Dance Notation Bureau

We are delighted to see Little Improvisations by Antony Tudor and our Director of Education, Diana Byer, featured in this wonderful review!

Read more here:

A Tudor gem and magnificent beasts: New York Theatre Ballet forges on | Bachtrack New York Theatre Ballet's long tradition of presenting condensed story ballets with exquisite production values continues despite the challenges of the current environment. Carnival of the Animals is paired with Tudor's Little Improvisations.

✨DNB Library News: Spring 2026✨

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1b9m2ynW-CN4q7Ze58E-vpfJE3wosOuEH/view

In this issue:

Linda Crist’s Legacy
By Carol Maxwell Rezabek

News from the DNB
By Mei-Chen Lu and Hannah Russ

At the Dance Notation Bureau, we believe that dance is too important to be lost to time—it deserves to be recorded, studied, and brought back to life.

That’s why we’re excited to share the “Notated Dances” playlist from Jacob’s Pillow Dance Interactive. This collection highlights the vital role of dance notation in preserving choreography and making it possible for works to be reconstructed and experienced by new generations.

From historically significant pieces to modern interpretations, these videos demonstrate how notation serves as a bridge between past and present—keeping the artistry, structure, and intention of dance alive.

We’re proud to support and celebrate resources like this that showcase the enduring value of notation in the dance field.

Explore the playlist: https://danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/playlists/notated-dances-1/ #1

Notated Dances - Jacob’s Pillow Dance Interactive Founded in 1940 by Ann Hutchinson Guest and others, the Dance Notation Bureau houses the world’s largest collection of dances recorded in a system known as Labanotation. Many of these works have been performed at… Read More

The call for 2026 membership in the ICKL - International Council of Kinetography Laban is now open!

Follow the simple and easy enrollment process to become a member. It’s a wonderful opportunity to be part of our sister organization, connect with notation practitioners, and stay informed about what’s happening in the international notation community.

For more information about ICKL membership, see below:

Join ICKL - ICKL Join or renew membership Benefits of membership Network with other professionals in the field (Access to ICKL general member listserv, access to members directory); Access resources on the ‘members only’ section of ICKL web site (Proceedings of the latest ICKL Conferences); Support ICKL actions....

The newest issue of the International Council of Kinetography Laban newsletter delivers a vibrant snapshot of the global kinetography/Labanotation community. The newsletter also shares updates on international collaborations, workshops, publications, and ongoing research projects that continue to expand the reach and application of Laban’s movement notation system.

Interested? View it here:

ICKL Newsletter #18 / February 2026

Today we celebrate Leni Wylliams’ 65th birthday —honoring a choreographer whose artistry and legacy continue to resonate. His work "Sweet in the Mornin’" was notated by Leslie Rotman and has been available without fee or royalty. The sole requirement is to arrange final coaching with Dyane Harvey, ensuring the work is passed on with integrity and care. Join us in celebrating Leni Wylliams and the living lineage of his choreography.

Here is a link about this particular work:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8Q3wiYtY7OCWkhiOFJiQXh3Nm8/view?resourcekey=0-hhPXmqflOu3ISKUAyth2hA

Warmest seasonal greetings from all of us at the Dance Notation Bureau.

As the year comes to a close, we extend our sincere thanks to our colleagues, collaborators, and community for your continued support and dedication to the art of dance notation. We wish you a joyful holiday season and a peaceful, inspiring New Year.

Please note that the Dance Notation Bureau office will be closed from December 25, 2025 through January 4, 2026. We will resume regular operations on January 5, 2026.

We look forward to continuing our work together in the coming year.

With best wishes,
The Dance Notation Bureau

Photo credit: from the 2002 DNB holiday card collection, created by Hannah Silverman, daughter of our former secretary, Beverly Jenson.

The Ohio State University Libraries is excited to offer research awards designed to support projects that require substantial onsite use of their unique and extensive collections, including the DNB collection.

The Theatre Research Institute (TRI) currently offers two funding opportunities:
- Lawrence and Lee Theatre Research Institute Research Award,
- Irwin and Jane Spector Research Award.

These awards provide invaluable support for in-depth research utilizing their archival materials, rare collections, and specialized resources.

Full award details and requirements can be found here:

TRI Research Awards | Ohio State University Libraries The Ohio State University Libraries offers research awards to support projects that require substantial on-site use of our collections. The TRI currently offers two such awards: Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee Theatre Research Institute Research Award: Funded by a bequest from Jerome Lawrence, the...

We’re delighted to let you know a new article by our very own Mei-Chen Lu, Director of Library Services at the Dance Notation Bureau: “The Short-Lived Labanotation Technology – The IBM Selectric Element”, featured in Journal of Laban/Bartenieff Movement Studies (Volume 2).

In this piece, Mei explores a fascinating moment in the history of our field: IBM’s creation of a specialized Selectric typewriter element designed to type Labanotation symbols. This short-lived innovation represents a remarkable early attempt to bring movement notation into the technological landscape — long before digital notation tools existed.

You can check out the Journal of Laban/Bartenieff Movement Studies Vol. 2 here (https://lbms-community.labaninstitute.org/c/journal-of-lbms/). LIMS Membership is required to access the journal!

✨DNB Library News: Fall 2025✨

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XuKd59v-HyyZN89fzOdZa6zPLzVTRwYE/view

In this issue:

The History of Joseph Pilates’ Contrology in Labanotation: Research Findings About the People Behind This Historical and Collaborative Work
By Sean P. Gallagher, PT, and Elaine Ewing

Trio Con Brio: Bringing the Past to Life
By Lucy Kudlinski at the Jacob's Pillow

News from the DNB
By Mei-Chen Lu and Hannah Russ

Are you interested in contributing an article to the Journal of Movement Arts Literacy? The journal is now accepting submissions — the deadline is March 31, 2026. How does movement literacy shape lives—yours and those in your community? This special issue invites essays and research that critically explore movement literacy as a personal, pedagogical, and communal practice. Research will examine how symbolic, analytic, and notation-based movement systems influence identity, education, communication, creative work, and social contexts.

For more information, please visit:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DPwEZXrjsii/?fbclid=IwY2xjawNoTE9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFvZUZIM0o5Y2tBa1VUZlNYAR6MMqywJSQewbZ_tJltFfno_PDdyS7aiDRYJm6k-zP8eFLzxDXnffL_fcjzBQ_aem_k2pKPTrkqjshBrsyJeOVNA

Call for Papers: Dance Literacy & Community

The latest ICKL Newsletter has just been released! Inside, you’ll find updates not only from the Dance Notation Bureau, but also from other notation institutions around the world.

We’re thrilled to share that new scores notated from Kenneth MacMillan’s "Romeo and Juliet" have been added to our Notated Theatrical Dances collection.

We’re also proud to announce that Mei-Chen Lu, our Director of Library Services, has been elected to the ICKL Research Board.

For more details about the ICKL Newsletter, please visit:

ICKL Newsletter #17 / October 2025