Writing dance: history of movement notation

Abstract

The present article is a theoretical review on the history of the writing of dance or choreographic notation. It's a general introduction on the movement notation, including its history and some considerations on how the term was born, its concept and application. Notations are written records, meant to record movements in each detail, just as a score and musical notes do for music. These are methods to write down human movements meticulously, from general impressions to any subtle change, at every moment. Notations were meant to - and they gradually specialized in - describe movement both in its quality and quantity, breaking movement into elements that form the body alphabet. Studies on this subject are gaining more and more space in dance productions all over the world. To know them and, eventually, to specialize as a "notator", is a professional option in the field; all the great and renowned dance companies count on notators.