I recently stumbled across the Laban effects during a course led by Jules Munns (And Also) and fell well and truly down the rabbit hole researching it. There's a lot of the acting techniques I've not learnt because I did the sensible thing and did a Biomedical Science degree rather than studying drama...
Rudolf Laban was a dancer, choreographer and dance theorist. He created ways to analyse dance and this was also then used to help create characters in theatre.
Laban categorised movements into 4 elements or component parts, direction, weight, speed and flow.
Each of these elements/components has 2 opposite parts:
Direction - Direct and indirect
Weight - Heavy and light
Speed - Quick or Sustained Flow - Bound or free These components can then be used to create the eight efforts which are: Dab: direct, quick, light, bound
Float: indirect, sustained, light, free
Press: direct, sustained, heavy, bound
Wring: indirect, sustained, heavy, bound
Glide: direct, sustained, light, free
Punch: direct, quick, heavy, bound
Slash: indirect, quick, heavy, free
Flick: indirect, quick, light, free
It can be really helpful to create characters either using one or two of the component parts e.g. light and indirect or using one of the laban efforts e.g. flick.
I wanted to share with you some useful websites and Youtube videos I found in case you want to geek out and delve in Laban. When I find more useful information I'll update this list!
Useful websites:
Theatre Folk website explaining the Laban Efforts - https://www.theatrefolk.com/blog/the-eight-efforts-laban-movement
Backstage website goes into more detail explaining about the Laban Efforts and how it is useful for acting - https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/laban-movement-analysis-guide-50428/
The Laben Energies by Bruce Cromer (Professor of Acting and Movement in the BFA Actor Training Program at Wright State University). This is a really interesting video where Bruce demonstrates what different characters might look/sound like using the different Laban efforts - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsFRjpzAV4M Laban Eight Efforts Demonstration by David Bareford. This is an interesting video where David shows different vocal and physical characterisations within the same text - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ms5ouV-PAX4
Using Laban for Voice Over. Naturally RP Voiceover has created a useful video on how we can use the Laban efforts to create interesting character voices - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_5uEfXBYJE
I hope you find this useful! If you have any useful Laban links you'd like to share, please send them my way :)
Katy x
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