CMA CMA Movement Notation & Labanotation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In Labanotation, the column immediately to the right of the center line typically records movement for:
- The left leg
- The right leg (Correct answer)
- The right arm
- The head
Correct answer: The right leg
The column immediately to the right of the center line records the right leg's movement, mirroring the body's layout on the staff.
Question 2: What does a 'hold sign' in Labanotation indicate?
- A jump or elevation
- The body part remains still in its current position (Correct answer)
- Breath support is required
- An increase in Effort intensity
Correct answer: The body part remains still in its current position
A hold sign in Labanotation indicates that the body part maintains its current position without moving for the duration indicated.
Question 3: In Labanotation, the length of a symbol in the staff indicates:
- The Effort quality of the movement
- The duration of the movement (Correct answer)
- The spatial level
- The relationship to a partner
Correct answer: The duration of the movement
The vertical length of a symbol in Labanotation corresponds to the duration of the movement — longer symbols indicate longer movements.
Question 4: The 'floor plan' in Labanotation documentation records:
- The movement quality of the piece
- The spatial floor pattern and path of the performer(s) through the performance space (Correct answer)
- The breath rhythm of the dancer
- The vertical levels used
Correct answer: The spatial floor pattern and path of the performer(s) through the performance space
A floor plan (or trace map) records the spatial pathways and positions of performers on the floor, showing how they travel through the performance space.
Question 5: Effort notation in LMA written documentation most commonly uses:
- Standard musical note values
- Specific symbols drawn on or beside the Labanotation staff (Correct answer)
- Color coding only
- Verbal descriptors in footnotes
Correct answer: Specific symbols drawn on or beside the Labanotation staff
Effort qualities are notated using specific graphic symbols that appear on or alongside the Labanotation staff to indicate the dynamic qualities of the movement.
Question 6: The 'body key' in Labanotation is used to:
- Identify the key signature of the musical accompaniment
- Specify which body part performs a movement when it is not the default (Correct answer)
- Mark the tempo of the piece
- Indicate the floor level
Correct answer: Specify which body part performs a movement when it is not the default
Body keys clarify which specific body part performs a movement when the context does not make it clear from the staff column alone.
CMA CMA Movement Notation & Labanotation 2
In Labanotation, the column immediately to the right of the center line typically records movement for: