The first movement class Laban always taught, according to Irmgard Bartenieff, began with everyone walking and running, until a state of total flow was induced.  Then Laban introduced shape.

Laban would have students mime picking something up and throwing it away.

Through improvisation, these actions were developed into a more dancelike motions of gathering (movement originating on the periphery of the kinesphere and moving toward center) and scattering (movement originating near the body center and extending outwards).

How we shape our movements allows us to adapt to the environment. … Read More

As I mentioned in the previous blog, artists who paint from life also use photographs.  They are able take advantage of these technological recordings for two reasons.

First, if the painter has spent sufficient time painting outside, at different times of day, in various seasons, in sunny and overcast conditions, they have developed sense memories that allow them to continue work on a painting back in the studio.  The photograph of the subject becomes a useful point of reference in the context of their direct experiences.… Read More

The landscape artist’s aim is to capture the effect of light on colored surfaces, to represent somehow the atmosphere of a particular place at a particular time.

Painting en plein air is not for sissies.  It requires carrying all the necessary tools of the artist – paint, brushes, canvas, and easels – out into nature, where one must deal with insects, curious passers-by, and changes in light and weather.

Because natural light changes rapidly, landscape painters take photographs while on site as memory aids back in the studio. … Read More

In making Movement Pattern Analysis profiles, it has been a principle that live observation is preferable to video.  The videotape of an interview can be studied as a backup, to confirm impressions after the initial face-to-face contact with the individual being profiled.  But we would rather not make profiles from videotapes alone.

The pandemic, however, has made it difficult to conduct face-to-face interviews.  This has called our long-standing principle into question.

At this moment we do not know if video study alone is sufficient for accurate movement analysis. … Read More

As a beginning art student, I’m in awe of my painting teacher.  His work is work is so accomplished, his demonstrations so sure that I assume painting is easy for him.  Beginners always assume that the activity, whatever it is, becomes easy for the expert.  And this is where we make a mistake.

I’m an experienced movement observer and presumably an expert Movement Pattern Analyst.  But that doesn’t mean that observing is easy for me.  Every time I begin an interview with a new person for whom I will prepare a movement profile, I pass through the vale of doubt. … Read More

For the movement analyst, accurately capturing the salient aspects of the movement event is critical.  It is equally vital for the representational painter to capture the subject so that the painted image is recognizable.  In both cases, details matter  — and this can be a problem.

During a recent gathering of Movement Pattern Analysts, we spent time observing and analyzing the videotape of an interview.   We were identifying Posture-Gesture Mergers, and classifying these short sequences in terms of effort and shape. … Read More