The problem of significance: revisiting aspects of Laban’s discussions of the significance of movement and dance from a twenty-first century perspective

How cultural difference is contemplated has changed since Laban first formulated his theories.In Britain today, informed by experiences of diversity, dance theorists may be more wary of accepting the universalism underlying Laban's therories. However, it is argued that it is important to keep in mind that the experience of dance is enriched by an engagement that, in Laban’s terms, requires thinking in movement. This paper revisits Laban's effort theory to suggest how his work might provide the means to develop a sensitivity to how different ways of being in the world are manifested, and perhaps even negotiated, in performance