Laban Notation Symbols generally refers to the wide range of notation symbols (or signs) developing from the original work of Rudolf Laban and used in many different types of Laban Movement Study such as Labanotation and Laban Movement Analysis for graphically representing human body positions and movements.

History see Rudolf Laban.

Notation staff The concept of a "staff" is borrowed from music and the musical staff. It provides the basic framework for notating.

Body symbols

Spatial symbols Several different methods have developed for notating space.

General spatial changes

Direction symbols

In Labanotation the direction symbols are organized as three levels: high, middle, and low (or deep):(Hutchinson 1970, 15, 24, 29, 164-170)

27 Direction Symbols in Labanotation (Hover mouse over symbols to see their names) High Level left-forward-high forward-high right-forward-high left-high place-high right-high left-back-high back-high right-back-high Middle Level left-forward-middle forward-middle right-forward-middle left-middle place-middle right-middle left-back-middle back-middle right-back-middle Low Level left-forward-Low forward-Low right-forward-Low left-Low place-Low right-Low left-back-Low back-Low right-back-Low

In Laban Movement Analysis and Space Harmony (Choreutics) the same 27 direction symbols are used but they have a different conceptualization. Instead of envisaging the signs on three parallel horizontal planes (high, middle, and low levels), the direction signs are organized according to the octahedron, cube (hexahedron), and the icosahedron.

Vector motion symbols

In his early German publication Choreographie,Laban, Rudolf. Choreographie (German) (1926). Jena: Eugen Diederichs. p. 13Rudolf Laban. Chorographie (1926), translated by Evamaria Zierach and Jeffrey Scott Longstaff Rudolf Laban used a different group of spatial directional signs which represented orientation of lines of motion (rather than orientations of limb positions).

These signs were translated into modern-day Labanotation signs, and referred to as "vector signs".Longstaff, Jeffrey (2001). Translating ‘vector symbols’ from Laban’s (1926) Choreographie. In Proceedings of the twenty-second biennial conference of the International Council of Kinetography Laban, 26 July - 2 August (pp. 70-86). Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. USA: ICKL.

General Scheme of Rudolf Laban's Vector Signs (Hover mouse over symbols to see their names) . 8 Diagonals (regular 45 degree orientations) up-left-forward down-right-backward up-right-forward down-left-backward up-left-backward down-right-forward up-right-backward down-left-forward 3 Dimensions Vertical - Sagittal - Lateral - 24 Inclinations (irregular deflected, tilted orientations)

Symbols for quality or dynamics

Symbols for relationships "Relationships"' is used in a broad sense to refer to interactions amongst two or more bodies, for example awareness, focus, nearness, contact, physical weight support. Many fine distinctions have been deciphered. These have some relationship to Proxemics.

Notes and references

Further reading

Hutchinson, Ann. (1970). Labanotation or Kinetography Laban: The System of Analyzing and Recording Movement. 3rd revised edition (1977). New York: Theatre Arts Books. (First published 1954). Hutchinson-Guest, Ann (1983). Your move: A New Approach to the Study of Movement and Dance. New York: Gordon and Breach. Hutchinson-Guest, Ann (1989). Choreo-Graphics; A Comparison of Dance Notation Systems from the Fifteenth Century to the Present. New York: Gordon and Breach. Knust, Albrecht. (1948a). The development of the Laban kinetography (part I). Movement. 1 (1): 28–29. Knust, Albrecht (1948b). The development of the Laban kinetography (part II). Movement. 1 (2): 27–28. Knust, Albrecht (1979a). Dictionary of Kinetography Laban (Labanotation); Volume I: Text. Translated by A. Knust, D. Baddeley-Lang, S. Archbutt, and I. Wachtel. Plymouth: MacDonald and Evans. Knust, Albrecht. (1979b). Dictionary of Kinetography Laban (Labanotation); Volume II: Examples. Translated by A. Knust, D. Baddeley-Lang, S. Archbutt, and I. Wachtel. Plymouth: MacDonald and Evans. Laban, Rudolf. (1926). Choreographie (German). Jena: Eugen Diederichs. Laban, Rudolf (1975). Laban’s Principles of Dance and Movement Notation. 2nd edition edited and annotated by Roderyk Lange. London: MacDonald and Evans. (First published 1956.) Preston-Dunlop, V. (1969). Practical Kinetography Laban. London: MacDonald and Evans.