MERLEAUPONTY,MAURICE AND LABAN,RUDLOLF - AN INTERACTIVE APPROPRIATIONOF PARALLELS AND RESONANCES

In this paper we propose an examination of the shared connections betw een the French philosopher Maurice Merleau-Ponty and the Austro-Hungar ian movement theorist Rudolf Laban. In many ways Merleau-Ponty's philo sophy demonstrates a synthesis of the best in existentialism and pheno menology. In like manner, Rudolf Laban was a synthesizer of experience s and theories of movement. We propose to examine the parallels and re sonances of their theory within the forum of a hypothetical collegial conversation. This dialogue will be prefaced by an historical contextu alization of their work and an explanation of the appropriate reading sensibility with which to enter our interpretation of their texts. In this way we hope to reveal (a) possible parallels and resonances betwe en their theories concerning the body in perception and movement, and (b) possible connections between phenomenology and movement education.