Laban notation symbols


Laban Notation Symbols generally refers to the wide range of notation symbols developing from the original work of Rudolf Laban and used in many different types of Laban Movement Study such as Labanotation and Laban Movement Analysis for graphically representing human body positions and movements.

History

see Rudolf Laban

Notation staff

The concept of a "staff" is borrowed from music and the musical staff. It provides the basic framework for notating.

Body symbols

Spatial symbols

Several different methods have developed for notating space.

General spatial changes

Direction symbols

In Labanotation the direction symbols are organized as three levels: high, middle, and low :


In Laban Movement Analysis and Space Harmony the same 27 direction symbols are used but they have a different conceptualization. Instead of envisaging the signs on three parallel horizontal planes, the direction signs are organized according to the octahedron, cube, and the icosahedron.

Vector motion symbols

In his early German publication Choreographie, Rudolf Laban used a different group of spatial directional signs which represented orientation of lines of motion.

These signs were translated into modern-day Labanotation signs, and referred to as "vector signs".

Symbols for quality or dynamics

Symbols for relationships

"Relationships"' is used in a broad sense to refer to interactions amongst two or more bodies, for example awareness, focus, nearness, contact, physical weight support. Many fine distinctions have been deciphered. These have some relationship to Proxemics.