Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE DCS2011

 
TITLE Movement Analysis: Theory and Practice

 
UM LEVEL 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL Not Applicable

 
ECTS CREDITS 5

 
DEPARTMENT Dance Studies

 
DESCRIPTION Movement Analysis: theory and practice is based specifically on the theories of Rudolf Laban, and on an exploration of his key ideas of Body, Effort, Space and Relationship as applied in various contexts; dance, theatre, education, community, therapy, notation, etc. In practical terms, this unit approaches these key ideas in movement classes, through guided improvisation, text- and non-text based creative work and analysis, so that students can acquire knowledge of personal movement style and non-verbal communication (self-discovery), develop theoretical tools for functional and expressive movement analysis and use them for creative problem solving in their own fields.

This study-unit traces Laban's biography to unearth some of the historical contexts and influences on his ideas, and also identifies his legacy and the ways in which others have utilised and developed it: e.g. Ullmann, Preston- Dunlop, Bartenieff, Hodgson, Lamb, North, Thornton, Bainbridge Cohen and Newlove

Assessment will be based on individual research tasks (where students can investigate a personal journey of discovery, reflection and personal/artistic growth, or investigate a particular aspect of Laban's work as applied to a selected discipline) to be shared with the group.

Study-unit Aims:

- To familiarise students with experiencing, understanding and describing the various components of human movement: how does the body move? How does it express through its dynamic and spatial range? what inner attitudes does it reveal?
- To develop understanding of the influences and legacies of Laban's work.
- To develop skills in observing, identifying and documenting movement.
- To introduce applications for Laban analysis.
- To guide students towards specific applications of these theoretical tools.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate understanding through movement of various components of human movement: dynamic and spatial, inner attitudes, etc.
- Demonstrate understanding of the influences and legacies of Laban's work.
- Introduce applications for Laban analysis (through proposals for individual research).
- Identify specific applications for these theoretical tools, and to communicate these in a group setting.

2. Skills:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:
- Show through movement phrases basic understanding of various components of human movement.
- Demonstrate skills in observing, identifying components and documenting movement.
- Demonstrate a range of applications for the use of these theoretical tools.
- Present a particular application in a group setting.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

- Bartenieff, Irmgard, and Dori Lewis. 2002. Body Movement: Coping with the Environment (New York: Routledge).
- Bradley, Karen K. 2008. Rudolf Laban (London and NY: Routledge).
- Davies, Eden. 2006. Beyond Dance. Laban’s Legacy of Movement Analysis, (New York: Routledge).
- Hackney, Peggy. 2002. Making Connections: Total Body Integration Through Bartenieff Fundamentals, (London and NY: Routledge).
- Hodgson, John. 2001. Mastering Movement: The Life and Work of Rudolf Laban, (New York: Routledge).
- Laban, Rudolf. 1966. Choreutics, (London: McDonald and Evans, annotated and edited by Lisa Ullmann).
- Laban, Rudolf. 1971. The Mastery of Movement, (London: McDonald and Evans).
- Laban, Rudolf. 1975. A Life for Dance, (Princeton, NJ: Princeton Books).
- Laban, R and F. C. Lawrence. 1974. Effort: Economy in Body Movement, (London: McDonald and Evans).
- Lecoq, Jacques. 2009. The Moving Body (le Corps Poetique): Teaching Creative, (Theatre Methuen Drama).
- McCaw, Dick. (ed.) 2011. The Laban Source Book, (London and NY: Routledge).
- Newlove, Jean and John Dalby. 2004. Laban for All, (London and NY: Routledge).

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Practicum

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Analysis Task Yes 50%
Oral and Written Exercises Yes 50%

 
LECTURER/S Lucia Piquero Alvarez

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit