Workshop One

Workshop One:

This workshop uses Laban's choreological Methods. Going into the Laban Effort graph, dynamics, tool of choreology. I chose to use this as an exploration to open my research practically, it is a creative process that I have been interested to explore as a contemporary dancer and how this can be applied to the technique of ballet, therefore the task started with the dancers choosing to learn one of two ballet phrases.

Group A, who learned the first ballet phrase, were then put into a group and after explaining to an understandable level the laban dynamics, they had to take their phrase and put these dynamics into the phrase. I then went through the effort graph and how it works with Group B who then had to apply this to their ballet phrase.

Taking the task they each got, they had to develop it further. I asked Group A to then look at the oppositions and how to break them, explaining it and checking they are all clear on the task. I explained to Group B their development of breaking the efforts, going against the organic way of moving with their chosen efforts, checking if they understand and leaving them to interpret this development.

I then asked them to get into two's with a person from the opposite group, this was to be able to see the clear difference of tasks and how one phrase can be manipulated to this extent.

Value: I have chosen to use the importance of clarity within this session, I chose to use this group of dance students because they had no previous knowledge of Laban Method and so, therefore, were dependant on me and my ability to comprehend the task and the instructions.

Task A: Ballet phrase A- Create the phrase with Laban dynamics.

Task B: Ballet phrase B- Create the phrase with effort graph.

Task C: Ballet phrase A with Laban dynamics- Break the oppositional order.

Task D: Ballet phrase B with the Effort Graph- Break the efforts.

Outcome: From the workshop and I discovered how I have to have my intentions clear, the dancers all responded well to each task I gave them ad although some people interpreted the tasks and my explanations differently it was still an exploration which reflected Forsythe's value of allowing the dancers to take control, to put their understanding and personality into the movement rather than just achieving what the choreographer asks.

Sketchbook notes for the workshop: