What is Choreology?

Derived from the Greek, its literal translation is ‘the science of dance’.

History

In 1955 Rudolf and Joan Benesh launched their dance notation system which records any form of dance or human movement and they named it choreology. They began teaching in 1956 at the Royal Academy of Dancing. In 1960 the Royal Ballet became the first company to hire a professional choreologist.

In 1962 Joan and Rudolf Benesh founded the Institute of Choreology in London, since renamed the Benesh Institute (and incorporated into the Royal Academy of Dancing). The Benesh Institute is responsible for training choreologists and for preserving notated scores.

What is a choreologist?

A choreologist produces dance notation scores which are the backbone of full scale ballet productions. Just like a conductor rehearses an orchestra with an orchestral score, a choreologist rehearses a dance company. Choreologist also work in fitness and dance teaching, physiotherapy, anthropology, and ergonomics.

How does it work?

Choreology is concise, visual and gives an accurate 3D record of movement or dance in real time describing:

Benesh Movement Notation is written on a five-line stave, similar to music. Signs and movement lines represent the various positions and movements of the body.

Choreology provides the ability to teach students the repertoire of world-class dance companies using more than 250 ballet scores that are available for educational purposes. It provides world wide access to examination syllabi of major dance institutions without the need for translation, as it is a universal language.

Why is choreology so valuable?

The language Rudolph and Joan Benesh developed is a purely kinetic language which directly pictures positions, steps, moves and entire dance productions. When read, the movements that are written in a score are visualised and felt   motorically. The advantage of using a purely kinetic method for describing dance and movement is that the movement itself is conveyed rather than some analytical, functional, scientific or poetic verbal description. Choreology gives the reader an insight into the nature, the laws and limitations, and the great potential of human movement behaviour.

In this context

Throughout her career Juliette Kando F.I.Chor., who is a qualified choreologist, has always used the notation. During the ongoing research stages of her work, invaluable data could not accurately have been sampled without it.

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