Response to "Floor Plan Ideas"

Response to "Floor Plan Ideas"
Submitted by Ray Cook - March 13, 2000

Question: How does one write two dancers moving on a path at the same time and in the same spatial relationship, but changing their facing by the end of the path?

Ann says that the arrow with the wedge, as in Ex. 1 (RC1c in her Feb.10 posting), should be used when there are more than two people. She uses the double arrow when there are two people, as in Ex. 2 (A1 on Feb. 10).

I want the arrow with the wedge (Ex. 1) to be used when there are two or more people who do not change their facing. Then the double arrow can be used when there are two people who do change their facing, as in Ex. 3. The double arrow could also be used for more than two movers who change facing, as in Ex. 4.

Ann's notation shown in Ex. 5 here (A5 on Feb 10) still does not show visually the idea of moving on the same path. I say the notation on the staff tells you which way to travel first.

Ann asked if Ex. 6 (RC4c on Feb 10) indicates a leap. Yes it does.

Ann's method of incorporating turns on a path indication is shown here in Ex. 7 (A7 on Feb 10). If the small circles in Ex. 7 indicate turns, how does one show on the floor plan that the path includes small circles? The indication could be written with turn signs, as in Ex. 8 or 9. In Ex. 8,9 there is no doubt that the turns are counterclockwise. In Ex. 7 the direction of the turns is not clear. 

Ann says Ex. 10 (referred to as RC9a on Feb. 10) is already "in use." I have never seen it. My symbols are all that go on the floor plan. There may be a plan that shows what all dancers are doing - moving through space - but this plan helps the restager to know where other movers are as person "Q" passes them.

Re: Ann's indications shown in Ex. 11 and Ex. 12 (A8 and A9 on Feb 10) and my indications shown in Ex. 13 and 14 (RC11b and 11c on Feb 10).

The approximate sign is not needed in any of the indications. For instance, only the plus sign is needed in Ex. 11 and only the increase sign is needed in Ex. 13. Neither the plus nor the increase sign tells you how much more to circle or turn, so the approximate sign is no help.

Floor Plan Ideas

Floor Plan Ideas
Submitted by Ann Hutchinson Guest - February 10, 2000

Ray Cook's paper of August 12, '99 brought up many good points, also touched on some already established usages, and some questionable suggestions.

Ex. RC1c): the arrow with a wedge should be applied to more than two people; in itself, states nothing about a change in formation. Thus 1c) should be written as A1 (RC1b).

His RC1f) is the sign for the path of a design. It grew (another of my inventions) out of the sign of A2 here, meaning `a shape', thus translating this into a path sign.

RC2a): this indication needs a person pin to show at which end the to and fro path starts, A3. Do we not generally use this? And what about A4 rather than RC2b)? A first shorter arrow is needed, as in A5 here. For 2c) a person pin is needed; if it means the same thing, it should be written as A5 here.

RC3a), b), c), I agree.

RC4a), already in use. Ray, did you mean to show a leap from left to right in the middle of the path? Only in the next example do you speak about using Motif indications. 4c), I agree. If one is to incorporate turning on the path indication, why not take the liberty of the visual indication I favor, A6 here shows turning to the right, A7 turning to the left, visually very clear. The number of such turns and where they occur on the path can be shown very simply in this way. I know the purists say "You do not run around yourself in a little circle during the traveling activity", but isn't this where a practical device is being cast aside because of theoretical chastity?

RC4d), yes. RC4e), this can be used for a solo, if it is clear that there are not three other men on stage!

RC5a), RC5b) this is very practical and a definite visual aid. RC5c), yes, this has already been used.

RC6a), wedges for C and B ending would help, otherwise it looks at first sight as though it is a statement of on which side A passes two other people.

RC7a), 7b) this device is useful, meas. numbers will be given under the plans, of course.

RC8a - 8c): I completely agree with this! We get so much from the floor plan (and I encourage students to glean all they can from the F.Ps). I have come across many LN scores which show the direction of the pin before traveling, as in your 8b).


RC9a), good, and already in use, I would say.

RC10a), I have long been in favor of this, and see no problem when where D is facing at a given point is not known, or not important.

RC11a), for whatever reason, the result of the "more or less than a full circle" is not important. There is a slight problem with the plus and minus signs, RC11b, 11c, they would have to be explained in a note. I have tried experimenting with the horizontal increase and decrease signs, A8, A9, but as we do not use these signs as a rule, would the meaning be clear?

Making the floor plans more visual and informative

Making the floor plans more visual and informative

Submitted by Ray Cook - August 12, 1999

Making the floor plans more

1) visual
2) informative

Some of these examples are not new - but it may be a good idea to pool all of the devices used to enlarge the possibilities of a logical development of what we already have.

One person. (Ex. 1a)

More than one -with a change of relationship. (Ex. 1b)

More than one - without a change of relationship. (Ex. 1c-e)

The indications in 1c-e are from design drawing (1f), which is what a floor plan really is - a design on a flat surface.

Floor plan 2a shows two different paths, and as we often told to make adjustments (which are seldom written), the reader does not know how to interpret this plan.

Traveling back on the same path. The notation would tell which way to travel first. (Ex. 2b)

Combined with Labanotation the plan in 2c ca only be read as travel first to the right, because if you went first to the left and then to the right you would encounter an arrow head pointing in the wrong directions. 

One plan showing a projected path is more helpful than two plans, especially when on two different pages. (Ex. 3a-c)
 

An aerial movement on 1/4, 1/2, 1/4 lines. (Ex. 4a)

One can also indicate the type of aerial movement by incorporating Motif. Writing. 

Positions on the path at which an aerial movement, holding, and turning occur. (Ex. 4c)

An important change of facing can be shown on one floor plan. (Ex. 4d)

A change of facing while traveling. (Ex. 4e)

In floor plans 5a and 5 b "a" and "b" represent two phrases ot two steps.  The number 9, 10, 11, and 12 are measure numbers. By identifying the phrases on the floor plan it is immediately visual as to what is done where - and that in measure 11 the two dancers perform the "b" phrase side by side phrase side by side.

When the measure numbers are placed on the path sign it is obvious where the movement occurs and that in measure 4 more space is traveled than in measures 5, 6, or 7. (Ex. 5c)

 
By repeating the identification on the path you can show who ends where. (Ex. 6a)

In a compound floor plan there is nothing to tell the reader what part of each floor plan is occurring simultaneously with another dancer. If it does not matter 7a may do, but if it is important, the points at which to break the path are important. This final design must be seen - all at the same time, as in 7b.

Floor plan 8b gives information that conflicts with the Labanotation shown in 8a. Floor plan 8b is not visual (i.e., the dancer does not face stage front to travel), and requires more work and use of memory than 8c.

Floor plan 8c gives accurate information.

Floor plan 9a shows five dancers with a path for dancer "Q." This type of floor plan - perhaps one for every dancer - shows the over all path for "Q" AND

1. Where she pases "N," "M," "R."
2. On which side of her
2. "S" crosses her path at the point shown.

If facing is important it may be shown.

If floor plan 10a "D" is turning on the spot. To give him a facing pin gives the wrong image. PLEASE!!! Do not say the indication for "D" may be confused with the center of weight sign.

Ab libitum:


The ad lib. sign in 11a does not say more or less one circle. I suggest that we add a plus sign for more and a minus sign for less, as in 11b, c.