Introductions / Laban's Concept of Choreutics

I

ACTIVITY

a) Introduce yourself to the group by saying your name, where you come from, your major, if you have any physical training [dance, martial arts, sports, yoga, etc], your expectations about the course.

b) Write a brief introduction of yourself in which you summarize who you are. Post your introduction on  Discussion Board.   

II

WARM UP

III

MOVEMENT EXPLORATION

 

Students are guided through pedestrian movements in which they explore:

DIRECTIONS

LEVELS

SPACE

IV

Introduction of Rudolph Laban's concept of choreutics experientially as a foundation for next class.

Rudolf Laban (15 December 1879 – 1 July 1958), was an Austro-Hungarian dance artist and theorist. He is considered one of the pioneers of modern dance in Europe as the "Founding Father of the Expressionist Dance" in Germany. He is considered to be one of the most important figures in the history of dance, 

Laban believed that the key for the unfolding of human capacities was embedded on the dynamic configurations of dance. He also believed that  humans could enhance their creative powers by becoming aware of the nature of shapes and rhythms through which living organisms express and communicate.

Laban goes on to define Choreutics as “the practical study of harmonised movement.” Latter day colleagues of Laban’s, such as Valerie Preston-Dunlop and Vera Maletic, have delineated Choreutics respectively as the “spatial organization for dance” and “the theory and practice of ordering movement in space.”

Laban, R. v. (1966). Choreutics: Annotated and Ed.by L. Ullmann. United Kingdom: Macdonald & Evans.

What is Rudolf Laban’s Choreutics? MoveScape. https://movescapecenter.com/rudolf-laban-choreutics/

Question

Based on your experience in class with directions, levels and space as well as Laban's definition above, explain in your own words the the concept of choreutics.

ACTIVITY

Students divide themselves in groups of 4 and create an 8 movements phrase using levels and directions. They add the music from the video above to their phrase.

V

JOURNALING

Write a brief reflection about your experience in class today and post it on Discussion Board. Find two posts you would like to interact with.