Notation

Laban for All

Rudolf Laban was one of the great theorists and practitioners of movement. In Laban for All, expert teachers of Laban's techniques offer simplified version of his system that can be used by anyone, from beginners to pros.

Extensively illustrated with John Dalby's line drawings and diagrams, Laban for All lays out the basic vocabulary of the Laban system and goes on to offer specific exercises.

The result is a thorough - and thoroughly practical - grounding in the most important movement system in use today.

Beyond Dance: Laban's Legacy of Movement Analysis

Beyond Dance: Laban's Legacy of Movement Analysis offers students of dance and movement a brief introduction to the life and work of Rudolf Laban, and how this work has been extended into the fields of movement therapy, communications, early childhood development, and other fields. Rudolf Laban's landmark system of movement analysis has been applied to dance movement through both Labanotation (his system of writing down movement) and also through "effort-shape analysis," a system that was developed out of Laban's work by his followers to better understand how movement occurs. Laban's followers--notably Warren Lamb--used this as a basis to study movement in a broader context, from how to make work more efficient in agriculture and industry to how to better communicate through body movement and gesture.
While many dance students know of Laban and his work as it applies to their field, few know the full story of how this technique has developed and grown. For many who enter into the fields of dance movement therapy, performance, and communications, there are valuable lessons to be learned from Laban and his follower's works. Beyond Dance: Laban's Legacy of Movement Analysis offers a concise introduction to this world.
Refreshingly free of jargon and easy to understand, the work offers dance students--and others interested in human movement--a full picture of the many possibilities inherent in Laban's theories. For many who will pursue careers "beyond dance," this work will be a useful guidebook into related areas.
This will be ideally suited to students of Laban movement theory in dance and movement therapy, and will be used in advanced courses in these areas as useful, brief introduction to the field.

Labanotation

A definitive book for students of dance and movement studies, Labanotation is now available in a fourth edition, the first complete revision of the text since 1977. Initiated by the movement genius Rudolf Laban, and refined through 50 years of work by teachers here and abroad, Labanotation, the first wholly successful system for recording human movement, is now having the effect on ballet and other forms of dance that the prefection of music notation in the Renaissance had on the development of music. This book makes it possible to record accurately, for study and reconstruction, the great dance creations of the theater, as well as such diverse activities as time/motion studies for industry, personnel assessment and physical therapy. So comprehensive that it can indicate even facial expressions, the system is also simple enough for a child to learn easily as an integral part of athletic or dance training.

A Primer for Choreographers

Simple guidelines for the business of "making up dances!" Choreographers do not make dances out of words. They compose them in the vocabulary of movement. Dr. Ellfeldt has long demonstrated her command of that vocabulary in her own dance compositions. Now, in A Primer for Choreographers, she has undertaken the difficult task of explaining its alphabet to beginning students. Beginning with a brief definition of dance, this book supplies young dancers not with an easy explanation of the process of choreography, but with some tools for finding their own processes. It is a primer, a beginner's book, which identifies the alphabet and the rules of grammar and spelling of dance. It is not a how-to book, for no one is sure how to succeed as a choreographer--except by really trying.

Hands, Fingers (Advanced Labanotation Series Vol 5)

Hands, Fingers covers hand movements ranging from broad general statements for the whole hand to detailed descriptions that necessitate defining use of a particular surface or edge of a specific joint or segment. Specific use of hands and fingers, their placement and degree of flexion, is very important, for example, in sign language and South Asian dance. Examples of these forms of movement, as well as use of hands in choreographies by Léonide Massine, Ruth St. Denisand Paul Taylor, are given in this issue.

Following Balanchine

A long-time observer of George Balanchine describes his experience with and reactions to the great choreographer`s work. Handsomely illustrated with dramatic photographs of past and present members of the New York City Ballet, this fascinating book is both a major contribution to dance criticism and an absorbing chronicle of the education of one man`s taste."A valuable book that provides at once an interpretation of Balanchine`s ballets, a portrait of the intelligentsia that gathered around his enterprise, and the history of one mind`s delight as Garis, over four decades, watched and meditated on the unfolding of this great body of work"--Joan Acocella, dance critic "A unique and original book with two interwoven subjects: the Balanchine oeuvre in its history and development, and a critical account of the development of the author`s own connoisseurship."--John Hollander, Yale University"It serves--and marvelously--as the intellectual autobiography of a critic, and its retrospective of Balanchine`s changing emphases as an artist raises the bar for discussion of his American career."--Mindy Aloff, The New York Times Book Review"Revealing. . . . [A] masterly analysis. . . . For those who want a stimulating, very personal demonstration of why this choreographer mattered so much to tens of thousands, Following Balanchine is unbeatable."--Harris Green, Dance Magazine"A work of great distinction. . . . Truly valuable and precise books about art are rare enough, but much rarer is a satisfying book about the exact character and importance of serious criticism."--Anne Hollander, The New Republic"Passionate and informed, Garis bounces ideas off choreography with alacrity. The outcome is a special-and admittedly specialist-book brimming with enthusiasms, bristling with insight."--Allen Robertson, Time Out"The most valuable aspect of this book is [Garis`s] remarkable recall both of details of now lost ballets and of miraculous performances that he witnessed. . . . His praise for later Balanchine works is rich with captured imagery, and his recall of the unique dancing of Balanchine`s remarkable performers . . . reflects a passionate dedication."--Leland Windreich, Dance International "[This book] contains the greatest information on classical dance in the 20th century, leading into the 21st century. It is a critical work to read to be current in the world of le grand ballet."--Dance Magazine

Elementary Labanotation (Revised 2nd Edition)

Classical Ballet Technique

With this brilliantly imagined and beautifully achieved work, Gretchen Warren has created the fisrt comprehensive, photgraphicaly illustrated reference and teaching guie on classical ballet technique. In more than 2,600 photographs, Johan Renvall, Cynthia Harvey, Susan Jaffe, and an array o other dancers from such companies as the American Ballet Theatre and the Joffrey Ballet demonstrate in sequence every movement in the classical repertoire, from the most basic to the most advanced.

The book's design matches each photograph with captions that details appropriate teaching techniques and describe the proper teaching techniques and describe the proper execution of each step. A glossary defines common dance terms, and a pronunciation guide provides phonetic transcriptions of French ballet terms.

The Art of Teaching Ballet: Ten Twentieth-Century Masters

From Christiane Vaussard in Paris, to David Howard in New York City and Larisa Sklyanskaya in San Francisco, Gretchen Warren profiles ten world-renowned master ballet teachers to capture their philosophies, training methods, and the classroom presence that makes their instruction magical.

Based on extensive interviews and classroom observation, each profile is an entertaining and enlightening mix of personal anecdotes and details about teaching techniques, class content and organization. Warren also includes a section of signature exercises drawn from each teacher. Because of the master teachers' diversity of styles and methods, as well as their occasional disputes with traditional wisdom, the book offers a brisk stimulant for reflecting on the values of developing and holding true to one's own style and beliefs.

Warren combines her years of experience as a dancer and master ballet teacher and her engaging writing style to create a living history of 20th-century classical ballet training. Like their legions of students, readers will appreciate not only these teachers' philosophies, their endless curiosity, and their devotion to ballet, but also what distinguishes them.

Handling of Objects, Props (Advanced Labanotation Series Vol 8)