By proximity, I’m not talking about social distancing. I’m referring to a principle of effort phrasing articulated by Rudolf Laban. He notes that “extreme contrasts of dynamic actions cannot be performed by the body immediately one after the other.”
For example, “linking a punching movement with a floating movement without a break is quite impossible. Transitional movements must be introduced.”
So, if you have been performing the Diagonal Scale with Action Drive affinities, you are guilty of breaking the Law of Proximity!
But don’t worry – Laban has also mapped many ways to shift between punching and floating by systematically introducing transitional movements. These effort patterns are much more natural, interesting, and fun to do. They provide new ways to perform, observe, and understand the eight basic actions.
Learn how to respect and embody the Law of Proximity in the upcoming MoveScape seminar, “The Movement Harmony Project, Part 2: Effort Harmonies.”