Laban Movement Analysis

". . . in the majority of people there is a dancer — a dancer who wants to be released." — Rudolph Laban

"There is something remarkable that happens for some dancers: Moments of connection with a deeper and more real self." — Lucille Dyer

By becoming more aware of what our bodies are doing and feeling, and developing our ability to recognize what our movement is, does, and says in more meaningful ways, we expand our capacity for true creativity. Many accomplished dance professionals, choreographers, and professors, physical and dance therapists alike find new ways to expand their personal movement vocabulary and, more importantly, to increase their connection to their movement style through the practice of self inquiry and discovery possible through LMA.

For many of us, the natural ease and expressivity which many of us develop through infancy into adolescence, can be diminished — by habit, environment, inner thoughts and feelings — in our adult lives. The practice seeks to re-enliven the natural breath, dynamic alignment, initiation, sequencing, and coordination of the most easeful and expressive movement for our own body.

The Cornerstones of Healthy Movement:
Awareness, Balance, Coordination

Specifically, we teach Bartenieff Fundamentals™ developed by Irmgard Bartenieff, whose holistic approach employs theories developed by her during her practice as a physical therapist, and Laban Movement Analysis, movement practices developed by Rudolf Laban, a key innovator in the fields of Modern Dance, Movement Notation, and the beginnings of dance as therapy.

We work together to help "Re-Cognize" (re-think) the elements of movement... starting with questions such as:
" Where does the movement start? "   " What is actually moving? "
" In what direction is the movement going (and why)?"   " How is the movement proceeding? "
" In what context is the movement occurring — and when is it happening? "
" What does this movement convey — what is the meaning? "

In developing the principles of Fundamentals, Bartenieff was concerned with support of the body to facilitate functional and efficient movement experiences. Through this process, students recognize this as an organized system that focuses on movement integration and harmony. When moving, our coordination is affected by body connections, center of weight and the relationship to initiation and follow through of a given action.

We discover layers of beliefs, patterns, avoidance's, and preferences which are evident in our movement style, which may be helping or hindering our functional and/ or expressive capacity.

With this awareness, we begin to Re-Cognize & Re-Pattern your movements, allowing you to move your whole body in an integrated way.

Where you once may have had a very limited range of motion, or felt stuck in a certain way, you will begin to find more alignment, strength, ease of motion, and a full range of motion available for all of the things you like to do.

Come in for private sessions designed for beginning students as well as those seeking to refine or re-define the concept of Mastery of Movement.

Develop and practice with a focus on awareness, easeful movement, creative self-expression, relaxation, balance and harmony ... in a warm and inviting studio.

Feel free to speak with Lucille about how Laban Movement Analysis and Pilates exercise can free the body, mind, and spirit to pursue the realization of your artistic vision, prepare you for athletic excellence, and relax you into simply feeling at ease in your body.

Weekly Classes begin again in April
Space Harmony with Lucille Dyer
Explore motion in connection with the environment, and with spatial patterns, pathways, and lines of spatial tension: a complex system of geometry based on crystalline forms, Platonic solids, and the structure of the human body.
As with music, Space Harmony sometimes takes the form of set 'scales' of movement within geometric forms. These scales can be practiced in order to refine the range of movement and reveal individual movement preferences, along with expanding the dancers' multi-faceted perception, creativity, and sense of humanitarianism.
Practices in this class are taught in most of the best universities around the world, and are part of the foundation of European Modern Dance programs to this day. Prominent and established American Modern Dance companies draw upon the Laban legacy for technique, creative inspiration, and for the ethical development of their professional dancers.
Professional dancers will be familiar with some of the improvisational styles and 'problem solving' methods in these sessions, and beginning and advanced students alike will be challenged and inspired by the inner growth and self-development inherent in this kind of practice.