IMS CURRICULUM CONTENT

The IMS Certification Program involves the study of:

Laban Movement Analysis Theory:
Rudolf Laban's theories of Body, Effort, Shape and Space
including the symbol systems used for recording in each of these content areas.

Bartenieff Fundamentals & Developmental Movement:
Irmgard Bartenieff's system of body
re-education based on neurological developmental movement patterning and physical therapy.
Content includes daily experiential classes in efficient movement patterning.

Touch for Movement Repatterning:
Developing the art and skills of therapeutic touch. Content addresses the ethical understandings
of using touch as an inroad to movement training, education and movement therapy.

Observation:
Methods and techniques for accurately analyzing movement and recording it in
symbols. Observation and Notation skills are practiced watching video, in class movement, and
actual life situations.

Seminar in Movement Studies:
Understanding the larger field of Movement Studies and
application areas within the field. Seminars provide an historical context for the
Laban/Bartenieff work including key ideas and core values of the system. Content includes the
reading and discussion of primary and secondary resources to become acquainted with the
major developers of the work. The methodologies used in the course encourage critical thinking
to evoke intellectual questions concerning the larger issues related to human movement.

Community Gathering and Movement Choir:
Collaborative use of Laban's approach to creating community movement events. We use this
time as an opportunity to discuss and explore in movement issues that need to be addressed on
a group level. The group learns about the diversity of needs and interests while individuals practice
and come to appreciate a variety of leadership styles and formats.

Advising and Student Feedback:
Provides participants with constructive awareness in the comprehension, manifestation and
integration of the material. The participant receives one to one and group advising sessions, in
classroom coaching, feedback on written and movement work and assessment on all projects and
final exams. In addition to movement and written evaluation each session, students work
independently on assigned projects during the Interim periods and produce a Final Application
Project applying IMS theories in a field of personal interest. Along with the Final Application Project,
a final written and movement exam serve as culminating and integrative events.