Title
Laban: approaching effort and action

Workshop description
This workshop will give teachers tools to teach Laban movement theory confidently and link it to character work. Whether physical theatre or more pedestrian movement styles, this workshop assists teachers in asking students to make more considered physical choices.

Learning outcomes
Participants will:
– develop a new vocabulary to describe how we move with reference to action and effort;
– understand effort in more depth with a focus on weight, time, space and flow;
– connect movement analysis to TEAM (tension, emotion, atmosphere and meaning);
– adapt the skills learned to help develop character in future work;
– be able to help students gain the ability to no longer move like ‘themselves’ in performance.

How this workshop will benefit teachers in their curriculum delivery
DP Theatre teachers

Target audience
It’s all about being confident teaching a lesser known but essential subject matter. Teachers will leave the workshop understanding the theory, how it can benefit their teaching and their students learning; giving them lots of ideas for development too.

Jane Coulston
I am the director of Beyond Repair Dance company and alongside my uber talented team I create original productions for events, television, advertising and film. After a longish stint as an artistic gymnast, I changed direction and trained as a professional dancer at Trinity Laban in London.

My artistic ambition is to build new audiences for contemporary dance, giving people an opportunity to appreciate dance in an open, all-inclusive and accessible way. I strongly believe that movement tells stories in a way that resonates like no other medium – making us connect to the performance on a deeply personal level.

Having studied at Trinity Laban, the study of movement quality (effort) and its connection to emotion in action is a subject I have great pride in teaching. Laban was a pioneer in his work and I have always enjoyed teaching his theories to dancers and actors alike. I have taught many Laban workshops for teachers for ISTA at festivals whilst attending as an ensemble leader and also at other institutions and schools including The American School in London, ISTD Congress, Chichester College, DanceWest and Loughborough University.

Event coordinator
Helen Abbott

The workshop will take place using the platform Zoom.
Places are limited to 20 participants per workshop.
You will receive a link to the Zoom call the day before the workshop.

The cost of the session is GBP £30 per person.

Any materials shared with you prior to the workshop, such as the workbook. Plus anything requested by the workshop leader which will be shared with you a few days prior to the workshop.

Space requirements
If possible, please try to have a small amount of space near to you for any practical work.