Labanotation
ラバノーテーション / 1928– / Style / Notation Systems
A notation that turns bodily movement into one vertical staff read from the bottom upward. The shape of a symbol carries direction, its shading carries level, its length carries duration, and its position across the staff says which part of the body moves.
At a glance
Visual cues
- Symbols stacked without gaps on a vertical staff read from the bottom upward
- Symbol shapes giving nine directions, with the centre line separating right from left
- Shading inside each symbol standing for low, middle or high level
- Symbol length equal to duration, with tick marks for beats and bar lines crossing the staff
Best used for
- Recording choreography so it can be revived without the original cast
- Analyzing movement in comparable symbols rather than on video
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Dictionary entry
- Type
- Direction in symbol shape, level in shading, sizes held constant
- Composition
- Time climbs from the bottom, one column for each body part
- Material
- Symbol length equals duration, so run a beat scale down the edge
- Caution
- Bending symbol length to capture how a move feels makes duration unreadable, and the revival comes out as a different dance.
- Further study
- Feuillet notation, 1700 / Rudolf Laban / comparison with Benesh notation
Related entries
- Graphic Notation (図形楽譜)Same Notation Systems lineage.Compare Labanotation and Graphic Notation
- Bauhaus Stage (バウハウスの舞台)Shared effects: Technique.Compare Labanotation and Bauhaus Stage
More from Notation Systems
Continue through styles in the same Notation Systems family, prioritised by shared effects.
- Staff Notation (五線譜)Shared effects: Technique / Calm.
- Neume Notation (ネウマ譜)Shared effects: Calm.
- Tablature (タブラチュア)Shared effects: Technique.
Browse all Notation Systems entries
Cite this entry
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- Link
- https://indexstyle.org/styles/labanotation
- Markdown
- [Labanotation — IndexStyle](https://indexstyle.org/styles/labanotation)
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- <a href="https://indexstyle.org/styles/labanotation">Labanotation — IndexStyle</a>