Movement is a variable font created by Noel Pretorius and María Ramos. The typeface is inspired by dance movements. The project began as a collaboration with Design Indaba and the contemporary South African dancer Andile Vellem.

Dance and other art disciplines use movement as a way of expression. The body of a dancer or the hand of a painter can perfectly be seen as creative tools. Andile’s performance became a departing point for the design. By tracking his movements and using the paths as a reference the letters found their shape.

Inspiration was also found in the dance theories of the historical choreographer Rudolf Laban. Laban described movement by the inner intention of the dancer. Three main characteristics were considered when studying Andile’s movements; weight, space and time. The typeface represent direct movement with bound straight strokes, and indirect movement with flexible curved shapes.

The variable font has four design extremes, Direct Black, Direct Thin, Indirect Black and Indirect Thin. The variants in-between represent the changes of movement in time. Movement is available to download and use for free.