Motif Notation in China

Motif Notation in China

Submitted by Mei-Chen Lu - October 31, 2016

Mei-Chen Lu, Director of Library Services at the DNB, taught three Motif Notation Workshops in Beijing and Nanjing, China, in July and September 2016.  Mei studied Motif Notation with Charlotte Wile, who is an expert in this area and is also the main teacher of the DNB's Movement Observation and Motif Notation Online Course.  Mei spent a couple of months translating materials into Chinese.  During the translation process, Mei and Charlotte had numerous theory discussions to clarify theory issues.  As far as Mei knows, this is the first time an in-depth course in Motif Notation has been offered in China.  

Mei's students explored Motif Notation concepts through guided improvisation, analysis of movement, individual and group compositions based on given scores, observation activities, and writing their own scores.   By the end of the course, her students had a better understanding of body anatomy,  relationship to the space, score documentation, as well as using the Motif Notation as an inspiration for creative and expressive movement.

Here are two short clips of her Nanjing students doing a "Fall" study and a "Flexion and Extension" study.

Fall Study

Flexion and Extension Study

Many of her students have started using Motif Notation in their teaching.  More to be shared in the future.