1. Laban Movement Analysis Effort Actions

2. Laban Movement Analysis
Derived from the practices and theories of Rudolph Laban ( ), a choreographer, dancer, and movement theorist who made many contributions to the dancing world.
Laban developed Labanotation, a system of dance notation which, at his time, elevated dance as an art form.

3. L.M.A. is a system and a language for observing, describing and notating all forms of movement. A movement analyst can use this language to describe and interpret human movement from the gesture of a hand in conversation to the complex action of a skilled athlete. L.M.A. can be used as a tool by dancers, athlete, physical and occupational therapist, and anyone wishing to enhance, refine, and clarify movement.
The theory and practice of today’s L.M.A. is based on four main components (BESS):
Body
Effort
Shape
Space

4. Effort SPACE = thinking, attention, WHERE
Space can be indirect (all around awareness) or direct (focused and specific).
TIME = intuition, decision, WHEN
Time can be sustained (leisurely, continuous, lingering) or sudden (unexpected, isolated, surprising).
WEIGHT = sensing, intention, WHAT
Weight can be light (delicate, sensitive, easy intention) or strong (bold, forceful, determined intention).
FLOW = feeling, progression, HOW
Flow can be free (going with the flow) or bound (contained and inward).

5. Effort Actions:
Glide- light, direct, sustained
Wring-strong, indirect, sustained
Press-strong, direct, sustained
Float-light, indirect, sustained
Dab-light, direct, quick
Flick-light, indirect, quick
Punch-strong, direct, quick

6. Identifying Effort Actions in Movement