The Anatomy of Choice: a comprehensive course in Laban and Bartenieff

Expand Chapters for individual lessons.

    1. Welcome!

    2. How to Use this Course

    3. SYLLABUS

    4. Journal

    5. What is LMA?

    6. What is BF?

    7. What is Motif?

    8. Historical Context and Decolonialism in Laban

    9. Whole-Part-Whole

    10. Goals and Values Assignment

    1. Consent and Ethics in Observation and Analysis

    2. Surgical Empathy: How to construct feedback to be truly constructive

    3. Introduction to Body Organization

    4. Body Organization: Breath

    5. Body Organization: Core-Distal

    6. Body Organization: Head-Tail

    7. Body Organization: Upper-Lower

    8. Body Organization: Body Half

    9. Body Organization: Cross Lateral (Diagonal)

    10. Body Organizations Phrase: Move with me!

    11. 6 Body Organizations Applications

    12. How to Motif the 6 Body Organizations

    13. Body Organizations Quiz (Questions)

    14. Body Organizations Quiz (Answers)

    1. Introduction to Basic Six

    2. Basic Six: Thigh Lift

    3. Basic Six: Forward Pelvic Shift

    4. Basic Six: Lateral Pelvic Shift

    5. Basic Six: Knee Drop

    6. Basic Six: Arm Circle

    7. Basic Six: Body Half

    8. Basic Six: X Rolls

    9. Hands-on corrections for The Basic Six

    10. Basic Six in Dance Phrasework

    11. Basic Six Quiz! (Questions)

    12. Basic Six Quiz! (Answers)

    1. Introduction to 8 Principles

    2. 8 Principles: Breath Support

    3. Assignment: Breath Support

    4. 8 Principles: Core Support

    5. 8 Principles: Weight Shift

    6. 8 Principles: Effort Intent

    7. 8 Principles: Spatial Intent

    8. 8 Principles: Dynamic Alignment

    9. 8 Principles: Rotary Factor

    10. 8 Principles: Initiation and Sequencing

    11. Application of 8 Principles

    12. 8 Principles Quiz

    1. Bartenieff Class #1

    2. Bartenieff Class #2

    3. Bartenieff Class #3

    4. Application of BF to Pedagogy

    5. Applications of BF to Theater and Dance

    1. Basic Body Actions

    2. BODY Actions Quiz! (Questions)

    3. BODY Actions Quiz! (Answers)

    4. Body Actions Motif

    5. Body Actions Motif Quiz!

    6. Body Parts

    7. Body Parts Motif

    8. Body Parts and Actions Application for Dance

About this course

  • 154 lessons
  • 20 hours of video content

You have choices. Find out what they are.

Using a deep study of Laban and Bartenieff to create opportunity, invite shift, and grow yourself as a creator, performer, teacher, healer, coach, and human.

Enroll Today

Pricing options

To adjust for wealth disparities, a variety of payment plans are available. We have a limited number of scholarships and prioritize BIPOC and trans students to receive them, but we consider every request. We offer 20% discount for students who have taken "Embodied Meaning" and 10% discount for all returning students. Sales tax will be automatically calculated and added to the price of the course based on where you live. Unfortunately we are currently unable to provide a copy of Coleen Wahl's book "Laban/Bartenieff Movement Studies: Contemporary Applications" for folks who receive more than a 20% discount. Reach out to [email protected] if you are experiencing financial hardship and would like to inquire about a partial scholarship.

Instructor(s)

Alexandra Beller

Alexandra Beller, Artistic Director of Alexandra Beller/Dances, (2002-present), was a member of the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company from 1995-2001. Alexandra has created over 40 original Dance Theatre works, presented at/commissioned by theatres throughout NYC, and companies in Korea, Hong Kong, Oslo, Cyprus, and the US. She has created dance theater works for over 45 Universities throughout the US, including Barnard, SUNY Purchase, Rutgers, Princeton, UCSB, U of M (Ann Arbor), Ohio University, and The New School. Alexandra currently choreographs predominantly for Theatre. Credits: Off Broadway: Sense and Sensibility (Sheen Center, Judson Gym, Folger Shakespeare Library, American Repertory Theatre, Portland Center Stage), (Helen Hayes Award, Lortel Nomination, IRNE Best Choreography), The Mad Ones (59E59), Bedlam’s Peter Pan (Duke Theatre), How to transcend a happy marriage (Lincoln Center Theatre), Regional: Two Gentlemen of Verona (Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival), As You Like It (Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Folger Shakespeare Library), The Young Ladies of... (Taylor Mac), Chang(e) (HERE), Current: Antonio’s Song (CATF, Milwaukee Rep), Fandango for Butterflies (and Coyotes) (La MaMa, and touring), Directing/Choreographing Macbeth. She is on faculty at Princeton and The Laban Institute for Movement Studies. Alexandra holds a BFA/Dance, MFA/Choreography, and CMA/Laban Movement Analysis and Bartenieff Fundamentals. She develops courses in Laban Movement Analysis, Bartenieff Fundamentals, Directing, Dramaturgy, Choreography, Pedagogy, and more. She regularly teaches residencies and master classes at Universities and studios nationally and internationally. She supports teachers and creators in numerous offerings, including monthly Pedagogy Masterminds, Laban/Bartenieff discussion groups, and artistic feedback sessions (all FREE and available through her website). She also offers private Bartenieff, Somatic therapy, and artistic mentorship to humans of every age. For more info: www.alexandrabellerdances.org.