Certified Movement Analyst (CMA) — Questions and Answers

Question 1: Which statement best describes the relationship between Shape and Effort in LMA?

Effort always precedes Shape in any movement phrase
Shape relates to the body's form changes while Effort relates to the dynamic qualities of movement (Correct answer)
Shape and Effort are always observed simultaneously and never independently
Shape is only relevant to dance and Effort only to therapy

Correct answer: Shape relates to the body's form changes while Effort relates to the dynamic qualities of movement

Shape describes how the body's form changes in space, while Effort describes the inner dynamic qualities — they are distinct but interrelated LMA categories.

Question 2: What does the Effort category in LMA describe?

Emotional states
Dynamic qualities like weight and flow (Correct answer)
Body postures
Anatomical structure

Correct answer: Dynamic qualities like weight and flow

In Laban Movement Analysis, the Effort category focuses on the dynamic qualities of movement, describing *how* a movement is performed rather than what part of the body moves or where it moves. It encompasses four factors: Weight (strong/light), Space (direct/indirect), Time (sudden/sustained), and Flow (bound/free). These factors reveal the inner intention and expressive qualities of movement.

Question 3: Which combination of Effort qualities produces the 'basic action' called 'punch'?

Strong, Direct, Sudden (Correct answer)
Strong, Indirect, Sudden
Light, Direct, Sustained
Light, Indirect, Sustained

Correct answer: Strong, Direct, Sudden

Punch is one of Laban's eight basic effort actions, combining Strong Weight, Direct Space, and Sudden Time.

Question 4: In somatic movement education, 'interoception' refers to:

The mapping of external space during locomotion
The kinesthetic sense of another person's movement quality
The perception of the body's internal physiological state (Correct answer)
The movement of attention outward to the environment

Correct answer: The perception of the body's internal physiological state

Interoception is the sense of the body's internal state — including organ sensations, heart rate, hunger, and visceral feelings — increasingly recognized as central to somatic practices.

Question 5: The 'Action Drive' in Effort theory is unique because it:

Combines all four Effort factors
Only uses Space and Time
Emphasizes emotional expression over function
Omits Flow, making it the most functionally action-oriented drive (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Omits Flow, making it the most functionally action-oriented drive

The Action Drive omits Flow and combines Weight, Space, and Time, producing the eight basic effort actions used for functional task completion.

Question 6: In the context of somatic practices, 'embodiment' is best understood as:

Achieving anatomically correct alignment in static posture
Living as and through the body with full subjective awareness, rather than treating the body as an object (Correct answer)
The physical fitness level of the practitioner
The memorization of codified movement sequences in the body

Correct answer: Living as and through the body with full subjective awareness, rather than treating the body as an object

Embodiment in somatic discourse refers to the experiential, first-person, subjective inhabiting of the body as a living subject — contrasted with treating the body as an external object to be corrected.

Question 7: A CMA notes that a subject consistently initiates movement from the distal extremities (fingers, toes) rather than from proximal body centers. Which initiation pattern is being observed?

Head-tail sequencing
Core-driven activation
Distal initiation (Correct answer)
Proximal initiation

Correct answer: Distal initiation

Distal initiation means movement begins at the extremities and sequences inward, contrasting with proximal (center-out) initiation patterns.

Question 8: The term 'hollowing' in Shape Flow refers to:

Drawing the front surface of the body inward, away from the environment (Correct answer)
Lengthening the spine upward
Expanding the front of the body outward
Widening the arms to the side

Correct answer: Drawing the front surface of the body inward, away from the environment

Hollowing is the backward/inward movement of the front body surface, creating a concave front — the opposite of bulging.

Question 9: Why is movement observation important in analysis?

To imitate movements
To create dance routines
To limit movement choices
To identify patterns and functionality (Correct answer)

Correct answer: To identify patterns and functionality

Movement observation is fundamental for a Certified Movement Analyst because it allows them to systematically perceive and interpret how individuals move. By carefully watching, analysts can identify recurring patterns, understand the underlying functionality of movements, and assess their efficiency or potential for dysfunction. This detailed insight forms the basis for effective analysis and intervention strategies.

Question 10: In Bartenieff Fundamentals, 'Thigh Lift' specifically addresses the connection between:

Inner groin and contralateral armpit (Correct answer)
Shoulder girdle and thoracic spine
Foot and knee alignment
Head and tail (BABS)

Correct answer: Inner groin and contralateral armpit

The Thigh Lift pattern in Bartenieff Fundamentals activates the inner groin connection to the contralateral armpit, establishing cross-lateral body organization.

Question 11: 'Grounding' in Bartenieff Fundamentals refers to:

Electrical safety procedures for movers
A metaphor for emotional stability
Staying immobile during movement observation
Establishing an active, dynamic relationship with the support surface through the body's weight (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Establishing an active, dynamic relationship with the support surface through the body's weight

Grounding in BF is the active, yielding engagement with the support surface — the body dynamically giving its weight into the ground to gain support.

Question 12: The 'B-scale' in Space Harmony is often called the:

Inclination scale (Correct answer)
Primary scale
Floor scale
Axis scale

Correct answer: Inclination scale

The B-scale is called the Inclination scale because it passes through inclined or tilted spatial directions.

Question 13: In LMA Body analysis, 'Spatial Intent' refers to:

The directional orientation that organizes a body part's movement path (Correct answer)
The rhythm of breathing in relation to movement
The shape made by the whole body in space
The effort quality of spatial attention

Correct answer: The directional orientation that organizes a body part's movement path

Spatial Intent describes how the mover's intention directs a body part toward a specific location or direction in space.

Question 14: In Laban Movement Analysis, the Effort quality of 'Flow' relates to:

The speed or timing of movement transitions
The degree of freedom or restraint in movement's continuity (Correct answer)
The use of direct versus indirect spatial pathways
The amount of muscular force used in movement

Correct answer: The degree of freedom or restraint in movement's continuity

Flow in LMA describes the degree of control or abandon in movement — Free Flow is unrestrained and difficult to stop; Bound Flow is controlled and easily arrested.

Question 15: In LMA, the four Shape qualities associated with planes are:

Rising/Sinking, Spreading/Enclosing, Advancing/Retreating, Growing/Condensing (Correct answer)
Float/Punch, Glide/Slash, Wring/Dab, Press/Flick
High/Low, Wide/Narrow, Far/Near, Strong/Light
Peripheral/Central, Straight/Curved, Fast/Slow, Open/Closed

Correct answer: Rising/Sinking, Spreading/Enclosing, Advancing/Retreating, Growing/Condensing

The four pairs of planar Shape qualities are Rising/Sinking (vertical), Spreading/Enclosing (horizontal), and Advancing/Retreating (sagittal), plus Growing/Condensing overall.

Question 16: The LBMS (Laban/Bartenieff Movement System) practitioner code requires that advertising and marketing of CMA services:

Be accurate, honest, and not misrepresent the scope or efficacy of movement analysis (Correct answer)
Include testimonials from anonymous clients to build credibility
Make bold claims to attract clients in a competitive marketplace
Guarantee specific outcomes to demonstrate clinical confidence

Correct answer: Be accurate, honest, and not misrepresent the scope or efficacy of movement analysis

Professional marketing must be truthful and accurately represent what movement analysis can and cannot accomplish.

Question 17: The Shape Quality 'Sinking' is associated with which directional tendency?

Rising upward away from the ground
Descending toward the earth (Correct answer)
Narrowing the body width
Enclosing the body toward the center

Correct answer: Descending toward the earth

Sinking is a Shape Quality in the vertical dimension reflecting the body's movement downward toward the earth.

Question 18: What is the purpose of 'phrasing marks' in Labanotation?

To mark dynamic accents only
To show the spatial level change
To group movements together as a unified phrase or sequence (Correct answer)
To indicate rest between movements

Correct answer: To group movements together as a unified phrase or sequence

Phrasing marks bracket or connect a series of symbols to indicate that they belong together as a single movement phrase.

Question 19: Which phase of a movement phrase typically contains the moment of peak exertion or maximum expression?

Preparation
Recovery
Transition
Attack (Afraction) (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Attack (Afraction)

The attack or afraction phase is the accent of a movement phrase where maximum effort or expression is reached.

Question 20: In Shape theory, 'retreating' refers to movement that:

Encircles or wraps around an object
Opens outward to the side
Rises upward in the vertical dimension
Moves the body backward in the sagittal plane, away from the environment (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Moves the body backward in the sagittal plane, away from the environment

Retreating is a sagittal Shape quality in which the body or body part moves backward, withdrawing from the forward-facing environment.

Question 21: In Bartenieff Fundamentals, the 'Body Half' pattern develops the mover's ability to:

Coordinate eye and head movement with spinal sequences
Articulate one side of the body independently from the other (Correct answer)
Move the upper and lower body simultaneously
Connect breath to distal movement

Correct answer: Articulate one side of the body independently from the other

The Body Half developmental pattern establishes left–right differentiation by activating one side of the body at a time.

Question 22: A CMA observes a surgeon making small, controlled, precise incisions. Which Effort quality is most evident?

Free Flow
Bound Flow (Correct answer)
Indirect Space
Sustained Time

Correct answer: Bound Flow

Bound Flow is most evident in surgery because the movements are highly controlled, restrained, and could be stopped at any moment.

Question 23: Which Effort state combines Strong Weight and Direct Space qualities?

Awake State (Correct answer)
Remote State
Near State
Dream State

Correct answer: Awake State

The Awake State combines the sensing and thinking motion factors—Weight and Space—in an alert, engaged quality.

Question 24: In Laban Movement Analysis, the four Effort motion factors are:

Weight, Space, Time, Flow (Correct answer)
Force, Direction, Rhythm, Shape
Strength, Speed, Tension, Pathway
Gravity, Symmetry, Tempo, Breath

Correct answer: Weight, Space, Time, Flow

The four Effort motion factors are Weight (strong/light), Space (direct/indirect), Time (sudden/sustained), and Flow (bound/free).

Question 25: In pattern recognition, a CMA identifies a mover who consistently uses 'Action Drive' (Weight + Time + Space Effort). What is notably absent?

Spatial pathways
Shape changes
Body part differentiation
Flow Effort (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Flow Effort

Action Drive combines Weight, Time, and Space Efforts while Flow is not a defining element, making it the absent Motion Factor.

Question 26: In somatic practices, 'proprioception' is best described as:

The emotional awareness of physical sensations
The sense of body position and movement arising from muscles, tendons, and joints (Correct answer)
The auditory feedback used in voice-based movement therapy
The visual perception of the body's location in space

Correct answer: The sense of body position and movement arising from muscles, tendons, and joints

Proprioception is the sensory system providing information about body position, movement, and force through receptors in muscles, tendons, and joints.

Question 27: The LMA Shape Mode 'Directional' movement is best described as:

Flowing through general space in free pathways
Growing and shrinking in relation to one's own breathing
Carving and molding three-dimensional volume in space
Spoke-like or arc-like movement that aims toward or away from a destination (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Spoke-like or arc-like movement that aims toward or away from a destination

Directional Shape Mode is goal-oriented movement that travels toward or away from a destination in spoke-like (straight) or arc-like (curved) paths.

Question 28: In LMA, 'Monolinear' Effort refers to a sequence where:

All four motion factors are fully engaged
No motion factors are present
Two Effort qualities change simultaneously
One Effort quality changes while others remain neutral or absent (Correct answer)

Correct answer: One Effort quality changes while others remain neutral or absent

Monolinear Effort sequences involve one motion factor changing or emerging at a time while others are not actively engaged.

Question 29: Which of the following is NOT one of Laban's eight basic effort actions?

Bounce (Correct answer)
Flick
Slide
Wring

Correct answer: Bounce

The eight basic effort actions are: punch, slash, press, wring, dab, flick, glide, and float — bounce is not among them.

Question 30: Which movement initiation source originates at the tips of the limbs and travels inward toward the body's center?

Middle initiation
Proximal initiation
Central initiation
Distal initiation (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Distal initiation

Distal initiation begins at the extremities—hands, feet, or head—and ripples inward toward the body's core.

Question 31: How does observing body mechanics assist in movement analysis?

Highlight tension and inefficiency (Correct answer)
Increase exercise speed
Record sound patterns
Focus only on artistic expression

Correct answer: Highlight tension and inefficiency

Observing body mechanics allows a movement analyst to identify areas of tension, compensatory movements, and inefficient patterns that may lead to discomfort or injury. By recognizing these issues, the analyst can pinpoint specific areas where movement could be improved for greater ease, efficiency, and overall well-being. This observation is key for developing effective corrective strategies and enhancing functional movement.

Question 32: The Head-Tail body connectivity pattern primarily emphasizes which aspect of movement organization?

The relationship between the arms and the legs
Cross-body coordination between right and left sides
The relationship between the upper and lower body halves at the waist
Connection along the spinal axis from cranium to coccyx (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Connection along the spinal axis from cranium to coccyx

Head-Tail connectivity involves awareness and active use of the spinal/axial connection from the cranium to the coccyx.

Question 33: Which LMA category addresses body part connectivity?

Space
Shape
Effort
Body (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Body

The 'Body' category in Laban Movement Analysis specifically focuses on the structural and anatomical aspects of movement, including how different body parts connect and coordinate. It examines patterns of connectivity (e.g., core-distal, head-tail, upper-lower), sequencing of movement, and the initiation of movement from various body parts. This helps understand the physical organization and integration of movement.

Question 34: In LMA, 'Shaping' (also called 'Carving') refers to:

Moving along the sagittal axis only
The effort qualities used in movement
Three-dimensional volumetric shaping of the body in relationship with the environment (Correct answer)
Controlling breath during movement

Correct answer: Three-dimensional volumetric shaping of the body in relationship with the environment

Shaping or Carving is the three-dimensional, sculptural forming of the body around objects, people, or space in the environment.

Question 35: Which Effort factor is most associated with the mover's relationship to gravity and physical force?

Weight (Correct answer)
Flow
Time
Space

Correct answer: Weight

The Weight Effort factor relates to the mover's inner attitude toward gravity and physical impact, ranging from strong to light.

Question 36: In LMA Shape, 'Shape Flow' refers to movement that:

Reflects the body's relationship to its own center, growing and shrinking (Correct answer)
Arcs through space in relation to others
Carves and molds the space around the body
Traces pathways through the general space

Correct answer: Reflects the body's relationship to its own center, growing and shrinking

Shape Flow describes the body's self-referential growing and shrinking that accompanies breathing and inner sensation.

Question 37: Which LMA category addresses HOW movement is performed in terms of its qualitative dynamics?

Effort (Correct answer)
Shape
Body
Space

Correct answer: Effort

Effort describes the qualitative, inner dynamic qualities of movement across the four motion factors: Weight, Space, Time, and Flow.

Question 38: The 'body key' in Labanotation is used to:

Specify which body part performs a movement when it is not the default (Correct answer)
Indicate the floor level
Identify the key signature of the musical accompaniment
Mark the tempo of the piece

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.

Question 39: The Space Harmony concept of 'transverse' planes refers to movements that:

Combine two dimensions in a tilted diagonal plane (Correct answer)
Move strictly along the vertical axis
Follow the sagittal midline of the body
Cut across the body from side to side horizontally

Correct answer: Combine two dimensions in a tilted diagonal plane

Transverse movements combine two dimensions at once, creating tilted, oblique planes that rotate around the body's center.

Question 40: A movement described as 'sudden' refers to which Effort motion factor?

Flow
Weight
Space
Time (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Time

Suddenness is the condensed, urgent quality of the Time Effort factor, contrasting with the lingering quality of sustained.

Question 41: The principle of 'non-maleficence' as applied to CMA practice most directly means:

Clients should be prevented from attempting challenging movement patterns
The practitioner should always make movement feel pleasant for the client
The practitioner must avoid causing physical or psychological harm through their analysis and interventions (Correct answer)
All movement analysis sessions must be filmed to prevent false allegations

Correct answer: The practitioner must avoid causing physical or psychological harm through their analysis and interventions

Non-maleficence obligates CMAs to actively prevent harm in both the process and application of movement analysis.

Question 42: In somatic re-education, 'sensory-motor amnesia' (a term coined by Thomas Hanna) describes:

Loss of proprioceptive feedback following peripheral nerve damage
Inability to form new movement memories after stroke
Reduced skin sensitivity due to scar tissue formation
Chronically contracted muscles that the nervous system has lost the ability to relax voluntarily (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Chronically contracted muscles that the nervous system has lost the ability to relax voluntarily

Hanna's sensory-motor amnesia describes muscles locked in habitual contraction patterns that the person can no longer consciously feel or release, corrected through Hanna Somatics.

Question 43: In LMA, the 'A-scale' (Defense Scale) primarily traces diagonals through which three dimensions?

Rotational pathways only
Vertical only
Horizontal and sagittal only
All three dimensions—vertical, horizontal, and sagittal (Correct answer)

Correct answer: All three dimensions—vertical, horizontal, and sagittal

The A-scale moves through all three spatial dimensions, connecting high–low, side–side, and forward–back spatial pulls in sequence.

Question 44: A CMA observing 'Shaping in Planes' would note movement that primarily:

Moves in spoke-like lines toward spatial goals
Carves and molds three-dimensional volumetric forms in space (Correct answer)
Grows and shrinks in response to internal breath impulses
Traces flat, two-dimensional arcs within one of the three cardinal planes

Correct answer: Carves and molds three-dimensional volumetric forms in space

Shaping in Planes (formerly called Shaping) involves three-dimensional, sculpting movement that actively molds the space around the body.

Question 45: What is the purpose of Laban Movement Analysis (LMA)?

Enhance theater performances
Evaluate sports scores
Analyze and describe human movement (Correct answer)
Create musical compositions

Correct answer: Analyze and describe human movement

The primary purpose of Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) is to provide a comprehensive and systematic framework for observing, describing, and interpreting all forms of human movement. It offers a common language and set of categories (Body, Effort, Shape, Space) to understand the nuances of how and why people move. LMA is used across various fields, including dance, therapy, and anthropology, for detailed movement study.

Question 46: What aspect does 'Space' refer to in LMA?

Emotional expression
Breathing patterns
Environmental navigation and focus (Correct answer)
Pulse rhythm

Correct answer: Environmental navigation and focus

In Laban Movement Analysis, the 'Space' category describes how a mover interacts with and navigates their environment. It encompasses aspects like the pathways taken, the directions of movement, the focus of attention (e.g., direct or indirect), and the relationship of the body to the surrounding space. This category reveals how movement is organized and directed in three-dimensional space, reflecting spatial intent.

Question 47: In Shape theory, 'growing' Shape Flow is associated with:

Narrowing and shortening of the body
Bound flow and condensed effort
Collapsing inward toward the core
Opening, expanding, or reaching outward from the body's center (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Opening, expanding, or reaching outward from the body's center

Growing Shape Flow is the outward, expansive change in body shape — opening, widening, lengthening, or bulging away from center.

Question 48: According to professional ethics for CMAs, when publishing movement analysis research, the practitioner should:

Attribute all movement observations solely to the Laban framework without acknowledging subjects
Obtain appropriate consent, anonymize identifiable information, and accurately represent methodological limitations (Correct answer)
Publish raw data without interpretation to avoid bias
Only publish in non-peer-reviewed outlets to avoid academic scrutiny

Correct answer: Obtain appropriate consent, anonymize identifiable information, and accurately represent methodological limitations

Ethical research publication requires consent, anonymization, and honest representation of the study's scope and limitations.

Question 49: In group movement analysis settings such as dance/movement therapy groups, the ethical handling of one member's private disclosures requires the CMA to:

Maintain individual confidentiality while managing group dynamics appropriately (Correct answer)
Document all disclosures in group notes accessible to all participants
Share all disclosures with the group to foster transparency
Encourage the disclosing member to leave the group temporarily

Correct answer: Maintain individual confidentiality while managing group dynamics appropriately

Individual confidentiality obligations persist within group settings and must be carefully balanced with group process management.

Question 50: A 'spoke-like' directional movement in Shape theory creates:

A three-dimensional volumetric enclosure
A curved arc through space
A rotational pathway
A straight line from the body toward a point in the environment (Correct answer)

Correct answer: A straight line from the body toward a point in the environment

Spoke-like directional movement creates a straight linear reach, like a spoke on a wheel radiating from the hub to the rim.

Question 51: Free Flow in Effort analysis is associated with movement that:

Stays bound to one location
Requires deliberate muscular effort to continue
Uses strong weight throughout
Cannot easily be stopped once initiated (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Cannot easily be stopped once initiated

Free Flow is characterized by an unrestrained, ongoing quality — the movement has momentum that makes it difficult to stop abruptly.

Question 52: In LMA, 'simultaneous movement' means:

Two movers performing the same movement in unison
Movement that occurs in exact metric time
Bilateral symmetry maintained throughout a phrase
All involved body parts act together at the same instant (Correct answer)

Correct answer: All involved body parts act together at the same instant

Simultaneous movement occurs when all involved body parts move at the same instant rather than passing successively through each part.

Question 53: A 'metric' movement phrase is characterized by:

Movement that traces specific geometric spatial pathways
Improvised timing with unpredictable, freely varied rhythmic patterns
Continuous, breath-driven flow without audible accents
Regular, countable rhythmic units organized by a consistent pulse (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Regular, countable rhythmic units organized by a consistent pulse

Metric phrasing organizes movement into regular, measurable rhythmic units anchored to a consistent beat or pulse.

Question 54: In Shape theory, 'condensing' Shape Flow refers to:

Using strong effort qualities
Moving in the horizontal plane
Shortening, narrowing, and hollowing — shrinking the body inward (Correct answer)
Growing outward in all dimensions

Correct answer: Shortening, narrowing, and hollowing — shrinking the body inward

Condensing Shape Flow is the inward, shrinking quality — the body narrows, shortens, and hollows, reducing its three-dimensional volume.

Question 55: A CMA observes a client whose movement lacks volumetric shaping and relies entirely on spoke-like directionals. A likely implication is:

Over-reliance on bound flow
Limited ability to form adaptive, enveloping relationships with people or objects (Correct answer)
Excellent three-dimensional relationship with the environment
Highly advanced spatial intelligence

Correct answer: Limited ability to form adaptive, enveloping relationships with people or objects

Without volumetric shaping, the mover cannot adapt their body three-dimensionally around others or objects, limiting nuanced environmental interaction.

Question 56: The term 'phrasing' in LMA refers to:

How verbal language or narration accompanies a mover
The relationship between a dancer's movement and musical phrasing
The rhythmic notation system used in Labanotation scores
The way movements are organized into meaningful sequences with discernible beginnings and endings (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The way movements are organized into meaningful sequences with discernible beginnings and endings

Phrasing in LMA describes how individual movements are organized into coherent units with identifiable structure, analogous to sentences in language.

Question 57: In assessing developmental movement, a CMA notes a child's inability to use carving/shaping. This suggests a deficit in:

Effort variation
Personal body rhythm and breath
Linear reach and retract skills
Spatial awareness and environmental relationship-building (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Spatial awareness and environmental relationship-building

Carving/Shaping is the mode through which movers relate volumetrically to the environment; its absence suggests difficulty forming three-dimensional relationships with space and people.

Question 58: The 'Passion Drive' in Effort theory omits which motion factor?

Weight
Time
Flow
Space (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Space

The Passion Drive combines Weight, Time, and Flow while omitting Space, giving it an intense, emotionally driven quality without spatial focus.

Question 59: In Effort theory, 'indulging' in a motion factor means:

Combining two motion factors simultaneously
Moving toward the yielding or passive end of the factor's continuum (Correct answer)
Avoiding the factor entirely
Using maximum force in that factor

Correct answer: Moving toward the yielding or passive end of the factor's continuum

Indulging means yielding to or going with the passive pole of an Effort factor, such as being light, indirect, sustained, or free.

Question 60: A CMA observes that a subject's Kinesphere is consistently very small and contracted. What movement pattern is being noted?

Sagittal retreating effort
Reduced Kinesphere / Near Reach Space (Correct answer)
Homolateral shrinkage
Vertical plane dominance

Correct answer: Reduced Kinesphere / Near Reach Space

The Kinesphere is the bubble of personal space a mover occupies; a consistently small Kinesphere indicates Near Reach Space habituation.

Question 61: In LMA, 'sequential movement' refers to:

Movement in which multiple body parts move simultaneously
Movement that follows a predetermined choreographic order
Movement that occurs in predictable metric rhythmic patterns
Movement that flows successively through body parts one after another (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Movement that flows successively through body parts one after another

Sequential movement passes through body parts in succession, creating a ripple or wave-like effect through the body.

Question 62: The concept of 'breath support' in Bartenieff Fundamentals refers to:

The use of audible exhales as a deliberate performance element
Respiratory therapy applications for movement rehabilitation clients
How the breath cycle initiates and organizes the quality and expression of movement (Correct answer)
Techniques for controlling breathing rate during aerobic exercise

Correct answer: How the breath cycle initiates and organizes the quality and expression of movement

Breath support in BF addresses how the natural breath cycle underpins movement initiation, organization, and expressive quality.

Question 63: The 'Spell Drive' in Effort theory combines:

Space, Weight, Flow (omits Time)
Space, Time, Flow (omits Weight) (Correct answer)
Weight, Time, Flow (omits Space)
Space, Weight, Time (omits Flow)

Correct answer: Space, Time, Flow (omits Weight)

The Spell Drive combines Space, Time, and Flow while omitting Weight, creating a hypnotic, dream-like, otherworldly quality.

Question 64: Which of the following movements would most exemplify 'carving' or 'shaping'?

Performing a straight-armed punch
Breathing in deeply
Pointing a finger at a light switch
Hugging another person, wrapping the arms volumetrically around them (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Hugging another person, wrapping the arms volumetrically around them

Hugging exemplifies carving/shaping because the arms and body mold three-dimensionally around another person in the environment.

Question 65: In LMA, an 'Incomplete Effort' refers to a movement that:

Lacks a clear spatial pathway
Is performed without weight transfer
Uses only one or two motion factors rather than all four (Correct answer)
Has no rhythmic structure

Correct answer: Uses only one or two motion factors rather than all four

Incomplete Efforts engage fewer than four motion factors, creating a less fully committed dynamic quality.

Question 66: What is a key ethical responsibility toward colleagues?

Criticizing them openly
Ignoring collaboration
Competing aggressively
Respecting and supporting professionalism (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Respecting and supporting professionalism

A key ethical responsibility toward colleagues is to foster a professional and supportive environment. This involves treating colleagues with respect, engaging in constructive collaboration, and collectively upholding the standards and reputation of the profession. Such behavior strengthens the professional community and contributes to a higher quality of service across the field.

Question 67: Which Shape mode is most self-referential and least related to the external environment?

Directional Spoke-like
Carving / Shaping
Shape Flow (Correct answer)
Directional Arc-like

Correct answer: Shape Flow

Shape Flow is the most self-referential mode — the body grows and shrinks in relation to its own center rather than in relationship with the environment.

Question 68: The 'contralateral' developmental pattern is important because it:

Keeps both sides of the body moving symmetrically
Isolates the upper body from the lower body
Integrates cross-body diagonal connections between opposite limbs (Correct answer)
Focuses on spinal flexion only

Correct answer: Integrates cross-body diagonal connections between opposite limbs

Contralateral movement integrates opposite arm and leg diagonally across the body's midline, supporting complex locomotion and cross-brain integration.

Question 69: Which of the following best describes 'Directional Movement' in Shape theory?

Movement that creates a spoke-like or arc-like line from the body toward the environment (Correct answer)
Movement that changes the overall body shape volumetrically
Movement within the sagittal plane only
Movement that only uses bound flow

Correct answer: Movement that creates a spoke-like or arc-like line from the body toward the environment

Directional Movement creates spoke-like (straight) or arc-like lines that reach from the body toward the environment without shaping around it.

Question 70: Which of the following describes 'head-tail' connectivity in developmental movement?

Upper-lower body differentiation
The connection between breath and effort
The connection between the skull and the coccyx through the full spine (Correct answer)
The relationship between the hands and feet

Correct answer: The connection between the skull and the coccyx through the full spine

Head-tail connectivity links the entire spine from the cranium (head) to the coccyx (tail), supporting spinal integration and sequencing.

Question 71: A CMA applies Flow effort analysis to categorize a client's movement as predominantly 'Bound' and shares this in an interdisciplinary team meeting. The ethical risk in this scenario is:

Sharing effort analysis in team meetings always violates HIPAA
Using the word 'Bound' which may be trademarked by the Laban Guild
The Flow category is not recognized by most interdisciplinary teams
Team members without LMA training may misinterpret 'Bound' as a negative diagnostic label rather than a neutral movement descriptor (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Team members without LMA training may misinterpret 'Bound' as a negative diagnostic label rather than a neutral movement descriptor

LMA terminology can be easily misunderstood by non-practitioners, requiring CMAs to contextualize and translate movement descriptors carefully in interdisciplinary settings.

Question 72: Which Shape quality describes movement that narrows the body by pulling the arms inward horizontally?

Rising
Sinking
Enclosing (Correct answer)
Retreating

Correct answer: Enclosing

Enclosing is the horizontal shape quality of gathering or narrowing the body inward, like wrapping arms around oneself.

Question 73: In LMA, 'condensing' refers to:

Combining two planes simultaneously
Using bound flow exclusively
Reducing the size of movement
Moving toward the active, fighting end of an Effort factor (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Moving toward the active, fighting end of an Effort factor

Condensing means moving toward the active or 'fighting' pole of an Effort factor, such as being strong, direct, sudden, or bound.

Question 74: The Shape quality of 'spreading' relates to which spatial dimension?

Up/Down (lengthening)
Forward/Back (bulging)
Rotational (twisting)
Side/Side (widening) (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Side/Side (widening)

Spreading is the widening or opening sideways — a Shape Flow change in the side-to-side or width dimension of the body.

Question 75: A CMA is approached to analyze movement footage from a deceased individual. The ethical considerations include:

Respecting the legacy and potential impact on surviving family members, and seeking appropriate permissions (Correct answer)
Limiting analysis only to Weight effort to minimize interpretive overreach
No ethical considerations apply since the subject is deceased
Publishing the analysis immediately to contribute to historical movement research

Correct answer: Respecting the legacy and potential impact on surviving family members, and seeking appropriate permissions

Ethical responsibilities extend to deceased individuals' legacies and the potential impact of analysis on surviving family members and communities.

Question 76: What is informed consent in movement practice?

Skipping client education
Assuming consent for all sessions
Obtaining voluntary agreement after full disclosure (Correct answer)
Surprising clients with practices

Correct answer: Obtaining voluntary agreement after full disclosure

Informed consent is a vital ethical principle that upholds client autonomy in movement practice. It requires the professional to provide comprehensive information about the proposed practices, including their purpose, procedures, potential benefits, risks, and alternatives. Only after this full disclosure can the client provide voluntary agreement, ensuring they make educated decisions about their participation.

Question 77: The concept of 'Effort rhythm' in LMA refers to:

The patterned sequence and variation of Effort qualities over time (Correct answer)
The number of times an action repeats
The spatial pattern traced by the feet
Musical tempo applied to movement

Correct answer: The patterned sequence and variation of Effort qualities over time

Effort rhythm describes how Effort qualities flow, change, and pattern themselves across time in a mover's ongoing movement sequence.

Question 78: A CMA practitioner feels strong personal discomfort with a client's cultural movement patterns that differ from Western norms. The ethical obligation is to:

Impose Western movement standards as the professional baseline
Document the discomfort as a diagnostic sign in the client's record
Discontinue working with the client immediately
Engage in cultural humility, seek supervision if needed, and avoid imposing cultural bias in observations (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Engage in cultural humility, seek supervision if needed, and avoid imposing cultural bias in observations

Professional ethics require CMAs to practice cultural humility and seek supervision to address personal biases that could affect objective movement analysis.

Question 79: Which pattern from Bartenieff Fundamentals specifically addresses the connection between the mouth and the tail to establish spinal length?

Head-Tail Connectivity (Correct answer)
BABS (Basic Effort Actions in Body-Space)
Body Half
Knee Drop

Correct answer: Head-Tail Connectivity

Head-Tail Connectivity in Bartenieff work establishes the relationship between the two ends of the spine — mouth/cranium to tail/coccyx — supporting spinal length and sequential movement.

Question 80: A CMA observing a student who consistently holds breath during effort, collapses the chest, and rushes transitions would note these as signs of dysregulation in which Bartenieff concept?

Effort-Shape integration
Spatial Intent
Body Attitude
Breath Support and Phrasing (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Breath Support and Phrasing

Breath Support and Phrasing in Bartenieff Fundamentals addresses how breath organizes movement initiation, effort, and recovery — dysregulation shows up as holding, collapse, and rushed phrases.

Question 81: 'Bound' Flow in Effort analysis describes movement that is:

Controlled, held, or restrained in its release (Correct answer)
Freely streaming without restraint
Directed toward a specific point in space
Rapid and explosive

Correct answer: Controlled, held, or restrained in its release

Bound Flow is characterized by restraint, control, and resistance to flow, giving movement a held, cautious, or precise quality.

Question 82: In Bartenieff Fundamentals, which concept describes the movement connection between breath and active body movement?

Breath Support (Correct answer)
Spatial Intent
Core Support
Inner-Outer connectivity

Correct answer: Breath Support

Breath Support in Bartenieff Fundamentals links respiratory patterns to the initiation and quality of whole-body movement.

Question 83: In LMA Shape theory, 'Shape Flow' describes:

The spatial pathway traced by the feet
The three-dimensional changing of the body's shape in relation to itself (Correct answer)
The relationship between two movers
The effort quality of a movement phrase

Correct answer: The three-dimensional changing of the body's shape in relation to itself

Shape Flow describes the body growing and shrinking three-dimensionally in relation to its own center, independent of the environment.

Question 84: In movement phrasing, the 'preparation' phase serves which primary function?

It marks the resolution and completion of the movement sequence
It provides a transition phrase to connect to the next movement unit
It gathers readiness and sets up the conditions for the main action (Correct answer)
It defines the moment of peak intensity in the phrase

Correct answer: It gathers readiness and sets up the conditions for the main action

The preparation phase gathers energy and establishes the readiness that makes the main action of the phrase possible.

Question 85: Confidentiality in CMA practice requires that client movement profiles:

Be shared with any other health professional the client has ever seen
Be posted anonymously in professional forums for peer feedback
Be protected and shared only with explicit client consent or as required by law (Correct answer)
Be disclosed to the client's employer upon request

Correct answer: Be protected and shared only with explicit client consent or as required by law

Client movement data carries the same confidentiality obligations as other professional health-related information.

Question 86: An 'Effort drive' in LMA combines how many Effort motion factors?

One
Three (Correct answer)
Four
Two

Correct answer: Three

An Effort drive is a combination of three of the four motion factors, each time omitting one factor which characterizes the drive type.

Question 87: The Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies (LIMS) is notable in CMA training because:

It trains athletes exclusively for professional sports
It only focuses on dance therapy
It is the primary institution certifying CMAs and training practitioners in LBMS (Correct answer)
It develops pharmaceutical movement-based treatments

Correct answer: It is the primary institution certifying CMAs and training practitioners in LBMS

LIMS is the leading institution for Laban/Bartenieff Movement Studies training and CMA certification in the United States.

Question 88: 'Core-distal' connectivity in Bartenieff Fundamentals describes:

The use of only the core muscles without limb involvement
The connection between feet and hands only
Isolating the distal limbs from the trunk
Simultaneous activation linking the body's core to its extremities (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Simultaneous activation linking the body's core to its extremities

Core-distal connectivity is the simultaneous, integrated activation linking the body's center (core) with its extremities (distal), like a starfish pattern.

Question 89: Which Effort motion factor relates to the mover's inner attitude toward space and spatial attention?

Space (Correct answer)
Weight
Flow
Time

Correct answer: Space

The Space Effort factor reflects the mover's inner attitude toward space — whether their attention is channeled directly or meanders indirectly.

Question 90: Which somatic discipline uses guided imagery?

Ideokinesis (Correct answer)
Kickboxing
CrossFit
Running drills

Correct answer: Ideokinesis

Ideokinesis is a somatic discipline that specifically utilizes guided imagery and mental visualization to improve movement patterns, posture, and body alignment. Practitioners imagine specific anatomical movements or sensations, which can subtly influence muscle tone and coordination without direct physical effort. This method leverages the mind-body connection to re-educate the nervous system for more efficient and graceful movement.

Question 91: Shape Flow Support refers to:

The floor or surface the body rests on
A technique for supporting injured movers
The memorization of spatial scales
The way Shape Flow changes underlie and support Effort expression (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The way Shape Flow changes underlie and support Effort expression

Shape Flow Support describes how the body's growing/shrinking three-dimensional changes serve as a substrate that supports and facilitates Effort expression.

Question 92: A CMA is asked to testify as an expert witness in a legal case using movement analysis. The primary ethical obligation is to:

Decline all legal work as it falls outside CMA practice
Advocate solely for the party that hired them
Amplify findings to ensure the court takes movement evidence seriously
Provide objective, evidence-based testimony within the established limits of the LMA framework (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Provide objective, evidence-based testimony within the established limits of the LMA framework

Expert witnesses have an ethical duty to provide honest, impartial, and evidence-based testimony regardless of who retained them.

Question 93: In observing Effort, a CMA would identify 'indirect' Space Effort in a mover who:

Uses strong physical force
Sustains movement over a long time
Meanders, taking a roundabout path and attending to many things at once (Correct answer)
Moves in a straight line toward a target

Correct answer: Meanders, taking a roundabout path and attending to many things at once

Indirect Space Effort is seen when a mover's attention is flexible and multi-focused, leading to roundabout, flexible paths rather than straight lines.

Question 94: The Effort action 'float' combines which three qualities?

Strong, Indirect, Sustained
Light, Indirect, Sustained (Correct answer)
Strong, Direct, Sudden
Light, Direct, Sustained

Correct answer: Light, Indirect, Sustained

Float combines Light Weight, Indirect Space, and Sustained Time, creating a buoyant, dreamy, and wandering quality.

Question 95: Somatic movement education differs from traditional physical rehabilitation primarily in that it:

Focuses exclusively on isolated muscle strengthening
Requires medical diagnosis before initiating any movement work
Uses evidence-based protocols and measurable outcomes exclusively
Centers the client's subjective sensory experience as the primary agent of change (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Centers the client's subjective sensory experience as the primary agent of change

Somatic education differs from rehabilitation in centering the learner's own internal sensory awareness as the mechanism of change, rather than externally correcting or strengthening the body.

Question 96: A CMA observer notices a dancer whose trunk consistently narrows and closes toward the midline during transitions. Which Shape category best describes this recurring pattern?

Shape Flow — closing (Correct answer)
Shaping — enclosing
Carving — hollowing
Directional movement — across

Correct answer: Shape Flow — closing

Shape Flow describes self-referential body shape changes such as narrowing/widening or closing/opening relative to the body's own midline.

Question 97: Which phrasing type follows the natural inhale-exhale cycle, creating organic, continuous movement without sharp accents?

Impulsive phrasing
Swing phrasing
Breath rhythm phrasing (Correct answer)
Metered phrasing

Correct answer: Breath rhythm phrasing

Breath rhythm phrasing mirrors the body's most fundamental respiratory cycle, producing continuous, organically flowing movement.

Question 98: A CMA observing a group class notices that one participant's movement transitions lack sequential flow through body segments. Which Bartenieff pattern is likely underdeveloped?

Effort phrasing
Spatial intent
Homologous patterning
Sequential body connectivity (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Sequential body connectivity

Sequential connectivity involves movement rippling through successive body segments in an ordered chain, enabling fluid transitions.

Question 99: In Body organization, 'breath support' in LMA primarily relates to which developmental pattern?

Cellular (Correct answer)
Spinal
Cross-lateral
Homologous

Correct answer: Cellular

Cellular breath support is the earliest developmental pattern, rooted in the basic cellular pulsation of inhale and exhale.

Question 100: The three dimensions of Shape Flow are:

Up/Down, Side/Side, Forward/Back (Correct answer)
Ascending, Descending, Rotating
Strong/Light, Direct/Indirect, Sudden/Sustained
Bound/Free, High/Low, Wide/Narrow

Correct answer: Up/Down, Side/Side, Forward/Back

Shape Flow changes occur along three dimensions: lengthening/shortening (up/down), widening/narrowing (side/side), and bulging/hollowing (forward/back).

Question 101: Which body position best maintains good alignment?

Exaggerated arch in back
Forward-leaning stance
Neutral spine and relaxed shoulders (Correct answer)
Slouched posture

Correct answer: Neutral spine and relaxed shoulders

Maintaining a neutral spine, where the natural curves of the back are preserved, along with relaxed shoulders, is crucial for good body alignment. This position minimizes stress on joints and muscles, promotes efficient movement, and reduces the risk of injury. It allows the body to function optimally without unnecessary tension or compression, supporting overall musculoskeletal health.

Question 102: Which term describes the LMA observation that movement qualities occur in pairs of opposing polarities?

Monochromy
Polarities principle (Correct answer)
Motion factors duality
Effort gradation

Correct answer: Polarities principle

Each Effort motion factor exists on a continuum between two polar opposites (e.g., Light vs. Strong, Sudden vs. Sustained).

Certified Movement Analyst (CMA)

The CMA certification, awarded by the Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies (LIMS), assesses professional competency in Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) across four core domains: Body, Effort, Shape, and Space. Candidates must demonstrate both theoretical knowledge and applied movement observation skills.

100

Questions

120 min

Time Limit

70%

To Pass

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