ABSTRACT

Like Picasso in painting, Stravinsky in music, or Stanislavski in theatre, Rudolf Laban (1879–1958) has been a seminal influence in contemporary arts.

This is the first major study of Laban's movement theories and practice, exploring the ideas on mastering movement and giving the reader a practical understanding of balance and harmony in the human body – the core of Laban's thinking. John Hodgson looks at the different phases of Laban's life and writings to show that Laban's thoughts about human movement and its mastery and control are the building blocks for a practical understanding of how the human body can create both beauty and purity through movement.

chapter |8 pages

Laban's Influence

part One|36 pages

The Problems in Understanding Laban

chapter 1|9 pages

The Fields of Laban's Enquiry

chapter 3|5 pages

A Language Barrier

chapter 4|7 pages

The Broken Line

part Two|67 pages

Laban's Ideas in Context

chapter 5|8 pages

Practical Experiences

chapter 6|24 pages

Theoretical Foundations

chapter 7|33 pages

Colleagues and the Exchange of Ideas

part Three|51 pages

Laban's Documented Ideas

part Four|33 pages

Clarifying Laban's Basic Ideas

chapter 11|20 pages

The Human Pattern – Fundamental Theory

chapter 12|5 pages

Social Ideas and Related Practice

part Five|54 pages

Turning Theory into Practice

chapter 14|6 pages

The Body – Its Fitness and Health

chapter 15|3 pages

The Voice – Its Fitness and Health

chapter 16|5 pages

Education, Experience and Expression

chapter 17|3 pages

Lovemaking and Sex

chapter 18|5 pages

Dance

chapter 19|13 pages

Drama

chapter 20|7 pages

Work, Recreation and Worship

chapter 21|6 pages

Therapy