Let us now look a bit more at qualitative movement analysis.
There exist numerous systems for systematic notation, analysis,
and exploration of body motion from
a qualitative and observational point of view,
including the Alexander technique, Rolfing,
expressive motion, and Dalcroze.
Common for most of these is that they
were developed at the same time or parallel
to systems influenced by the dancer and choreographer Rudolf
Laban.
Here, I will briefly introduce two of Laban's methods--
the Labanotation and the Laban Movement Analysis.
We start with the Laban Notation.
Rudolf Laban worked as a dancer and choreographer
before he became interested in the description and analysis
of human motion at large with the aim of developing
a universal system for motion analysis.
For that reason, he spent time studying all sorts
human motion, including that of factory workers.
In 1928, he presented a system called Schrifttanz,
a method for the notation of motion of symbols
along a vertical axis.
This system was later to become what
is today called Labanotation.
Here we see an example of Labanotation
with time running vertically from the bottom to the top.
And the vertical line in the centre of each notation system
marks the centre of the body.
Motion is then notated through the different symbols
on the left and the right side of the centre line representing
the left and right side of the body.
Each of the body parts have their own symbols,
and the duration of motion and position
are given through different types
of symbols inside the shapes of the body parts.
Labanotation is still in active use today,
particularly in larger ballet and dance companies.
Some movement researchers also Labanotation.
However, the system is complex, so few people really
master Labanotation at a level in which they can
read and write scores fluently.
So as opposed to music notation, which we can assume that most
musicians and music researchers master at a quite high level,
it is hard to find people that can comfortably read and write
Labanotation.
In addition to Labanotation, Laban also
developed what has later become the Laban Movement Analysis.
Here, the aim is not to focus on writing
motion structures in time, but rather,
to describe motion qualities.
One important point here is that the analysis should always
start from the observer's point of view.
One could, for example, start by asking the question,
how does this motion feel for my own body?
The Laban Movement Analysis system
is based on four main categories-- body, space,
shape, and effort.
And each of these are subdivided into different categories
describing different movement qualities.
It's a large and complex system, and we're now
going to look a little bit more into one particular one--
the effort subcategory, which can further
subdivided into four subcategories, each
with a descriptive axis.
Here, we will first of all talk about the space
and whether the movement is direct or indirect.
The space describes how one moves
through the physical space and how one relates
to the body's kinesphere.
kinesphere is the maximal volume that we
can reach around our body when standing fixed on the floor.
So the performance scene is really
then connected to the piano itself,
because the musician, the pianist, is sitting down.
And it's also the kinesphere-- that
is, the maximum directions that the musician can use--
are defining the performance scene that we
are talking about now.
This is the focus of attention for the audience,
and this is also then where the performance is happening.
The second effort element is time.
And here, we talk about an axis from quick to sustained.
The quick is rapid.
The sustained is sustained.
Here, time is used to describe the rhythmic character
or the motion.
Laban was concerned that time and rhythm should not be split.
This is because we experience rhythmical patterns all
the time, and we have our own bodily rhythms defined
by our pulse and breathing.
The third effort element is that of weight,
where we differentiate between strong and light.
The weight is related to gravity and the fact
that we need to use muscular activity
to work against gravity when moving upwards.
We also use gravity to help us when moving downwards,
and it is this constant interplay between our body
and the Earth's gravitational pull
that help shape our motion.
And finally, the fourth one, which
is between bound and free movements.
The flow describes how much motion
unfolds in time and space.
What Laban calls free flow is when our motion is both
relaxed and continues at the same time,
while bound flow is when the motion is hindered.
Even though the four effort parameters are but
one small part of the full Laban Movement Analysis system,
they give us a tool for talking about movement
in a more systematic manner.