The Anatomy of Choice:

Virtual Continuing Education

Laban Movement Analysis and Bartenieff Fundamentals

Ongoing—join anytime!

Want a taste of this course before purchasing?

Anyone can participate in these 2 free monthly classes that also support learning and integration of Anatomy of Choice:

Here’s how this workshop works...

The course is entirely online and asynchronous. Log on when you want to engage with it and log off when you've had enough. The course is housed on Thinkific. Once you register for the course, you have access for LIFE. That means you can always return to the course when you want to tune up or check-in. The course is broken down into bite-size segments that accumulate and build on one another. Most of the course is presented through videos.

The course consists of

• An interactive digital course you own for life. That means you can always return to the course when you want to tune up or check in.

• It is entirely online and asynchronous. Log on when you want to engage with it and log off when you've had enough!

• 135 short videos about choice-making through Body, Dynamics, Relationships, and Spatial Harmony. The videos are all between 3-15 minutes, perfect for a single session, or keep going from video to video if you are on a roll!

• Over 50 exercises, assignments, and worksheets help move you through the material holistically. 

• It comes with a personal copy of Colleen Wahl’s beautiful e-book “Laban/Bartenieff Movement Studies: Contemporary Applications” as well as many additional readings from other authors.

• 30 optional assignments and creative projects

• Optional quizzes and supplemental readings are there to support your learning process. Most of the course is presented through videos.

• There is a one-hour monthly Q and A forum where you can show up and ask questions, debate topics in the course, and ask for resources, games, or advice on using the material in your life, art, teaching, coaching, and more. These are recorded, so if you miss one, you can still get the information!

• New videos will be added regularly and Alexandra will be responding personally to requests for additional videos, exercises and readings. If you have a curiosity related to the content, let us know! The course will continue to grow and be updated over time. The course will function in many ways as an artistic and embodiment encyclopedia. You can certainly go through it according to the syllabus, but you can also pick and choose things that feel interesting to you at a given moment.

How long does this course take to complete?

It really depends on your learning preferences and personal tempo. You can watch all of the videos and read all of the readings in about 20-25 hours, but you could choose to work with this course for many years, coming and going between sections, repeating sections, doing exercises multiple times, working with the prompts daily. It is intended to be a very personal experience, open to using it in the way that suits you best. You will get unlimited access to the course for life.

This course will open new possibilities by helping you to…

1) Find deeper authenticity in both movement and text.

2) Understand movement efficiency in radically new ways, through developmental movement and biomechanics.

3) Develop vocal dynamics that allow you full access to a much broader range of choices. 

4) Break habits as a performer, creator, teacher, conductor, visual artist, and writer. 

5) Have a road map to analyze movement, whether for performance, pedagogy, or human communication.

6) Create a safer, more inclusive space in every environment by removing the subjective language that often leaves people behind.

7) Reach an audience with immediacy by creating vivid, concise imagery saturated with meaning.

8) Understand yourself better, both in terms of intention and impact.

Here’s What You Will Learn:

Space (Where)

The category of Space invites us to consider that where something happens creates meaning, requires adaptations, and is an act of expression. Being clearer about Space allows us to map ourselves in our environment with intentionality. 

Functionally, Space is a study of physics (leverage, support, stability/mobility, and biomechanics), architecture (angle, shape, proximity, line, and form), and nonverbal communication. Expressively, Space shades and colors all of our stories about one another. In this Module, we will learn about:

• Dimensions & The Dimensional scale

• Planes and the Mathematics of Spatial pulls 

• Planes (cycling, vertices, diameters, crystalline forms)

• Spatial form of the Diagonal Scale

• Platonic Solids (Tetrahedron, Octahedron, Icosahedron, Dodecahedron, Cube)

• Jungian/Lamb Meaning through Space Harmony

• Axis Scale

• Girdle scale

• Primary Scale

• A and B Scales

• Diagonal Scale

• Kinesphere

• Motif/27 Points in Space

• The emotionality of spatial desire

• Creative applications of Space

Effort (How)

Our dynamic choices, called Effort, affect our both our functionality and expressivity. The attention we place on Time, Weight, Space, and Flow opens up a world of choice for us and allows the world to see us fully. We use our dynamics in both movement and text. In this Module, we learn:

• Effort Theory: how we use dynamics to share ourselves with the world

• Motion Factors: how Weight, Space, Time, and Flow offer us unique ways to iunteract with our environment

• Qualities: Light/Strong, Quick/Sustained, Direct/Indirect, and Free/Bound

• States: Awake/Dream, Near/Remote, Stable/Mobile

• Drives: Action, Passion, Vision, Spell

• Diagonal Scale/the Dynamosphere

• How to craft a character through a clear use of dynamic choices

• Creative Applications of Effort in text and movement

Body (What)

The category of BODY includes BARTENIEFF FUNDAMENTALS, asking how specific choices in body action and body part tell different stories, and noticing how we can re-pattern and re-organize ourselves towards efficiency, neutrality, ease, and grounding, which, in turn, affects our spiritual, emotional, and social life. 

We will look at biomechanics:

• Flexion

• Extension

• Rotation

• Ab/Adduction

• Lateral Spinal Flexion

• Circumduction 

This allows us to find strategies for moving with intention, clarity, and ease and helps us coach our own, and others’, movements with integrity.

We look at the building blocks of how we take action. We examine increasingly more complex movements, and understand how to zoom in and out to find the initiation and sequencing that best serves us at any given moment

Shape (Why)

Creative Applications

We will practice creating through these Principles and frameworks, whether that is developing a character in a theatrical production, choreographing, devising a syllabus, determining your pedagogical approaches, guiding improvisation, creating visual or aural art, and more. We will address these and other forms:

• Dance

• Theater

• Pedagogy

• Psychology

• Conducting

• Human relationships

• Communications

• Music

• Athletics

• Writing

• Self-care/personal growth

Contextualizing Laban

• History of Laban/Decolonizing the practice

• Motif Writing

• How do we use this in our life and praxis?

• Larger somatics world

• Social Justice

• Therapuetics and Healing Arts

• Pedagogy

• Actor/Director Training

• Dance/Choreography

Integration

How will you incorporate this into your teaching, coaching, moving, speaking, directing, personal practice, performance choices, and relationships? We consider these ideas:

• Stability/Mobility

• Inner/Outer

• Exertion/Recuperation

• Function/Expression

Here’s what students have said about studying Laban/Bartenieff from Alexandra Beller:

”By bringing the language of Laban and the physical principles of Bartenieff Fundamentals into the rehearsal room, Alexandra cultivates a generous, collaborative, and artistically rigorous space. She empowers performer-collaborators to dive deeply into the physicality of their persona to make meaningful choices, regardless of their movement experience or the nature of the piece.  Her use of Laban and Bartenieff brings an enhanced sense of clarity, accessibility and focus to the work, both physically and intellectually.”

Myah Shein, Choreographer and Director

“In Bartenieff Fundamentals, Alexandra creates a space for engaged exploration that is collaborative and filled with kindness. I always feel both seen and heard in her classes.”

Joe Bowie, Lecturer at Northwestern University and former member, Mark Morris Dance Company

“It is a refreshing (and mind blowing) experience to be guided by Alexandra in creating without judgement, but not without decision making. Her articulations around choice have helped me create with more ease, depth and joy, as well as both receive and give artistic feedback in a more generous and generative manner. Alexandra champions the work and prioritizes the artist. She values the artist’s perspective over her own and is incredibly skilled at navigating the delicate balance involved in one on one mentorship between providing support and sharing wisdom.”

Sophie Allen, Performer, Creator, Teacher

“The universe knew what I needed when it wove Alexandra into my world. An expert facilitator of embodied choice and a masterful guide towards deeper insight for the artist. Alexandra is the mentor I didn’t know I needed in my artistic physical practice, my choreographic process and my everyday life conundrums and unearthings. Utilizing critical thinking questions as a tool, Alexandra has held space for me to uncover my truth as an artist, and there is no greater gift. Generous in knowledge, gifted in speech and attune to the energy in the room, Alexandra is a light source for all those lucky enough to be in process with her. I am grateful to be one of those humans.”

Jenna Hanlon, Creator, Performer, and Educator

Pricing Options:

full one time payment: $1,500

Returning Student Rate: $1, 350

Students who have taken Embodied Meaning: $ 1,200

*For the above discount codes please reach out to matthewabdances@gmail.com*

To adjust for wealth disparities, a variety of payment plans are available. 

We have a limited number of scholarships and prioritize BIPOC and trans students to receive them, but we consider every request. 

Reach out to matthewabdances@gmail.com if you are experiencing financial hardship and would like to apply for a partial scholarship.

FAQs

Q: Can I take this if I’m not a dancer, or have a physical limitation, or injury?

A: Absolutely. The point of this work is to understand what is in front of you, not aspire to an outside goal. Accommodations can be made throughout for any ability or physical consideration.

Q: What if I don't have time for the reading and outside work
A: This is an adult learning environment. I trust you to learn in the way that works best for you. If that means doing readings at a later date (they will remain yours forever), or never, that is absolutely fine. You are the expert on you and you will use this material in the way that suits you best. I have packed the course with more than any one person will likely want to do so that there is always something to get somebody excited. That person doesn’t always have to be YOU. Pick what delights, informs, challenges, and disrupts you in the best ways and let go of anything that you don’t relish.

Q: I am not sure I can learn this kind of material online without a teacher there to guide me. Any advice?
A: You know yourself best. If asynchronous learning really doesn’t work for you, maybe this is not the delivery system for you. What I CAN say is this: I have tried to keep the videos friendly, short, and digestible, and created the course to be done in spurts as short as 3-5 minutes, or as long as you like. The monthly discussion group is there to create not only a place for question, but a space for community building with others who are doing this work. Ideally, you can form relationships that continue beyond the course, the meetups, or me! And I am readily available on multiple platforms (TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook), in 3 different FREE masterminds monthly (Praxischat, Pedagogy, LBMA), and I am available for hire for private mentorship if you hit a roadblock.

About the Instructor

Hello, I’m Alexandra Beller. I am passionate about art-making through authenticity, clarity, and mindfulness. I am a choreographer and director, a professor, writer, and mentor.

After dancing with Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company for seven years, I started my own Dance/Theatre company in 2002 (Alexandra Beller/Dances). I was always using both text and movement to storytell, but after getting my CMA (Certified Movement Analyst), I began to work predominantly in theatre. 

I have choreographed everything from classics to futuristic dystopian fantasy worlds, and have recently started to direct plays through a movement-centered, empathy-rich process. I’ve worked Off-Broadway, and regionally, for film and video, and have found each project to be a unique world requiring a mindful tuning, a learning curve, and a lot of listening.

My company became a place for education: helping choreographers find their voice, helping actors open their bodies to tell the story as much as, or more than, their voice. I help individuals sort themselves inside their art career, and teach Choreography and Contemporary Dance to people who’ve often never danced before. I did this at Princeton for 7 years. I devise, curate, and run workshops, mentor individuals, teach at Universities, and coach teachers to bring their life vision to their classrooms.

My mission is to help artists find their truth and take action based on that inner knowledge, whether that is in their creative process, performance, personal life, or pedagogy.