Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Rudolf Laban, the Hungarian pioneer of modern dance theory and notation technique, may yet prove the most influential dance figure of the 20th century. This book introduces the man and assesses the range of his influence through a series of essays and a reference file.

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CHOICE Review

This concise volume is an invaluable research tool. In fewer than 200 pages authors Hodgson and Preston-Dunlop have drawn together a wealth of research sources on the work of the Hungarian-born movement theorist who is generally considered to be the most influential figure in the development of dance in the 20th century. The book is organized in two parts: the first encompasses Laban's work and influence; the second is a remarkably detailed reference file. Especially noteworthy in Part 1 are the sections dealing with Laban's fight for the status of dance, his approach to the training of the dancer, his thoughts about community dance, and his work in therapy. Part 2 includes an excellent short chronology of principal events and influences in Laban's life, a chronology of his dance works, and a chronological list of his writings. A 15-page listing of major writings about Laban's work and influence is also included. The book concludes with a particularly fascinating section on Laban as a graphic artist, which includes 12 clearly reproduced examples of his work in pencil, oil, ink, crayon, and moulded clay. By sharing resources from the private Laban Collection of Hodgson and the Laban Centre in England, the authors have made accessible to scholars world wide a wealth of material by and about one of the truly seminal minds of the 20th century. -C. W. Sherman, College of William and Mary