Laban's Efforts in Action
A Movement Handbook for Actors with Online Video Resources
Published on 18. October 2018
Book
Paperback/Softback
304 pages
978-1-4725-3324-1 (ISBN)
Description
As an actor, awareness of your movement is the key to transformation. By making deliberate physical choices, you can fully and articulately embody different ways of being: you can become someone or something else. Laban's Efforts give you a way of identifying and making these choices. Working with them helps the actor to create wholly present and physically ambitious performances.
This book outlines Ewan's practical process, which allows the actor to understand their own movement and that of others by exploring one key part of Laban's work: the 'Efforts of Action Drive'.
This complete, stage-by-stage, working process has been developed through more than thirty years of work with actors in the studio. Clear instructions for practical exercises are woven throughout the book, as well as exciting ways to apply the work in rehearsal, performance and on set. This allows the actor to learn and apply Laban's Efforts for themselves. Full video and audio resources allow the reader to experience the practical work in action.
This book outlines Ewan's practical process, which allows the actor to understand their own movement and that of others by exploring one key part of Laban's work: the 'Efforts of Action Drive'.
This complete, stage-by-stage, working process has been developed through more than thirty years of work with actors in the studio. Clear instructions for practical exercises are woven throughout the book, as well as exciting ways to apply the work in rehearsal, performance and on set. This allows the actor to learn and apply Laban's Efforts for themselves. Full video and audio resources allow the reader to experience the practical work in action.
Reviews / Votes
This is a fresh and invigorating new addition to the Laban for Actors family of publications. It's just like being in the studio with Vanessa - with practical how-to exercises and guided explorations in Effort, this book will be invaluable for all actors and teachers of movement for actors * Juliet Chambers, Guildford School of Acting/University of Surrey, UK * Vanessa Ewan's work with Laban and the Efforts, as you will find in this inspired book, provides performers with an incredibly fertile foundation from which to create. She has found an astoundingly practical way of applying Laban's work to the quest of being a fully embodied actor. You will find tools in this book that will open door after door to your own creativity and awaken you to the endless possibility of what you can create on stage and on screen. * Andrew Garfield, actor *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Target group
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 233 mm
Width: 158 mm
Thickness: 20 mm
Weight
478 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4725-3324-1 (9781472533241)
DOI
CBID182513
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Vanessa Ewan | Kate Sagovsky
Laban's Efforts in Action
A Movement Handbook for Actors with Online Video Resources
E-Book
10/2018
1st Edition
Methuen Drama
€41.99
Available for download
Vanessa Ewan | Kate Sagovsky
Laban's Efforts in Action
A Movement Handbook for Actors with Online Video Resources
E-Book
10/2018
1st Edition
Methuen Drama
€41.99
Available for download
Persons
Vanessa Ewan is Senior Lecturer on the three-year acting course and Co-Course Leader of the MA in Movement: Directing and Teaching at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, London, UK.
Kate Sagovsky works as a theatre practitioner, specialising in movement-based work and cross-art-form performance, and is the artistic director of Moving Dust theatre company.
Kate Sagovsky works as a theatre practitioner, specialising in movement-based work and cross-art-form performance, and is the artistic director of Moving Dust theatre company.
Content
INTRODUCTION
Laban and His Work
Laban's Work on Effort
Approaching the Efforts
About this Book
How to Use this Book
Part A: THE BIGGER PICTURE
CHAPTER ONE: MOVEMENT AND THE ACTOR
What is Movement?
What is Effort?
What is Action?
Laban's Efforts and the Actor
CHAPTER TWO: UNLOCKING MOVEMENT POTENTIAL
The Body in Space
Basic Locomotion
The Body as Orchestra
Part B: BUILDING BLOCKS
CHAPTER THREE: WEIGHT, TIME, SPACE
The Motion Factors
Examining Weight, Time, and Space
CHAPTER FOUR: EMBODYING THE MOTION FACTORS
Weight
Time
Space
Discovering the Eight Basic Efforts
Part C: DISCOVERING THE EFFORTS
CHAPTER FIVE: ABOUT THE PROCESS
Process Overview
Basic Philosophies
CHAPTER SIX (a): THE PROCESS WITH FLOATING
Preparation
Meeting the Effort
Mapping the Effort
The Effort as Code
A Journey (Guided Improvisation)
Efforts in the World
CHAPTER SIX (b): THE OTHER SEVEN EFFORTS
Dabbing
Wringing
Thrusting
Pressing
Flicking
Slashing
Gliding
Part D: THE EFFORTS AT PLAY
CHAPTER SEVEN: THE EIGHT EFFORT ARCHETYPES
What is an Effort Archetype?
Embodying the Eight Effort Archetypes
Applying the Eight Effort Archetypes
Observing the Eight Effort Archetypes
CHAPTER EIGHT: THE EFFORT WEAVE
What is an Effort Weave?
Effort Weave Preparation
Basic Effort Weave
Internalised Effort Weaves
Effort Weaves with An Agenda
CHAPTER NINE: EFFORT DUOS
What is an Effort Duo?
Discovering Effort Duos
Embodying Effort Duos
Effort Equation
Creating Effort Equations
Part E: APPLYING THE EFFORTS
CHAPTER TEN: ADVANCED EXPLORATIONS
Uniting Efforts and Text
'Giving Birth': Embodied Storytelling
Creating a Precise Physical Score
'Cloning': Discovering Characters
'Gallery-Glide': Unlocking Text
Manifesting Thoughts and Feelings: Subtext in Action
'Bottling': Mapping Bottled Emotions
CHAPTER ELEVEN: EFFORTS IN REHEARSAL
Preparation
Creating Character
The World of the Play
Advanced Observation
Final Reflections
APPENDICES
APPENDIX A: NOTES ON PROCESS
The Role of Flow
Self-Reflection
Control
Working with Gestures
Working with Vocalisation
Using Music
The Game of Life
Relating to Constraints
APPENDIX B: A NOTE ON WORD CHOICES
APPENDIX C: FOCUSING THE WORK FOR THE ACTOR
APPENDIX D: MUSIC SUGGESTIONS
GLOSSARY
BIBLIOGRAPHY
LIST OF VIDEO RESOURCES
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
INDEX
Laban and His Work
Laban's Work on Effort
Approaching the Efforts
About this Book
How to Use this Book
Part A: THE BIGGER PICTURE
CHAPTER ONE: MOVEMENT AND THE ACTOR
What is Movement?
What is Effort?
What is Action?
Laban's Efforts and the Actor
CHAPTER TWO: UNLOCKING MOVEMENT POTENTIAL
The Body in Space
Basic Locomotion
The Body as Orchestra
Part B: BUILDING BLOCKS
CHAPTER THREE: WEIGHT, TIME, SPACE
The Motion Factors
Examining Weight, Time, and Space
CHAPTER FOUR: EMBODYING THE MOTION FACTORS
Weight
Time
Space
Discovering the Eight Basic Efforts
Part C: DISCOVERING THE EFFORTS
CHAPTER FIVE: ABOUT THE PROCESS
Process Overview
Basic Philosophies
CHAPTER SIX (a): THE PROCESS WITH FLOATING
Preparation
Meeting the Effort
Mapping the Effort
The Effort as Code
A Journey (Guided Improvisation)
Efforts in the World
CHAPTER SIX (b): THE OTHER SEVEN EFFORTS
Dabbing
Wringing
Thrusting
Pressing
Flicking
Slashing
Gliding
Part D: THE EFFORTS AT PLAY
CHAPTER SEVEN: THE EIGHT EFFORT ARCHETYPES
What is an Effort Archetype?
Embodying the Eight Effort Archetypes
Applying the Eight Effort Archetypes
Observing the Eight Effort Archetypes
CHAPTER EIGHT: THE EFFORT WEAVE
What is an Effort Weave?
Effort Weave Preparation
Basic Effort Weave
Internalised Effort Weaves
Effort Weaves with An Agenda
CHAPTER NINE: EFFORT DUOS
What is an Effort Duo?
Discovering Effort Duos
Embodying Effort Duos
Effort Equation
Creating Effort Equations
Part E: APPLYING THE EFFORTS
CHAPTER TEN: ADVANCED EXPLORATIONS
Uniting Efforts and Text
'Giving Birth': Embodied Storytelling
Creating a Precise Physical Score
'Cloning': Discovering Characters
'Gallery-Glide': Unlocking Text
Manifesting Thoughts and Feelings: Subtext in Action
'Bottling': Mapping Bottled Emotions
CHAPTER ELEVEN: EFFORTS IN REHEARSAL
Preparation
Creating Character
The World of the Play
Advanced Observation
Final Reflections
APPENDICES
APPENDIX A: NOTES ON PROCESS
The Role of Flow
Self-Reflection
Control
Working with Gestures
Working with Vocalisation
Using Music
The Game of Life
Relating to Constraints
APPENDIX B: A NOTE ON WORD CHOICES
APPENDIX C: FOCUSING THE WORK FOR THE ACTOR
APPENDIX D: MUSIC SUGGESTIONS
GLOSSARY
BIBLIOGRAPHY
LIST OF VIDEO RESOURCES
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
INDEX