The Laban Movement Analysis

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Introduction: Roudolf Laban is the man who created a way in which we can analyze, experience and interpret human movement. He developed the Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) which is a theoretical and experimental take on human movement. (Konie 2011) The LMA helps one to understand one’s body and to use it to its fullest potential. There are four major sub-divisions in the LMA which are body, effort, shape and space (BESS)(Adrian 2008). The following academic review will analyse the body, effort, shape and space and then apply it to my character, Nora, and her monologue from Brighton Beach Memoirs. Body: The body is the first concept of Laban’s four components of movement. Body can be defined as the human body and its characteristics both physical and structural as well as the body’s coordination’s and reflexes. (Longstaff 2007) The body can also be described as the body fundamentals. These fundamentals of the body are Breath, Core-Distal connectivity, head tail connectivity, upper-lower connectivity, body-half connectivity and body-diagonal connectivity (NYU movement [sa]). Breath is a vital element of movement and survival. Breath is what initiates movement and supports our movement. Breath is a connecting factor which connects our body to the movement. If we don’t initiate our movements with breath there will be no fluidity or connectivity and injuries can occur (Longstaff 2007). For optimal body movement one needs to breathe optimally. To be able to breath optimally one needs to breathe three dimensionally. Three dimensional breathing is when inhaling the rib cage expands and the diaphragm moves downwards as an automatic control and exhaling the diaphragm passively moves back into position which pushes the air out a... ... middle of paper ... ... 8 May 2014 Konie, R. 2011. A Brief Overview of Laban Movement Analysis. [O]. Available: www.movementhasmeaning.com Accessed 28 April 2014 Longstaff, J. S. 2007. Laban Analysis.[O]. Available: http://www.laban-analyses.org/laban_analysis_reviews/laban_analysis_notation/overview/summary.htm Accessed 22 April 2014 Longstaff, J. S. (1996). Cognitive structures of kinesthetic space; Reevaluating Rudolf Laban’s choreutics in the context of spatial cognition and motor control. Ph.D. Thesis. London: City University, Laban Centre. Longstaff, J.S. 2011. Spatial Organisation of New choreography. [O]. Available: http://www.laban-analyses.org/jeffrey/2011-Rudolf-Laban-1926-Choreographie/chapter-07/07-04.jpg Accessed 1 May 2014 Penrose, M. 2010. Kinesphere.[O]. Available: http://www.ballet-dance.com/200405/articles/images/kinespherecopy.jpg Accessed 22 April 2014

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