Final answer:
The works of Rudolf Laban, Isadora Duncan, Ruth St. Denis, and F. M. Alexander were influenced by a variety of sources, including Constantin Stanislavski's work on psychological realism in acting, and the European avant-garde movement with its stylized visual languages and rejection of self-expression. The Chicago School of architecture and the influx of European Modernist artists may have indirectly shaped the cultural environment they operated in. Frank Lloyd Wright is one such figure related to the innovative spirit of the time that potentially influenced them.
Step-by-step explanation:
The influences on the work of Rudolf Laban, Isadora Duncan, Ruth St. Denis, and F. M. Alexander are varied and highlight the interconnectivity of artistic movements and psychological theories in the early 20th century. One significant figure was Constantin Stanislavski, whose work at the Moscow Art Theatre emphasized psychological realism and the belief that truthful acting could only be achieved through 'perezhivanie', or the actor's living through the character's experience. Isadora Duncan and Ruth St. Denis were pioneers in modern dance, potentially drawing from a range of influences that could include the symbolist and modernist movements in art, which emphasized expression and breaking away from classical forms. The Chicago School of architecture and its proponents like Frank Lloyd Wright, with their innovative approach to design, may also have indirectly influenced these artists by shaping a broader cultural environment that favored experimentation. Likewise, the growth of Fascism in Europe led to a wave of immigrant artists impacting American art with the introduction of European Modernism, which could have informed their philosophies. The work of F. M. Alexander, known for the Alexander Technique, a method of improving movement, was influenced by a scientific and holistic understanding of the body, reflecting a period where arts and sciences often intersected.
Given the period when these individuals worked, it is plausible they were influenced by a variety of sources including psychological theories, the European avant-garde, and cross-cultural artistic movements. The avant-garde icon and the introduction of stylized visual languages in art could have been an influence as well, along with the incorporation of functionality over self-expression. Furthermore, the schooling and training methods employed by those at the American Lab Theatre showed that innovative educational practices were instrumental in shaping the arts landscape that Laban, Duncan, St. Denis, and Alexander were a part of.