The Anatomy of Choice

A course in Laban Movement Analysis and Bartenieff Fundamentals

Live in Person @ The Floor

Oct 16-20

$750

Save $100 if you register by Sept 14! Discount code: EARLYBIRDAOC

+$35 Meaning in Motion book*

*link to purchase book before first class day: http://movescapecenter.com/shop/

**PAYMENT PLANS AVAILABLE. PLEASE INQUIRE: MATTHEWABDANCES@GMAIL.COM

About this course

This course invites students to rigorously explore our physical and expressive potential through integrated studies of Laban Movement Analysis and Bartenieff Fundamentals. By increasing our awareness of the body and its relationship to the environment, we are able to transform both our functionality and expressivity. This system analyzes human actions, both movement and speech, in order to free us from habit, convention, bias, and limitation. By systematically considering how we use Space, Dynamic, Physicality, and Relationship, we are able to consciously choose how we move, create, teach, perform, nurture, and relate to others.

This workshop counts as two prerequisite Intro workshops required for entry into Laban Institute of Movement Studies Year-long and Modular programs. This includes Intro to LMA and Intro to BF. Intro to Anatomy/Kinesiology to be offered as a separate course. Alexandra completed the Year Long Program at LIMS (Laban/Bartenieff Institute for Movement Studies), and holds a CMA (Certified Movement Analyst) degree.

**PAYMENT PLANS AVAILABLE. PLEASE INQUIRE: MATTHEWABDANCES@GMAIL.COM

Here’s how this workshop works...

The course consists of 10 3-hour live sessions, held in person. Readings, creative assignments, and journal entries will lend themselves to a three dimensional learning environment. 

Classes start with one hour of movement practice based on deepening our somatic connections and re-patterning the body for greater efficiency. The following two hours move into Movement Analysis, where we will systematically look at every aspect of what makes up human movement (and is applicable to non-human movement as well). 

The course will equally utilize physical embodiment, deep analysis, and social contextualization. The workshop is geared towards teachers, bodyworkers, artists, healers, and movers who wish to expand their understanding of how, and why we move, and what meaning is derived from our choices.

This course will open new possibilities by helping you to…

1) Find a shared language that is unbiased, consensual, and specific.

2) Find depth to both movement and text  by discovering the expressive and functional movement life specific to them.

3) Understand movement efficiency in radically new ways, through developmental movement and biomechanics.

4) Break habits as a performer, creator, teacher, writer. 

5) Have a road map to analyze movement, whether for performance, pedagogy, or human communication strategies.

6) Create a safer space in every environment by removing the subjective language that often leaves people behind, or triggers associations that don’t serve them, or the process.

7) Reach an audience with immediacy by creating vivid, concise imagery saturated with meaning.

8) Understand yourself better, both in terms of intention and impact.

Here’s What You Will Learn:

SPACE (Where) 

We will learn about the 6 Body Organizations, Developmental Movement Patterns, and start to look at the most basic building blocks of how we begin to take action in the world. 

Then we will embark on the category of Space, learning about:

• Dimensions/the Dimensional scale

• Planes and the Mathematics of Spatial pulls 

• Planes (cycling, vertices, diameters, crystalline forms)

• Spatial form of the Diagonal Scale

• Platonic Solids (Tetrahedron, Octahedron, Icosahedron, Dodecahedron, Cube)

SPACE (Where) 

We will continue to look at building blocks of physical movement, in particular, the biomechanical actions of Flexion, Extension, and Rotation in order to create more efficient movement patterns and be able to coach our own, and others’ movements with integrity and clarity.

Then, we will continue to delve into Space, covering:

• Jungian/Lamb Meaning through Space Harmony

• Axis Scale

• Diagonal Scale

• Motif/27 Points in Space

• Creative applications of Space

EFFORT (How) 

We start class considering how our dynamic choices affect our functionality, and we continue the biomechanical studies of Ab/Adduction, Lateral Spinal Flexion, and Circumduction in order to find a full-bodied three-dimensional set of strategies for moving anywhere.

We jump into Effort, the dynamic attention we place on Time, Weight, Space, and Flow. This is done through both movement and text, and will incorporate learning:

• Effort Theory

• Relationship of Effort to Space

• Diagonal Scale

• Motif Effort and Space

• Creative Applications of Effort

EFFORT (How) 

We continue to work with Effort, looking in our BF class at FLOW, our ongoingness, through the application of spirals, biotensegrity, and kinetic chains.

In our LMA portion, we cover:

• Flow Effort

• Effort Overall Review

• States and Drives

• Exertion/Recuperation

• Motif Effort

• Creative Applications of Effort in text

CONTEXTUALIZING LABAN 

In our mid-term class, we zoom out to consider what we have learned so far, how we see it enacted in our lives. We check in with questions, strategies, and student requests for review. We look at: 

• Journalistic Questions (Who What When Where Why)

• History of Laban/Decolonizing the practice

• Motif

• Body parts

• Space

• Effort

• Action Stroke (Phrasing)

• Kinesphere

• Dynamosphere

• Reading check in

• Creative Applications

BODY (What)

In this week, we move to the focus of BODY, asking what information the body communicates, and how specific choices in body action and body part tell different stories. We look at the Principles of Weight Shift, Dynamic Alignment, Breath Support, Core Support, and Initiation and Sequencing. 

We will focus on:

• 9 Principles 

• Basic Six 

• Exertion/Recuperation

• Basic Body Actions

• Motif

• Axis Scale with 9 Principles

• Creative Applications of Body Choices

SHAPE (Why) 

We begin our final unit on Shape, the study of why we move and speak. In BF, we will concentrate on breath, vocalization from the inner body, and finding 3 different approaches to why we initiate movement.

We will consider:

• Spatial Intent as it relates to Shape Change

• Inner/Outer

• Shape Flow 

• Kinesphere

• Directional Movement

• Carving Movement

• Creative Applications of Shape

SHAPE (Why) & PEDAGOGY/CREATIVE APPLICATIONS 

Continuing with Shape, we will notice our personal habits around why we move and speak, and play with pushing against habit. We’ll look at non-verbal communication, what meaning we gather from human movement, and how that can be used to create nuanced meaning. We will investigate:

• Context 

• Subtext

• Using Shape as an in-road to empathy

• Using Shape Pedagogically

• Creative Applications of Shape in Theatre

Integration (Who do you want to be with this material?)

In our final class, we will work to integrate material from throughout the semester into actionable comprehension each student can leave with. How will you incorporate this into your teaching, coaching, moving, speaking, directing, personal practice, performance choices, and relationships?

We will build a short project together and do an in-depth analysis together, answering questions along the way from the full course. 

Are you a returning student? Enter discount code “RETURNING” for 10% off.

Payment plans available. Contact matthewabdances@gmail.com

AB Dances Payment and Cancellation Policy: 
*Deposit is non-refundable.

AB Dances will provide a full refund of course price minus deposit if reservation is cancelled more than 6 weeks in advance of first start day (before Aug 10, 2021). If reservation is cancelled less than 6 weeks in advance of first start day (after Aug 10, 2021),  1/2 of full course price is due. At that time, only half of full course price (minus nonrefundable deposit) will be refunded. Full payment for course is due two weeks in advance of start date (Sept 7, 2021). After Sept 14, no part of the full course price is refundable and is due regardless of attendance of class. If you have something you believe could be a conflict, please contact us at mollyabdances@gmail.com at sign up to discuss options.

For Anatomy of Choice, we offer payment plans that span the length of class. However, cancellation at any point does not preclude you from owing payment (payment owed amounts above).

If you have something you believe could be a conflict or would like to discuss payment plans for any class, please contact us at katieabdances@gmail.com at sign up to discuss options.

Additionally, For the Anatomy of Choice course, we offer payment plans that extend through the course dates.  These do not affect the amount due if student cancels after the cancellation dates listed above. 

*Payment Plans are available. Email matthewabdances@gmail.com for more information.

Here’s what students have said about learning Effort Theory from Alexandra Beller:

“Learning Laban’s Effort Theory from Alexandra Beller has profoundly changed my practice as a director and educator. Sharing the language of Laban with my staff, performers, and students has provided the tools to create safe, artistic, educational, and collaborative environments. Before learning this language, I often struggled with how to empower, rather than manipulate, performers into the choices that best serve the production. Sharing the language of Laban provides everyone in the room with the tools to communicate succinctly and clearly about the qualities of the work, separated from the performer. This not only ensures a safe and non-violent atmosphere but also empowers artists with the tools to communicate effectively in future collaborative spaces.”

Megan Doyle, Director of Theatre, 92nd St Y

 “In her weekly Bartenieff Fundamentals classes, Alexandra creates a space for engaged exploration that is collaborative and filled with kindness. I always feel both seen and heard in her classes. “

Joe Bowie, Lecturer at Northwestern University and former member, Mark Morris Dance Company

 “It is a refreshing (and mind blowing) experience to be guided by Alexandra in creating without judgement, but not without decision making. Her articulations around choice have helped me create with more ease, depth and joy, as well as both receive and give artistic feedback in a more generous and generative manner. Alexandra champions the work and prioritizes the artist. She values the artist’s perspective over her own and is incredibly skilled at navigating the delicate balance involved in one on one mentorship between providing support and sharing wisdom.”

--Sophie Allen, Independent Artist

FAQs

Q: Can I take this if I’m not a dancer, or have a physical limitation, or injury?

A: Absolutely. The point of this work is to understand what is in front of you, not aspire to an outside goal. Accommodations can be made throughout for any ability or physical consideration.

Q: What if I don't have time for the reading and outside work
A: This is an adult learning environment. I trust you to learn in the way that works best for you. If that means doing readings at a later date (they will remain yours forever), or never, that is never going to come up. This includes how you participate (on-screen or off, moving or watching) in both movement, creative, and discussion aspects of class.

About the Instructor

Hello, I’m Alexandra Beller. I am passionate about art-making through authenticity, clarity, and mindfulness. I am a choreographer and director, a professor, writer, and mentor.

After dancing with Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company for seven years, I started my own Dance/Theatre company in 2002 (Alexandra Beller/Dances). I was always using both text and movement to storytell, but after getting my degree in Laban/Bartenieff Movement Studies (a certified Movement Analyst), I began to work predominantly in theatre. 

I have choreographed everything from classics to futuristic dystopian fantasy worlds, and have recently started to direct plays through a movement-centered, empathy-rich process. I’ve worked Off-Broadway, and regionally, for film and video, and have found each project to be a unique world requiring a mindful tuning, a learning curve, and a lot of listening.

My company became a place for education: helping choreographers find their voice, helping actors open their bodies to tell the story as much as, or more than, their voice. I help individuals sort themselves inside their art career, and teach Choreography and Contemporary Dance to people, who’ve often never danced before, at Princeton. I devise, curate, and run workshops, mentor individuals, teach at Universities, and teach teachers to bring their life vision to their classrooms.

My mission is to help artists find their truth and take action based on that inner knowledge, whether that is in their creative process, performance, personal life, or pedagogy.