be corrected.

However, as physical therapists are becoming more concerned the emotional elements that characterize biological movement, Labanotation is found wanting.

“No longer can the therapist depend upon a system of notation which deals with quantity, with architectural structure and design,” Bartenieff asserts.  Instead the therapist “must turn to a system which tells how movement takes place.”… Read More

Food for Thought

Posted on by

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.… Read More