Weight Transference Thread

[The following is an excerpt from the Minutes for the DNB Open Theory Meeting held on May 7, 2007. The minutes were prepared by Tina Curran and Charlotte Wile. The meeting was attended by Sandra Aberkalns, Zack Brown, Tina Curran, Jen Garda, Doris Green, Mira Kim, Mei-Chen Lu, Christina Schoenfeld, and Charlotte Wile.]

The group read the following paper:

Stepping Signs
by Charlotte Wile

In Motif Notation the signs for "stepping" are shown in 1a-1g below.

1a. Stepping (general sign).
1b. Stepping on the right, left, or both feet.
1c. Stepping on either foot.
1d. Stepping on the right foot.
1e. Stepping on the left foot.
1f. Stepping on both feet.
1g. Stepping on both feet.

Note: The signs in 1a and 1b are similar in that they leave the foot (feet) that does the stepping open to interpretation. However, the signs differ in the intent they convey. In 1a the focus is just on the action of stepping. Example 1b explicitly says the foot (feet) and the action are salient.

Stepping in a direction is shown by modifying the stepping sign with a direction sign, as exemplified in 2a-g.

Therefore, stepping in "any direction" should be indicated as in 3a-3g. Likewise, stepping in place should be indicated as in 4a-g.

This is confusing because it means three movements are indicated with the same sign (shown in red): stepping in any direction (Ex. 3a), stepping in any direction on both feet (Ex. 3f), and stepping in place (Ex. 4a).

Three solutions to this problem are shown below. Which solution works best? Is there another solution that would work better than the ones shown here?

Discussion of Charlotte's Paper

Point of Discussion 1: Examples 1a-g vs. 3a-g in Charlotte's document.

It was acknowledged that the symbols 1a-g and 3a-g theoretically mean the same thing: stepping on the feet (or a foot) with freedom in choice of direction. When asked about the difference of meaning, Charlotte expressed that it was a matter of attention to intention:

Ex. 1a-g provides the most general statements of stepping on the feet where attention may be focused on the transference of weight (with support on the feet). Whereas, 3a-g expand attention to direction by explicitly adding the “any direction” statement so attention during exploration makes one more aware of the directions possible or chosen in the transference of weight in taking steps. [Addendum by Tina: I found this distinction to be useful.]

Point of Discussion 2: The question was posed, why have both 1f and 1g (and the subsequent symbols underneath, 2f & g, 3f & g, 4f & g)?

The parallel was drawn to the combination of body part signs, i.e. the individual signs drawn side-by-side for the right foot and left foot being combined to also represent both feet. The benefit being that a notator may chose to use the combined symbol for both feet or to write the left and right foot depending upon the context of the movement and what would be most reader friendly.

Point of Discussion 3: Discussion focused on 2a and considered the existence and use of a specific direction symbol with a horizontal ad lib in the middle.

In Your Move, an open direction symbol (forward, sideward, place, etc.) would be used with a vertical ad lib. sign in the middle to represent a directional action at any level, but the horizontal ad lib. over a specific direction would not be used.

In LN the horizontal ad lib. over a direction symbol may be used. The example given of a dancer being directed to take a second position but the exactness of that position not being exact, so the horizontal ad lib. sign being used over the sideward symbols in the support column to represent this leeway in performance. [Addendum from Tina: In thinking about this, I wonder if a vertical ad lib. next to the direction symbols might be a better solution to mean, “more-or-less” this position. Just a question.]

Tina shared the following to show the development of her understanding and visual arrangement of Motif symbols which results in support of Charlotte's proposed Solution #1.

In addition to Issues 1-3 above, there was discussion of use of the forward symbol and the placement of the chimney being right or left as this has specific meaning in LN for the right or left side of the body. In Motif Notation this is, initially, less important. Discussion ensued with the sharing of various pedagogical approaches/needs to reveal that in first introducing the forward symbol, the placement and meaning of the chimney may not be centrally important within the instruction, but brought in later when more detail is appropriate and ready to be grasped by the student.

Also, Zack wondered if it might be useful to have a new set of general symbols using ad lib. signs, such as those shown below. Participants felt the vertical ad lib. sign has meanings that would make 17a-g unsuitable for the ideas being discussed. However, the signs might be useful in some other context.

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