"Any Number" of Movements That Stay in Place

"Any Number" of Movements That Stay in Place
Submitted by Charlotte Wile - April 10, 2000
 
I've been thinking some more about how to indicate unspecified movements that stay in place (i.e., that do not travel). Maybe an action stroke and a place sign could be used to indicate one movement that stays in place, as in Ex. 1. How could that indication be modified to say any number of movements that stay in place? An indication for "any number" needs to be invented (see Ann Guest's Feb 10 comments in this thread). Maybe it could be derived from the sign for "number" shown in Ex. 2. The "any number" sign could be drawn as in Ex. 3 (i.e., with horizontal "any" signs). Thus "any number of unspecified movements that stay in place" could be indicated as in Ex. 4.

Axial Movement

Axial Movement
Submitted by Ann Hutchinson Guest - February 10, 2000
 
Charlotte Wile's June 10th, '99 submission and Lucy Apr. 23, '99, (I don't seem to have copies of the previous material): I am not happy with use of the spot hold sign for axial movement, ex. CWa), although it is a possibility. Lucy's background notes on axial movement were most helpful. Her example, LVa) needs an action line, as in A1.

Use in some way of the place (vertical) sign certainly seems logical, but we are up against the uses of the ad lib. sign with this rectangle. Ex. CWe) can't mean "any vertical direction". There is only one vertical direction, it is a question of level - up, down, or at the middle. And that is shown by the ad lib. sign being placed inside, vertically, A2. I find CWf) too vague, although it could be learned, but then - anything can be learned! Ray Cook's suggestion of June 10th, RC, states nothing about number of movements; I would not know how to interpret it. Would it relate to the sign for 'either side', A3?

Much as we hate negative statements, the simplest solution could be to indicate no traveling, the 'any traveling' sign crossed out, A4.

 







Charlotte's ending question brings up the need for a sign for 'any number'. This need arises elsewhere. Knust provided a sign for number of people, K1, another for number of steps (distance), K2, but number of movements does not come up in structured description. Any suggestions?

For Axial Movement Discussion

For Axial Movement Discussion
Submitted by Jimmyle Listenbee - December 1, 1999


I like Charlotte Wile's thinking, and support the need to notate general non-travelling movement. Lucy Venable's contribution, with her references to Anne Green Gilbert, moves us closer to the center of the problem, which is (I think): What Changes and What Remains the Same?


Gilbert's language comes from the science of Anatomy, referencing the Axial skeleton (as opposed to the Appendicular skeleton.) Dance educators who appropriated this term probably were seeing changes in spinal relationships. Laban's Space Theory uses the conceptual vocabulary of plane and solid Geometry, where the relationship of axis to orbit is so fundamental and germinal that it would not make sense to exclusively associate the term "Axis" with any particular set.


 The design of Wile's suggested symbol seems akin to Ann Guest's sign for "a shape" shown below. Both of them make me think of place middle, space holds and floor plans. I myself have recently been thinking on how/when/why to signify the still Form of a static Volume vs the Process of changing Shape. I view the Laban-Literacy community as being of two, mutually inclusive but not well-differentiated, frames of mind on these issues. I believe we need to return to, perhaps reexamine, our basic grammar for indicating movement vs. position. In the meantime, why don't we seek to align our language with that of anatomy & math, our two most intimately related disciplines of body and space. This would improve its academic credibility and its potential for interdisciplinary communication. I know everyone is tired of reinventing the wheel, but certainly not its axis.

Response to Jane Dulieu's comment posted on June 15

Response to Jane Dulieu's comment posted on June 15 [Axial Movement]
Submitted by Charlotte Wile - June 15, 1999

You're right Jane! Ex. g) should include the sign shown in f) rather than the sign for "any direction." Thanks for the correction.

Submitted by Jane Dulieu - June 15, 1999 [Axial Movement]

Submitted by Jane Dulieu - June 15, 1999 [Axial Movement] - June 15, 1999

I am really enjoying these discussions. Haven't yet considered the new sign fully. However, in discussion between Ann Guest and Charlotte Wile, should ex. g) include the new sign of ex. f) and not the any direction sign in the menu??

Symbol Suggestion

Symbol Suggestion
Submitted by Ray Cook - June 10, 1999

Maybe "any number of movements in place" could be indicated with the sign shown below.

NOTES ON THE INDICATION FOR MOVEMENT IN PLACE

NOTES ON THE INDICATION FOR MOVEMENT IN PLACE
Submitted by Ann Hutchinson Guest and Charlotte Wile - June 10, 1999

Comment by Charlotte:

I've been thinking further about Lucy's comments (April 23) and my response (April 28). I now agree with her that the sign I originally proposed probably does suggest one movement in place. The question then remains: How can one indicate movement in place without specifying the number and type of actions? A few days ago I discussed this issue and Lucy's ideas with Ann Hutchinson Guest. Following are some notes taken at that discussion.