Utilizing Laban Movement Analysis to Create Empathetic and Differentiated Learning Environments

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Educators will leave this Professional Development with a certificate of 6 hours of Professional Development and able to say I have the tools to:

• Understand the connection between emotional intelligence and somatic (body) intelligence
• Analyze and evaluate my movement biases and preferences, and how they influence my interpretation of the movement of others
• Create interactive lesson plans to develop somatic and emotional intelligence in my students, and their empathy. 

What we offer?

• This is NOT a dance class and we are inclusive of all physical abilities. There will be some movement, but it is to understand movement preferences and biases in everyday movement. We will hope you understand how to notice your own body, how it integrates with both interpersonal and intrapersonal emotional responses.
• Even though most courses are offered online, we keep all 6 hour workshops to a maximum of a 1 to 10 teacher ratio. We know the challenges of teaching online (as we all experienced due to a pandemic), but we do our best to still allow for interpersonal interaction to support the intrapersonal growth.
• You will not just sit and listen. We provide an interactive experience with the other participants, discussion in small groups, and time for writing and reflection.
• You will receive reference documents with the Laban system and ideas to incorporate them into your teaching and self-care.
• Before and after each day of your workshop, we offer time to meet with the instructors and the other teachers. If you have questions or need support around the material, you can contact us throughout the school year.
• You will have access to our private Facebook group where past participants can ask questions, reach out for support, and find new inspiration and ideas.

Why Somatic Integration?

• Western culture has separated the mind and body.
• The body is a vital inroad to empathy. 
• Understanding how the body plays a role in our interactions with others will help create better interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships.
  • Emotional intelligence is a part of the self as whole.
• Understanding how our biases play a role in our interactions with others will help create better interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships.
  • Self is a part of the whole community (class, school, etc.). 

What is Laban Movement Analysis?

Laban Movement Analysis is a system of movement observation and notation created by Rudolf Laban (1879-1958). It provides a language for human movement that can help you better understand and articulate your own movement preferences and how you observe the movements of others. Our movement preferences are influenced by many factors including family culture, regional culture, religion, gender identity, socioeconomic class, physical and mental abilities, ethnicity, and many more. While body language is influenced by culture and context, interpreting these nonverbal cues is a skill that increases both social awareness and personal connections. 

Click here for online resources about Laban Movement Analysis and Somatic Integration of Emotional Intelligence.

Inclusivity Statement:

We believe in acknowledging power and privilege and how that impacts each individual. Our workshops are for every human regardless of race, ethnicity, culture, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic class, physical and mental abilities, and any other cultural location.