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How does labanotation show how long a movement lasts?
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dance notation
Comparison of five systems of dance notation. (A) Starting position: stand with feet together. (B) Step forward on the right foot (count 1). (C) Land to the left, feet together, knees bent (count 2).
In labanotation, the duration of a movement is indicated by the length of the direction symbol used on the staff.
Each direction symbol is based on a rectangle, and its physical length represents how long the movement lasts: the shorter the symbol, the quicker the movement, while a longer symbol indicates that the movement is more extended in time.1