MOVEMENT VIDEO LIBRARY
What one experiences through movement can never be expressed in words; in a simple step there may be a reverence of which we are scarcely aware. Yet through it something higher than just tenderness and devotion may flow into us and from us. Rudolf von Laban
Effective and expressive physical movement is an essential component of artistic conducting, yet it is one of the most difficult to develop and teach. By exploring movement concepts that are not inherently related to music, a conductor can practice moving naturally and creatively. One can then integrate these ideals while conducting according to the unique demands of the music as it occurs.
LABAN
Rudolf von Laban (1879-1958) was an influential Hungarian dancer, choreographer, and movement theorist. He analyzed, described, and notated movement in an effort to allow dancers to move more expressively, and ultimately to allow anyone to align mind and body with greater understanding and ease.
Click below to access an array of videos that demonstrate Laban's Eight Efforts.
Alexander
Frederick Matthias Alexander (1869-1955) was an Australian actor and orator who founded the Alexander Technique after a self-directed recovery from chronic laryngitis. When doctors were unable to help, he spent years studying his own physical actions and how they felt or seemed. By identifying discrepancies between reality and perception, he developed an influential method for eliminating harmful tension, moving with ease, and re-educating the mind and body.
Click below to access an array of videos about the Alexander Technique.
DANCE
Organized human movement has been a vital artistic medium for thousands of years. The connection between physical movement and music, as realized through dance, offers a wealth of insight for anyone who aspires to move musically. Moreover, a great deal of music has been inspired by or written for the purpose of dance. Dance is often choreographed, while conducting is predicated on two-way musical communication in real time. Still, there may be no better extant resource on the creative, rhythmic, and expressive connection between body and sound than the study of dance.
Click below to access a selected array of dance videos that may be of interest to conductors.
Do you have a favorite movement video on YouTube? If so, suggest it here.