Minutes for the Motif Core Working Group, October 29, 2004

Submitted by DNB Staff - August 6, 2012

The videos and summaries below document the "Motif Core Working Group" meeting held at the Dance Notation Bureau in New York City on October 29, 2004. The summaries were written by DNB Staff.

This was the first of four meetings sponsored by the DNB, LIMS, and LODC in 2004-2005. (Minutes for the other meetings will be posted on the Theory Bulletin Board in the future.)  Attendees included Motif Notation practitioners from various areas of the Laban community, including the DNB, LIMS, IMS, LODC, OSU, and independents. 

The purpose of the meetings was to identify and map similarities and differences in the practice of Motif Notation across the various communities.  Further information is included in the invitation to the meeting.

Items discussed in the Oct. 2004 meeting were recorded on a chart [prepared by Ilene Fox?] which can be fond here.

Present at the meeting: Sandra Aberkalns, Ray Cook, Tina Curran, Martha Eddy (beginning in Video 5), Ilene Fox, Ann Hutchinson Guest, Jackie Hand, Oona Haaranen, Kris Lindahl, Jimmyle Listenbee, Me-Chen Lu, Janis Pforish, Charlotte Wile.

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VIDEO 1

Summary of the issues discussed:

1.1   The purpose of the meeting is to map concepts and symbols:

• Same symbol, same meaning
• Same symbol, different meaning
• Different symbol, same meaning
• Other issues.

1.2   How is Motif Notation being used? How have the various applications of Motif Notation affected how the system evolved? Should there be one standard for the various applications?

1.3   Resources and texts for Motif Notation.

1.4   Interpretation of direction signs in Labanotation, Motif Notation, and Space Harmony.

1.5   Motion vs. Destination.

1.6   Symbols 1a-1f.

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VIDEO 2

Summary of the issues discussed:

2.1   The interpretation of the “place middle” sign.

2.2   Does “movement” always mean do an “action” (a “verb”)  or can it mean express a quality (an “adverb") such as Effort.

2.3   An action vs. an appropriate action.

2.4   Stillness, pause, maintaining

2.5   How intention and context (application) affects what is notated.

2.6   Symbols 2a-2g.

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 VIDEO 3

Summary of the issues discussed:

3.1   Stillness – Its content, meaning, and how it should be indicated.

3.2   The terms “flow,” “outward flow,” “inward flow,” "energy."

3.3    Flexion/Extension - degree and type.

3.4   Generic indications.

3.5   Symbols 3a-3j.

 

 

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VIDEO 4

Summary of the issues discussed:

 

4.1   Flexion/Extension.

4.2   Consistency and standardization within as well as between the various Laban communities.

 

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 VIDEO 5

Summary of the issues discussed: 

5.1   Duration of fixed length symbols.

5.2   Generic terms – “rotation,” “turn.”

5.3   The use of the sign for “any” in turn signs.

5.4   Turn around any axes.

5.5   Amount of turning.

5.6   Either right or left turn vs. parallel (neutral).

5.7   Body attitude.

5.7   Traveling vs. traveling on a path.

5.8   Symbols 5a-5i.

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VIDEO 6

Summary of the issues discussed:

6.1   Traveling; traveling on a path.

6.2   Weight transference (shifting weight) as a bridge to traveling.

6.3   Whole body traveling vs. body part traveling.

6.4   Terms – "traveling," "locomotion," "gestural traveling," "going," "moving through space."

6.5   Indication of timing with fixed length symbols and pre-signs.

6.6   What should be the criteria for developing symbols?

6.7   Arrows in symbols mean “go.”

6.8   Symbols 6a-6l.

 

 

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 VIDEO 7

Summary of the issues discussed:

7.1   The intention of traveling.

7.2   What is traveling? E.g., can you travel in one step? What is traveling on a floor plan?

7.3   The term “traveling” vs. “going.”

7.4   Hold sign on gestural traveling indications.

7.5   The indication of body portion involvement:

•  whole body 
• body part (gesture)
• either whole body or a body part (gesture)

7.6   The preferred interpretation of indications.

7.7.  Symbols 7a-7j.

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 VIDEO 8

Summary of the issues discussed:
 

8.1   How application affect ones preference for indications.

8.2   The criteria for developing the system.

8.3   Should basic symbols be interpreted as movements of :

•  the whole body 
• a body part (gesture)
• either whole body or a body part (gesture)