Jean Newlove (1923-2017) was Rudolf Laban's first assistant when he
came to England. She subsequently became movement teacher to Joan
Littlewood's Theatre Workshop and trained several generations of
performers.
A serious student of dance from childhood, she was auditioned by
Laban at Dartington Hall and was offered the post as his personal
assistant. Initially she worked with Laban and F.C. Lawrence
(design engineer and factory consultant), pioneering 'Laban
Lawrence Industrial Rhythm' in factories. This improved the
movement of women workers in the war effort, increasing their
output considerably. These workers also included land-girls,
forestry corps and textile workers. She also introduced Laban's
'modern dance' to the A.T.S.
Jean helped Lisa Ullmann establish teachers' classes in modern
educational dance before the Art of Movement Studio opened in
Manchester in 1946, and ran drama courses on her own account. Joan
Littlewood asked Laban to recommend a dancer/choreographer to train
a young company called Theatre Workshop. Jean joined the company -
eventually marrying its co-founder, the playwright Ewan
MacColl.
During a long working life time, Jean worked with the Royal
Shakespeare Company, gave masterclasses for actors at RADA and
Bristol Old Vic, and for dancers and actors in Havana, Cuba. She
introduced Laban classes to actors in companies in Sweden and
Czechoslovakia whilst on tour with Theatre Workshop. Her own dance
group visited Warsaw and Moscow. In addition she worked with actors
in San Francisco, ran many courses in Europe, directing musicals
and plays for young people.
Her two books, Laban for Actors and Dancers and Laban for All, are
published by Nick Hern Books.
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