IVA.80 Choreutic Organic Deflections

In regards to collections of joints and skeletal links, Laban (1966) describes that when striving toward an inaccessible location, that “a number of interrelated movements” are used. That is, a collection of articulations at many joints all contribute their component movements towards allowing a body-part to reach a kinespheric locus. As part of the “law of harmony in movement” it is asserted that “between the angles of the component moves there is a precise relationship”. In other words, within the multi-joint articulation the relative contribution of each individual articulation should be entirely predictable. This “law” might be more specifically referred to as the law of “determinable contributory movements” (pp. 106–107). A variety of multi-joint cumulative ranges have been considered in choreutics which produce various deflections and so create the structure of the kinespheric net.

IVA.81 Deflected Ballet Foot Positions.

Laban (1926) considers the five positions of ballet to be the “simplest spatial-orientation-method in the art of dance”* (p. 6). These dimensionally conceived positions are observed to deflect into inclinations during actual embodiment.

Laban reasons that the five positions actually consist of eight foot positions (since the third, fourth, and fifth positions can occur with either the right-foot forward or the right-foot backward), which are themselves reducible to six foot positions. However this reasoning appears faulty,# apparently in an effort to support a numerical process leading to the twenty-four inclinational directions:

The six positions on low level can be projected upwards as contrary-positions, so that one gets a total of twelve spatial-situations, which can be traveled to or fro making twenty-four [inclinational] directions in all. (Laban, 1926, p. 13)

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* “Raumorientierungsmittel”, translated as “spatial-orientation-method”.

# Laban (1926) explains that “when one stands on both legs” that the third and fifth position right-foot forward is the same as the third and fifth position left-foot backward and therefore “two directions drop out on each side” yielding six positions (p. 13). Laban’s reasoning is incomplete here since he does not mention that fourth position right-foot forward is also identical to 4th position left-foot backward and so (using his logic) three directions “drop out on each side” leaving the original five positions.
A total of eight different foot positions can be derived from the five positions, these include forward/ backward variations of the third, fourth, and fifth positions. Or, alternatively, these could be considered to be five positions on each side, for example on the right-side the right-foot is always placed forward.

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Another line of reasoning which identifies the inclinations as deflections from the five ballet foot positions may be more consistent. Laban (1926) identifies the main directional component within each of the five foot-positions. The almost pure verticality of the first and fifth positions leads “steeply downwards”, whereas the third position is very steep but also contains a diagonal component. The fourth and second positions are “leading more horizontally”; the fourth position leads towards the sagittal dimension and the second position leads toward the lateral dimension (p. 6). Laban then lists the twenty-four inclinational directions and states that they “correspond to the four forms of the second, third, and fourth position” (whereas the “first and fifth positions are purely in one dimension” and so are not included) (pp. 13–14, 19). Thus, the eight flat, eight steep, and eight suspended inclinational directions are conceived to be deflections from the second, third, and fourth positions in ballet:

Flat (lateral) inclinations deflected from ballet second position
Steep (vertical)   “      “        “       “ third “
Suspended (sagittal)   “      “        “       “ fourth “



The process by which the second, third, and fourth positions are deflected into flat, steep, and suspended inclinations appears to be based on the body in dynamic motion rather than in a static position. Laban (1926) does not consider the five positions to be static positions of legs and/or arms. Rather, he presents a much more dynamic conception in which the five positions are “spatial-directions, which are strived* towards by the legs, and to which the upper-body makes the natural# countermovement” (p. 6). That is, “The arm-posture or [arm-] movement should guarantee the equilibrium with the foot-movement by [a] corresponding countermovement” (p. 7). Thus, a “contrary-position” for the arms† is identified which corresponds with each of the positions of the feet (p. 10). The arm positions are arranged so as to provide equilibrium with the foot positions according to the “law of countermovement” (pp. 17-18; see IIID.50).

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* “strebungen”, from “streben”; translated as “to strive”.

# “selbstverständliche” literally “self-understandable”; translated as “natural”.

† Laban’s arm positions are approximate counter-directions to the foot positions. These are not the arm positions used in modern ballet, and different styles of ballet use different arm positions in conjunction with the five foot positions (Grant, 1982, pp. 130-133).

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In the fourth position the right-foot can be forward and slightly to the side of the left-foot (Laban uses the “open fourth position” as described by Grant, 1982, p. 82). Following the direction from the right-foot, up towards the body, and into a counterdirection of the left-arm, produces the diagonal up-left-backward. Moving from the left-hand toward the right-foot produces the opposite diagonal down-right-forward. The same process between the left-foot (backwards and to the side) and the counter-direction in the right-hand produces the diagonal up-right-forward/down-left-backward. The other two diagonals are produced by executing the position on the other side (left-foot forward, right-foot backward). In the fourth position the distance between the feet is largest along the sagittal dimension, therefore the diagonals will be deflected sagittally (suspended inclinations).

Diagonals occur in the third position in the same way as in the fourth position. However in third position the feet are very close together and so the counter-directions of the arms will tend to be deflected vertically (steep inclinations)


In the case of second position the counterdirections of the arms might appear to extend purely into the lateral dimension rather than along a deflected diagonal. The deflection of the second position into diagonals can be imagined when movements are considered rather than static poses. Laban (1926) describes that when a direction is performed with movement (rather than a static pose) then “we must yield* around the body and thus give this direction a deflected situation” (p. 19). For example, in the second position the right-arm might start at its position toward the right side (lateral dimension) and move toward the left–foot position. In this case it must deviate either in front of, or behind the body on its way toward the left-foot. If the right-arm deviates in front of the body then during the movement a lateral deflection (flat inclination) of the diagonal down-left-forward will be produced. If the right-arm deviates behind the body then a lateral deflection of the diagonal down-left-backward will be produced. A similar process will produce vertical (steep) and sagittal (suspended) deflections in the third and fourth positions.

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* “ausweichen”; translated as “to yield”; also similar to make–way, dodge, evade, or deviate.
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This outline reveals that the second, third, and fourth positions in ballet can be observed to deflect into flat, steep, and suspended inclinations respectively. This supports the hypothesis that the structure of the kinesphere consists of deflected directions rather than pure dimensions or diagonals.

IVA.82 Deflected Dimensions into Diameters.

Another typical description in choreutics is when each of the three pure dimensions are observed to deflect into the two nearby icosahedral diameters. Similar descriptions of this deflection process are given in several places (Laban, 1926, pp. 22–23; Ullmann, 1955, pp. 29-31; 1966, pp. 139-141; 1971, pp. 18–21):

. . . The structure of our body, however, causes our movements to emphasize areas which are somewhat deflected from these fundamental [dimensional] points. It appears that two variations of each of them occur. (Ullmann, 1971, p. 18)

In the vertical dimension “grow upward until you have reached complete erectness extending your arms high”. In this position because of the width of the shoulder girdle and the pelvic girdle, the two hands (and the two feet) will be to the right and left of each other. The vertical dimension has expanded into a rectangular-shaped frontal plane in which “There is a long extension between your hands and your feet, and a short one between hand and hand, and foot and foot” (Ullmann, 1971, p. 18; similar description in Ullmann, 1955, p. 29; 1966, pp. 139-140).

In the lateral dimension if the right arm attempts to reach toward the pure left dimensional direction it must go either in front or behind the torso. Or if the right leg attempts to step to the left it must go either in front of, or behind the left leg. The resultant movement does not accomplish the pure lateral dimension but expands into the horizontal plane (Ullmann, 1955, pp. 29-30; 1966, p. 141; 1971, p. 19).

In the sagittal dimension an arm and a leg can both reach toward the pure forward or pure backward dimension. However, since the shoulder girdle is anatomically superior to the pelvic girdle the resultant arm location will be higher than the leg location. Thus, the sagittal movement of the arm and leg expands into the medial plane resulting in the up-forward and up–backward directions for the arm and the down-forward and down–backward directions for the leg (Ullmann, 1955, p. 30; 1966, p. 140; 1971, pp. 19-20).

Another example in the sagittal dimension is during the attempt to “lift one arm forward and reach into that direction as far as we can”. The “natural consequence” is that the torso flexes forward together with the arm, and the leg provides a counter-balance by reaching backwards. The conclusion is that “in order to make full use” of the sagittal dimension the body “enlists the help of an additional dimension” (the vertical) and so expands into the medial plane (Ullmann, 1966, p. 140).

The overall conclusion is that “the dimensions are not felt by the body as lines but as planes” (Ullmann, 1966, p. 141). Even casual observation reveals that these type of “dimensional planes” often occur, but the same anatomical constraints used to describe the dimensional planes can also be used to suggest different deflections. For example, if both arms reach forward in the sagittal dimension because of the width of the shoulder girdle the hands will reach into two directions slightly to the right and left of each other. In this example (as opposed to the example above) the sagittal dimension expands laterally and so creates a horizontal plane.

Ullmann (1966, p. 140) also points out that when one arm reaches into the sagittal forward dimension that the torso will tend to twist, thus enlisting the use of the horizontal plane. She discounts this, claiming that it “is not as decisive” as the enlisting of the medial plane while reaching forward. However, this horizontal twisting combined with reaching forward is surely part of the organic adaptations which allow the body to “make full use of the dimension” (ibid). For example, in the case of a “first arabesque” in ballet this horizontal twisting usually occurs spontaneously and has to be suppressed in the attempt to achieve a pure sagittal line of an arabesque. Thus, the sagittal dimension can be observed to also expand into the horizontal plane.

When reaching far into the right lateral dimension with the right arm, in order to gain full use of the dimension the torso will laterally flex and the opposite leg will counterbalance to the opposite side. In this example movement into the lateral dimension also includes vertical movements and so the lateral dimension can be conceived to expand into a frontal plane (rather than the horizontal plane as identified by Ullmann).

To experience the vertical dimension Ullmann (1971, p. 18) suggests a movement in which you “Crouch down very low on the floor” and “grow upward until you have reached complete erectness”. To accomplish this motion the torso will usually curl slightly during the downwards motion and then extend during the upwards motion. This torso flexion/extension adds a small amount of sagittal movement and thus deflects the vertical dimension into the medial plane (rather than into the frontal plane as discussed by Ullmann).

In summary, the prominent choreutic conception is that anatomic constraints cause movement toward each dimension to deflect into one of the planes:

Vertical dimension expands into the frontal plane
Lateral “ “ “ “ horizontal plane
Sagittal “ “ “ “ medial plane.


However, the examples presented here show that these same anatomic constraints can also cause each of the dimensions to deflect into a different plane:

Vertical dimension expands into the medial plane
Lateral    “ “      “    “ frontal plane
Sagittal    “ “      “    “ horizontal plane.



Whereas the choreutic “dimensional planes” are identified as being within an icosahedral-shaped kinespheric structure (see IVA.25), these alternative deflections may create planes which can be constructed in a dodecahedral-shaped kinesphere. The use of the dodecahedron has been explored in choreutics (Bodmer, 1974; 1979, p. 17; 1983, p.14; Laban, 1984, pp. 19, 35, 38-39, 62, 67) although it has not received much attention. Integrating the variations of orientation within differently shaped polyhedral nets (eg. the icosahedron and its dual the dodecahedron) is a matter for future research.

IVA.83 Deflected Arm Circles.

Arm circles conceived in Cartesian planes can be commonly observed to deflect into inclinations. During a beginning Labanotation class, the teacher Jean Jarrell (1992) made a statement typifying the process of dimensional prototypes deflecting into inclinations. Students were reading arm circles from sequences of direction symbols. Jarrell commented that people can read an arm circle notated in dimensional directions (for example):



much more readily, faster, and easier than an arm circle can be read which includes notations of diameters (eg. for the right-arm):



even though this latter notation is more likely to actually occur in movement. A performance of the arm circle will reveal how the average shoulder-joint does not have the range to allow the arm to move fully into the dimensional backward orientation. Even when twisting the spine the pure backwards dimension is difficult to attain. Thus, when performing this arm-circle the right arm tends to deflect towards the diametral right-backward direction.

Further deviations may also occur.* Limits in shoulder joint flexibility require that in order to attain the most successful orientation of the arm into the backwards dimension the shoulder must rotate during the transition into, and out of, the dimensional direction. This shoulder rotation has an effect of bulging the arm’s path slightly sideways. Thus, the following deviation of the arm circle may occur:



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* In discussions of movement it should always be noted that the particular performance must be observed since different Subjects have difference joint ranges and a single Subject may execute the movement differently from time to time. This can be thought of as the continual oscillation of the kinesthetic-motor net as a single topological form is embodied slightly differently on each occasion (see IVB.34).
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Further deviations may occur if the forward dimension bulges into the front edge of the medial plane. This resultant deflection consists of a cycle of five edges through an icosahedral-shaped kinesphere, and so can be referred to as a “peripheral 5-ring”:



This example is illustrative of how a path conceived as a dimensional cycling around the medial plane (octahedral) can be deflected into a tilted cycle of inclinational directions and deformed into a 5-part rather than a 4-part cycle.

Other deflections of planar cycles have also been outlined. Ullmann (1971, pp. 22-26; also 1955, pp. 31-34) reviews the “transformation of one-dimensional directions into three-dimensional inclinations”. According to these examples the dimensionally oriented movement of cycling around any one of the Cartesian planes is deflected so that the planar cycle tilts into an inclinational orientation. For example, the vertical and lateral dimensional lines of motion within a frontal planar cycle:



might be deflected into steep and flat inclinations:



The lateral and sagittal motions within a horizontal planar cycle:



might be deflected into flat and suspended inclinations:



The sagittal and vertical movements in a medial planar cycle:



might be deflected into suspended and steep inclinations:



Ullmann (1971, pp. 22-23) describes that these deflections might occur “to break the monotony” or with the goal of “liberating the movement” from the restriction of a pure Cartesian plane. This suggests a more expressive source of the deflections. Movement purely within a Cartesian plane may have a flat, rigid, or contained expression, whereas when movement is deflected this monotony is broken and the expression is liberated. Anatomical constraints can also be identified which operate in conjunction with the expressive aspect. If the movements are performed with the arm and torso the rotary articulations in the shoulder tend to bulge the pathway out of pure Cartesian planes. The expression of restriction or containment which may be associated with a purely planar movement might arise from the kinesiological restriction or containment which must be imposed to keep body movement close to a pure plane.

IVA.84 Overshooting Dimensional Locations.

During previous research (Longstaff, 1989), a behavior was observed but was not reported in which dimensional directions were “overshot”. This resulted in a deflection of the lines of motion into inclinations.
Several dancers were each assigned an “octahedral 3-ring” (Preston-Dunlop, 1984, p. 27; also listed by Ullmann, 1971, pp. 13-14) with which they were instructed to freely improvise with bodily movement, for example:



Even though they were repeatedly instructed to do so, during their improvisations it was observed that the dancers would not remain within the dimensional orientations of their limbs at each position (signified by each direction symbol) and the lines of motion between positions did not remain within the appropriate Cartesian plane. The dancers succeeded in remaining within the dimensional positions and planar motions only by continuously and consciously restricting their movement so that they would arrive, almost to a full stop, at each of the dimensional directions. However, this was an obviously severe limitation of what was spontaneously attempting to occur.*
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* It may be pertinent to note that the dancers used (Longstaff, 1989) had a tendency towards highly dynamic freely flowing movement and so limiting the movement to the pure Cartesian planes seemed all the more restrictive.
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Upon closer observation it was determined that the dancers were tending to perform “icosahedral transverse 3-rings” (Preston-Dunlop, 1984, p. 37). The octahedral 3-ring given above tended to deflect into the following icosahedral 3-ring (for the right-arm):



It appeared that this deflection occurred as a result of physical momentum carrying the body movement beyond the dimensional orientations. This overshooting can be specified by notating the dimensional end-points in brackets:



Upon further investigation it was found that other (icosahedral) inclinational sequences can be derived by overshooting (octahedral) dimensional sequences. For example, an “octahedral 12-ring” (Laban, 1966, p. 116; Preston-Dunlop, 1984, p. 29):



can be performed with overshooting, thus deflecting into the “icosahedral transverse 12-ring” (also termed the “A-scale”):



Although Laban never published a discussion of this over-shooting deflection it is implicit within the choreutic sequences presented for bodily practice. Spatial forms can be identified within octahedral, cubic, and icosahedral networks which transform into one another through types of over-shooting. This can be conceived of as the continual oscillation of the kinesthetic-motor net as a single topological form is embodied slightly differently on each occasion (see IVB.34).

IVA.85 Dimensional Scale Deflects into Inclinational A-Scale.

Laban (1966, p. 39) based several of his movement scales on the parrying movements of fencing which he referred to as the “defense sequence” and conceptualises it as pure dimensional directions. These can be observed to deflect into inclinations (for more details see IVB.33b):

The defense-scale takes on a slightly altered expression when the fundamental [dimensional] directions are replaced by primary deflected ones.
For example:


often shows the following form:

which is a deflected variation of the natural defense-scale.
(Laban, 1966, p. 42)


This “deflected variation” is the first half of a choreutic icosahedral transverse 12-ring (the “A-scale”). This similarity between the defense scale and the first half of the transverse 12-ring is pointed out in other places (Laban, 1966, p. 80) and it is stated that “these six directions [of the dimensional scale] are not performed directly in the vertical-, lateral-, and sagittal-dimensions, since these are not practicable for our limbs because of their attachment to the body”, rather, movement towards each of the dimensions “leads to” a corresponding inclinational direction of the transverse 12-ring (Laban, 1926, p. 25). This deflection is also included in choreutic education where students are taught to “deflect the dimensional scale into the A-scale” (Preston–Dunlop, 1989) and was part of Laban’s dance training in England during 1948–1949 (Preston-Dunlop, 1996).

IVA.86 Infinite Deflections.

Laban (1966, p. 17) describes that “there is no end to this process” of deflecting the six dimensional and eight diagonal directions since “the number of possible inclinations is infinite”. The prototype/deflection hypothesis can be conceived in relation to these infinite possible deflections. Pure dimensional and pure diagonal orientations each specify a single particular orientation (relative to a reference system, typically the vertical line of gravity and the facing of the torso). In between these pure dimensions and pure diagonals are an infinite number of other possible orientations referred to as deflections or inclinations. The plastic structure of anatomy reveals that it is unlikely that body movements will align with pure dimensions or diagonals. Even the slightest deflection will result in an inclinational orientation. The infinite variety of inclinations are then categorised into groups which are referred to according to the closest diagonal and the closest dimension (flat, steep, suspended). This choreutic system provides a cognitive structure and terminology to mentally conceive and distinguish between these many types of inclinational directions which occur during actual movement.