This page is full of visual resources on the Diagonal Scale. All of the material was created by me unless otherwise noted. Enjoy!
Here’s a quick summary of Laban’s theories on the Diagonal Scale.
- Diagonal Movement is mobilizing. The scale creates a flying and falling pattern.
- There are four diagonals: Right Forward High to Left Back Low – Left Forward High to Right Back Low – Left Back High to Right Forward Low – Right Back High to Left Forward Low.
- The Cube is the Platonic Solid associated with the Diagonals. The four diagonals create the Cross of Axes within the Cube.
- Spatial pathways in the Cube are either central (passing through the center of the Cube) or peripheral (passing along the edge of the Cube).
- The standard ordering of the Diagonal Scale leading with the right hand is:
Right Forward High – Left Back Low – Left Forward High – Right Forward Low – Left Back High – Right Forward Low – Right Back High – Left Forward Low
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These are old videos of me doing the Diagonal scale before I was admitted to study at LIMS.
This video is of some of my students at Uconn doing the Diagonal Scale outside on the first day they learned it.
I discovered these scales for my certification final project. I studied movement using the Cantellated Cube as a scaffold. There are three scales that emerged, each one emphasizing one of the dimensions and the affined shaping qualities.
Check out this video for more information on my certification final project.