Mastery of Movement (a.k.a. Mastery of Movement on the Stage) is Laban’s most complete exposition of the motion elements of Body and Effort. First released in 1950, it is the last theoretical treatise that Laban published during his lifetime.  Written with the aim of providing “an incentive to personal mobility,” Mastery draws upon his observations of work movement and his experiences training actors.

The book is meant to be read and experienced.  Text combines explorations of bodily actions and detailed descriptions of effort qualities and combinations (both states and drives) with descriptions of movement scenes meant to stimulate “thinking in terms of movement.”  Laban is equally concerned to discuss the meaning of motion and its evocative power in dance, mime, and acting.  Thus Mastery touches on the physical, the psychological, and the philosophical.

In this course, participants will study and discuss the first six chapters of Mastery of Movement under the experienced guidance of Laban scholar, Dr. Carol-Lynne Moore. Each reading assignment is augmented with study questions as well as movement and/or observation assignments. Four synchronous Zoom sessions deepen understanding through lecture and discussion.

The course is suitable for professionally certified movement analysts as well as current students.  All participants must have understanding of and physical experience with the Action Drive, the six effort states, and the three Transformation Drives (Spell, Vision, and Passion), along with the ability to read effort notation.  Some familiarity with Labanotation is also welcome but not mandatory.

Instructor’s Short Bio:

Carol-Lynne Moore, Ph.D., C.M.A., and Registered Movement Pattern Analyst, has been involved in the field of movement study as a writer, lecturer, and consultant for four decades.  A master teacher of Laban Movement Analysis, she has a deep practical and theoretical understanding of Laban’s work.  She has taught in over 25 Certification Programs in the U.S. and Europe and currently directs MoveScape Center in Denver, Colorado.  Her recent publications include Meaning in Motion (MoveScape Center, 2014), Beyond Words, 2^nd ed. (Routledge, 2012), The Harmonic Structure of Movement, Music, and Dance According to Rudolf Laban (Mellen, 2009), and Movement and Making Decisions (Rosen, 2005).  In 2018 she was honored to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from LIMS.