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What role did the Dance Notation Bureau in New York City play in preserving dance?

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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).

The Dance Notation Bureau, established in New York City in 1940, played a pivotal role in the preservation of dance by promoting the use of labanotation to create a literary heritage for the art form.1

After evaluating various existing systems, the Bureau identified labanotation as the most versatile and solidly based method for recording human movement. By undertaking the formal notation of choreographic works, the Bureau helped ensure that historical, national, ballet, and contemporary dances from both Western and non-Western cultures could be accurately documented and preserved for future generations.1

Beyond its preservation efforts, the Bureau’s work facilitated the professionalization of dance documentation. In 1952, a labanotation score was the first dance notation to be accepted for copyright registration, a landmark achievement that provided dance with unprecedented legal protection. Furthermore, the Bureau’s influence helped integrate labanotation into dance curricula at colleges and universities, fostering a global network of research and documentation centers that continue to refine the system today.12