Labanotation Helps Preserve Ancient Dances

The 23rd Biennial Conference of the International Council of Kinetography Laban/Labanotation (ICKL) was held in Beijing in July. Labanotation has a history of 76 years, and was introduced into China in 1980. It has since seen rapid development here.

Labanotation enabled China's dancing institutes to discard traditional teaching approaches in favor of motif writing, a valuable tool for the teaching of dance composition as it provides a contextual framework in which to explore the choreographic elements of movement structure, spatial design, phrasing and dynamics. By organizing these movement concepts and identifying them symbolically, motif writing engenders cognitive understanding. Its practical application enables the cognitive and creative processes to merge. China hopes to use Labanotation to record and internationally disseminate its ancient dancing civilization. It was through Labanotation that 800-year-old Naxi dance "Dongba Scriptures" was introduced to foreign dance devotees, causing a worldwide sensation.