Elements of Laban for Margie

Margie mentioned that pushing the walker in front of her as she walks leads her to hunch forward like a crab. I suggested she consider an instruction from Hungarian dancer Rudolf Laban. I taught it to acting students. You can read about the complexities, but the basic technique is to clear the body by allowing the sternum (breast bone) to lift easily and then to initiate all movement from the sternum. 

"But I don't walk that way," she giggled. "That's not natural for me."

I said you can become more conscious of which part of the body you allow to initiate movement. Is it the chin? the pelvis? the top of the head? the nose? the shoulder? Now allow yourself to imagine that all forward movement begins in the sternum. Then see what happens. The shoulders fall back naturally, in a relaxed way, not ramrod. The head lifts gently, not jutting forward. The lungs are eased, the diaphragm freed. It's a beautifully graceful way to move. She loved it. 

"Now," she said, "if I can just remember to do it." We parted laughing.