Rudolf Laban

Routledge Performance Practitioners is a series of introductory guides to the key theatre-makers of the last century. Each volume explains the background to and the work of one of the major influences on twentieth- and twenty-first-century performance. These compact, well-illustrated, and clearly written books will unravel the contribution of modern theatre¿s most charismatic innovators. Rudolf Laban was one of the leading dance theorists of the twentieth century. His work on dance analysis and notation raised the status of dance as both an art form and a scholarly discipline. Now revised and updated with a new preface and afterpiece from the author, this book combines: an overview of Laban¿s life, work and in¿uences an exploration of his key ideas, including the revolutionary "Laban Movement Analysis" system analysis of his works Die Gr¿nen Clowns and The Mastery of Movement and their relevance to dance theater from the 1920s onwards a detailed exercise-based breakdown of Laban¿s key teachings. As a first step towards critical understanding, and as an initial exploration before going on to further, primary research, Routledge Performance Practitioners are unbeatable value for today¿s student.