labanotation

noun

la·​ba·​no·​ta·​tion ˌlā-bə-nō-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce labanotation (audio)
ˌla-;
lə-ˌbä-(ˌ)nō-
: a method of recording bodily movement (as in dance) on a staff by means of symbols (as of direction) that can be aligned with musical accompaniment

Examples of labanotation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Fixed mediums for choreography include video recordings, photographs or drawing and dance notation such as labanotation. Steven Vargas, USA TODAY, 3 Aug. 2021 So far, Logitech has worked with 10 choreographers, including Knight, to get their work protected under copyright using labanotation. Nina Braca, Billboard, 8 Feb. 2022 While labanotation is used for legal copyright, there is still a long way to go until it can be applied comprehensively to an app such as TikTok in order to track moves. Nina Braca, Billboard, 8 Feb. 2022 Knight primarily worked with Lynne Weber, the executive director of the Dance Notation Bureau, to put his work into labanotation. Steven Vargas, USA TODAY, 3 Aug. 2021

Word History

Etymology

Rudolf Laban †1958 Hungarian dance theorist + English notation

First Known Use

1952, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of labanotation was in 1952

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Cite this Entry

“Labanotation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/labanotation. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

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