Rudolf Benesh
Encyclopedia
Rudolf Benesh was a mathematician
and created the Benesh Movement Notation
for dancing. He was son of a Czech father and an Anglo-Italian mother.
Rudolf Benesh worked as a mathematician while his wife Joan was a dancer in Sadler's Wells ballet
in the late 1940s. She was having difficulty with her attempts to write and then decipher dance steps. He then devised a dance notation system while at work in the office. He wrote some lines to represent a movement of someone at a desk, then asked someone else to decipher them. The system evolved in the period 1947 to 1955. Dame Ninette de Valois
announced that the Royal Opera House
would be using the Benesh Movement Notation. In the following year, Rudolf and Joan wrote An Introduction to Benesh Dance Notation.
In 1957 the first dance notated with the system was Stravinsky
's Petroushka. Faith Worth was the first professional Benesh notator. In 1962 the Benesh Institute of Choreology was established. In 1968 some dances of the Australian Aboriginal dancers of Northern Territory were notated by a group of anthropology
students. Joan and Rudolf also wrote Reading Dance: The Birth of Choreology. The Royal Academy of Dance
, in conjunction with the University of Surrey
, produced software in the 1990s for inputing the notation and printing it out.
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
and created the Benesh Movement Notation
Benesh movement notation
Benesh Movement Notation is a system of dance notation that can document any form of dance or human movement...
for dancing. He was son of a Czech father and an Anglo-Italian mother.
Rudolf Benesh worked as a mathematician while his wife Joan was a dancer in Sadler's Wells ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
in the late 1940s. She was having difficulty with her attempts to write and then decipher dance steps. He then devised a dance notation system while at work in the office. He wrote some lines to represent a movement of someone at a desk, then asked someone else to decipher them. The system evolved in the period 1947 to 1955. Dame Ninette de Valois
Ninette de Valois
Dame Ninette de Valois, OM, CH, DBE, FRAD, FISTD was an Irish-born British dancer, teacher, choreographer and director of classical ballet...
announced that the Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
would be using the Benesh Movement Notation. In the following year, Rudolf and Joan wrote An Introduction to Benesh Dance Notation.
In 1957 the first dance notated with the system was Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ; 6 April 1971) was a Russian, later naturalized French, and then naturalized American composer, pianist, and conductor....
's Petroushka. Faith Worth was the first professional Benesh notator. In 1962 the Benesh Institute of Choreology was established. In 1968 some dances of the Australian Aboriginal dancers of Northern Territory were notated by a group of anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
students. Joan and Rudolf also wrote Reading Dance: The Birth of Choreology. The Royal Academy of Dance
Royal Academy of Dance
The Royal Academy of Dance is an international dance education and training organization, and examination board that specialises in the teaching and technique of Ballet. The RAD was established in London, England in 1920 as the Association of Operatic Dancing of Great Britain, and received its...
, in conjunction with the University of Surrey
University of Surrey
The University of Surrey is a university located within the county town of Guildford, Surrey in the South East of England. It received its charter on 9 September 1966, and was previously situated near Battersea Park in south-west London. The institution was known as Battersea College of Technology...
, produced software in the 1990s for inputing the notation and printing it out.