Laban Movement Applications

I began working with principles of Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) during my graduate work at George Mason University, continued integrating it into my conducting practice and research at the University of Washington, and took the most significant step in my journey when I completed the LMA certification program with Integrated Movement Studies.

My work as a Certified Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analyst offers me rich vocabulary and innovative movement strategies that guide my conducting instruction and augment healthy vocal instruction. 

Laban for Conducting

Choristers' perceptions of Laban-based Conducting Gestures

My quantitative dissertation addressed the communicative power of conducting gestures using Laban's Effort category for analysis. As conductors shift Effort Elements of Time, Weight, and Space in their gesture, what is most noticeable to people without conducting training? My research indicates that people more consistently recognize shifts in the speed and strength between the beats, and do not consistently notice shifts in the focus of the gesture. This finding, though small in the scope of conducting research, should fuel a conversation about the expressive skills addressed in beginning conducting instruction. If choristers can see shifts in trajectory and intensity most consistently, then working with students to develop those skills should be an expressive and communicative priority.

Laban for Voice

My Laban-infused vocal curriculum grounds the breath in both the torso and lower body, using mindful breathing exercises and drawing attention to supportive muscular pathways. Attention to the relationship of the voice in space, as well as the subtle shaping of the vocal tract, teaches healthy singing in a variety of styles. A summary of this application is available as a chapter contribution in Colleen Wahl’s Laban/Bartenieff Movement Studies: Contemporary Applications.