Certified Movement Analyst (CMA) — Questions and Answers

Question 1: 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:

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)
Using the word 'Bound' which may be trademarked by the Laban Guild
Sharing effort analysis in team meetings always violates HIPAA

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 2: A CMA working with children must obtain informed consent from:

A parent or legal guardian, and where developmentally appropriate, assent from the child (Correct answer)
Only the CMA's institutional supervisor
The school principal as the in loco parentis authority
The child alone if they are over age seven

Correct answer: A parent or legal guardian, and where developmentally appropriate, assent from the child

Working with minors requires parental or guardian consent plus age-appropriate assent from the child to respect their developing autonomy.

Question 3: In Bartenieff Fundamentals practice, maintaining professional boundaries with clients most critically involves:

Limiting sessions to 30 minutes to reduce intimacy
Requiring clients to wear specific clothing to depersonalize the session
Ensuring physical touch is only used with explicit client consent and clear therapeutic purpose (Correct answer)
Avoiding all discussion of emotional responses to movement work

Correct answer: Ensuring physical touch is only used with explicit client consent and clear therapeutic purpose

Because Bartenieff Fundamentals involves physical touch, obtaining explicit consent and maintaining clear therapeutic intent is essential for ethical practice.

Question 4: Which of the following describes 'head-tail' connectivity in developmental movement?

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

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

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

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

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

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 7: In LMA, 'Direct' Space Effort is characterized by:

An inclusive flexible attention to multiple spatial pulls
Irregular, spontaneous spatial pathways
A single clear focus, moving through space in a channeled manner (Correct answer)
Movement bound within the near reach space

Correct answer: A single clear focus, moving through space in a channeled manner

Direct Space Effort (fighting quality) involves a laser-like single focus and channeled, precise movement through space.

Question 8: What is emphasized during somatic education sessions?

Self-exploration and inner awareness (Correct answer)
Powerlifting
Speed running
External performance evaluation

Correct answer: Self-exploration and inner awareness

During somatic education sessions, the primary emphasis is on self-exploration and cultivating inner awareness. Participants are guided to pay close attention to their internal bodily sensations, movements, and feelings, rather than focusing on external performance metrics or comparisons. This internal focus empowers individuals to discover and modify their own movement patterns, fostering greater comfort, efficiency, and self-understanding.

Question 9: The LMA Effort quality 'Free Flow' is best described as movement that is:

Heavy and grounded in its weight quality
Ongoing and difficult to stop midway (Correct answer)
Quick and percussive in its timing
Bound and controlled, with ongoing readiness to stop

Correct answer: Ongoing and difficult to stop midway

Free Flow is the indulging Flow quality—movement that continues with ease and is hard to arrest once initiated.

Question 10: A CMA observes a surgeon making small, controlled, precise incisions. Which Effort quality is most evident?

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

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 11: When observing movement patterns over time, what does 'Phrase' refer to in Laban Movement Analysis?

The spatial pathway traced by a limb
The rhythmic count of musical beats
A unit of movement with a beginning, middle, and end (Correct answer)
The effort quality dominant in a sequence

Correct answer: A unit of movement with a beginning, middle, and end

A movement phrase is a meaningful unit of movement that has an arc-like structure: preparation, main action, and recovery.

Question 12: Which statement best describes the relationship between Shape and Effort in LMA?

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

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 13: In BF, 'yield and push' describes which aspect of movement development?

The developmental process of giving weight into a surface and then pushing away from it to mobilize (Correct answer)
The breath cycle of inhale and exhale
The alternation of strong and light Effort
The relationship between bound and free flow

Correct answer: The developmental process of giving weight into a surface and then pushing away from it to mobilize

Yield and push is a developmental movement function: first yielding weight into a surface (establishing connection), then pushing away from it to mobilize the body.

Question 14: Which Effort state combines Strong Weight and Direct Space qualities?

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

Correct answer: Awake State

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

Question 15: How does somatic movement therapy assist individuals?

Achieve peak athleticism
Push beyond pain limits
Focus only on external performance
Reconnect with bodily sensations (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Reconnect with bodily sensations

Somatic movement therapy assists individuals by guiding them to reconnect with their internal bodily sensations, feelings, and movements. This process helps them become more aware of habitual patterns, areas of tension, and discomfort, fostering a deeper mind-body connection. By bringing conscious attention to these sensations, individuals can learn to release chronic stress, improve posture, and develop more efficient and comfortable movement.

Question 16: The Space Harmony concept of 'transverse' planes refers to movements that:

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

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 17: How should ethical complaints be handled?

Blame the client
Follow official grievance procedures (Correct answer)
Ignore them
Discuss on social media

Correct answer: Follow official grievance procedures

Handling ethical complaints appropriately is crucial for maintaining professional accountability and trust within any field. Instead of ignoring or improperly discussing them, professionals must follow established official grievance procedures. This ensures a fair, impartial, and structured process for investigating and resolving complaints, protecting both the client and the professional's integrity.

Question 18: The 'contralateral' developmental pattern is important because it:

Keeps both sides of the body moving symmetrically
Integrates cross-body diagonal connections between opposite limbs (Correct answer)
Isolates the upper body from the lower body
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 19: Which Effort motion factor relates to the mover's inner attitude toward space and spatial attention?

Flow
Weight
Time
Space (Correct answer)

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

Excellent three-dimensional relationship with the environment
Over-reliance on bound flow
Limited ability to form adaptive, enveloping relationships with people or objects (Correct answer)
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 21: Body-Half (homolateral) connectivity pattern emphasizes the relationship between:

The upper and lower halves of the body at the waist
The axial spine from head to tailbone
Opposite limbs such as right arm and left leg
The arm and leg on the same side of the body (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The arm and leg on the same side of the body

Body-Half connectivity involves ipsilateral coordination—right arm with right leg or left arm with left leg working together.

Question 22: Somatic educator Thomas Hanna identified three reflexive stress patterns. Which reflex relates to the 'startle response' that causes the front of the body to contract?

The Landau Reaction
The Trauma Reflex
The Red Light Reflex (Correct answer)
The Green Light Reflex

Correct answer: The Red Light Reflex

Hanna's Red Light Reflex is the withdrawal response triggered by fear or stress, causing flexion of the front body — hunched shoulders, contracted abdomen, and forward head.

Question 23: In Bartenieff Fundamentals, the 'pelvic lateral shift' exercise primarily trains:

Rotational momentum in the arms
Breath support and vocal tone
Effort dynamics in the lower extremities
Weight shift and weight-bearing connectivity through the pelvis and hip joints (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Weight shift and weight-bearing connectivity through the pelvis and hip joints

The pelvic lateral shift trains weight shift, lateral connectivity, and the relationship between the pelvis, hip joints, and support in locomotion.

Question 24: The 'Action Drive' in Effort theory is unique because it:

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

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 25: The Effort action 'float' combines which three qualities?

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

Correct answer: Light, Indirect, Sustained

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

Question 26: In Shape theory, 'growing' Shape Flow is associated with:

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

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

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

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: 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 29: Which somatic practice explicitly uses the principle of 'non-doing' or minimal effort, often described as 'directing' without muscular effort?

Alexander Technique (Correct answer)
Pilates
Gyrokinesis
Rolfing

Correct answer: Alexander Technique

The Alexander Technique teaches 'directing' — projecting mental instructions to the body (e.g., 'neck free, head forward and up') without voluntarily contracting muscles to create change.

Question 30: The Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies (LIMS) is notable in CMA training because:

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

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

Space (Correct answer)
Flow
Weight
Time

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

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

Correct answer: Breath rhythm phrasing

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

Question 33: A CMA observing a dancer whose movement constantly shifts spatial pathways and explores multiple directions simultaneously would likely note which Space Effort quality?

Sustained
Direct
Indirect (Flexible) (Correct answer)
Bound

Correct answer: Indirect (Flexible)

Indirect (Flexible) Space Effort reflects a multi-focused, meandering attention to space rather than a single channeled direction.

Question 34: In Shape theory, 'condensing' Shape Flow refers to:

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

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 35: What are the six body connectivity patterns recognized in Laban Movement Analysis and Bartenieff Fundamentals?

Core-Distal, Horizontal, Vertical, Sagittal, Rotational, Spiral
Breath, Radial, Spinal, Lateral, Diagonal, Rotational
Breath, Core-Distal, Head-Tail, Upper-Lower, Body-Half, Cross-Lateral (Correct answer)
Breath, Proximal, Medial, Distal, Sequential, Simultaneous

Correct answer: Breath, Core-Distal, Head-Tail, Upper-Lower, Body-Half, Cross-Lateral

The six body connectivity patterns progress developmentally from Breath through Cross-Lateral integration.

Question 36: Which of the following movements would most exemplify 'carving' or 'shaping'?

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

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

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

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 38: In Laban's Effort system, which motion factor relates to the mover's attitude toward their own body weight?

Weight (Correct answer)
Space
Flow
Time

Correct answer: Weight

The Weight Effort factor reflects the mover's attitude toward gravity, ranging from Light (indulging) to Strong (fighting).

Question 39: The BF principle of 'dynamic alignment' means:

The ongoing, active process of organizing the body efficiently during movement (Correct answer)
Lining up body parts in a vertical plumb line
Static standing in correct posture
Holding the spine rigid during exercise

Correct answer: The ongoing, active process of organizing the body efficiently during movement

Dynamic alignment is not a static position but an ongoing process of actively organizing the body for efficient, integrated movement.

Question 40: In Laban Movement Analysis, the term 'kinesphere' refers to which concept?

The emotional quality of a movement phrase
The rhythmic pattern of locomotion
The pathway a body part traces through space
The personal space bubble surrounding the mover's reach (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The personal space bubble surrounding the mover's reach

The kinesphere is the sphere of personal space that surrounds the mover and extends to the furthest reach of the limbs.

Question 41: In movement phrasing, the 'preparation' phase serves which primary function?

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

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 42: Irmgard Bartenieff integrated Laban's movement theory with which other discipline to develop Bartenieff Fundamentals?

Physical therapy and neurodevelopmental principles (Correct answer)
Sports science and biomechanics
Yoga and Ayurveda
Ballet technique and Pilates

Correct answer: Physical therapy and neurodevelopmental principles

Bartenieff combined Laban's movement analysis with her training and practice in physical therapy and neurodevelopmental approaches.

Question 43: 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
Widening the arms to the side
Expanding the front of the body outward

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

The degree of freedom or restraint in movement's continuity (Correct answer)
The speed or timing of movement transitions
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 45: The principle of 'breath support' in Bartenieff Fundamentals refers to:

Holding the breath during exertion
Breathing only through the nose
The use of the breath cycle to initiate and support movement (Correct answer)
Counting breaths per minute

Correct answer: The use of the breath cycle to initiate and support movement

Breath support in BF uses the natural inhale-exhale cycle as the foundation for movement initiation, organization, and release.

Question 46: In observing Effort, a CMA would identify 'indirect' Space Effort in a mover who:

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

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 47: In Bartenieff Fundamentals, 'body half' connectivity refers to:

The right side and left side working together in opposition
Upper body independence from lower body
Breath flowing to one side at a time
Using only one side of the body while the other is still (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Using only one side of the body while the other is still

Body half connectivity focuses on the right or left half of the body as an integrated unit, strengthening lateral differentiation and organization.

Question 48: Free Flow in Effort analysis is associated with movement that:

Uses strong weight throughout
Requires deliberate muscular effort to continue
Stays bound to one location
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 49: Which of the following is NOT one of Laban's eight basic effort actions?

Bounce (Correct answer)
Wring
Slide
Flick

Correct answer: Bounce

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

Question 50: 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
Body Attitude
Spatial Intent
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 51: An 'Effort drive' in LMA combines how many Effort motion factors?

Two
Three (Correct answer)
Four
One

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 52: When a CMA is working cross-culturally and applies Effort analysis to movement that carries specific cultural meaning (such as ritual or ceremonial movement), the primary ethical concern is:

Practitioners should only work with cultures whose movement they personally perform
Cultural movement cannot be analyzed using LMA without first translating it to English description
Imposing a Western analytical framework may misrepresent or disrespect culturally specific movement practices (Correct answer)
The practitioner should use Time effort categories exclusively in cultural contexts

Correct answer: Imposing a Western analytical framework may misrepresent or disrespect culturally specific movement practices

Applying a culturally embedded framework to diverse movement practices risks ethnocentric misinterpretation and requires cultural humility and consultation.

Question 53: Which of the following is an example of a 'sagittal' movement in LMA Space Harmony?

Lifting and lowering the shoulders
Swinging the arms side to side
Rotating the torso left and right
Reaching forward and pulling back (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Reaching forward and pulling back

Sagittal movements travel forward and backward along the anterior–posterior axis of the body.

Question 54: In the Trager Approach, the quality practitioners cultivate internally before and during a session is called:

Hook-up (Correct answer)
Mindfulness
Presence
Grounding

Correct answer: Hook-up

Milton Trager called the meditative, receptive internal state of the practitioner 'hook-up' — a felt connection to a larger field of energy that informs the quality of touch and movement.

Question 55: Why are ethical standards important in movement analysis?

To increase competition
To limit client options
To ensure respect and professionalism (Correct answer)
To promote personal interests

Correct answer: To ensure respect and professionalism

Ethical standards are fundamental in movement analysis to build and maintain trust with clients. They ensure that practitioners conduct themselves with integrity, respect client autonomy, and uphold professional boundaries. This framework guarantees that all interactions and analyses are performed with the client's well-being and best interests as the priority, fostering a professional and respectful environment.

Question 56: The 'Spell Drive' in Effort theory combines:

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

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 57: What is the primary purpose of practicing spatial scales in CMA training?

To internalize the geometry of the kinesphere and develop spatial intelligence (Correct answer)
To improve cardiovascular endurance
To memorize notation symbols
To increase muscular strength

Correct answer: To internalize the geometry of the kinesphere and develop spatial intelligence

Spatial scales are practiced to develop an embodied understanding of the kinesphere's geometry, training the mover's spatial awareness and clarity.

Question 58: What is a critical component of client confidentiality?

Recording without permission
Posting anonymously
Sharing on social media
Only sharing with authorized personnel (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Only sharing with authorized personnel

Client confidentiality is a cornerstone of ethical practice, protecting sensitive personal and professional information shared during movement analysis. A critical component is ensuring that client data, session details, and any private communications are only disclosed to individuals explicitly authorized to access them. This strict control safeguards client privacy, builds trust, and complies with professional and legal obligations.

Question 59: In LMA, the 'A-scale' (Defense Scale) primarily traces diagonals through which three dimensions?

Vertical only
Rotational pathways 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 60: 'Grounding' in Bartenieff Fundamentals refers to:

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

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 61: In LMA, 'condensing' refers to:

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

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

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

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 63: Bartenieff Fundamentals (BF) were developed primarily to:

Prescribe exercises for athletic performance
Create a dance notation system
Standardize theatrical movement vocabulary
Facilitate efficient, expressive, and healthy movement by integrating body connectivity (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Facilitate efficient, expressive, and healthy movement by integrating body connectivity

Bartenieff Fundamentals are a set of movement principles and exercises developed by Irmgard Bartenieff to support healthy, integrated, and expressive movement.

Question 64: The concept of 'Effort rhythm' in LMA refers to:

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

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

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

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

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

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 67: A 'metric' movement phrase is characterized by:

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

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 68: Cross-Lateral (contralateral) body connectivity involves coordination between:

Any movement that crosses the body's midline
The relationship between core and peripheral body parts
Opposite limbs—right arm with left leg, or left arm with right leg (Correct answer)
Movement that traverses multiple spatial planes simultaneously

Correct answer: Opposite limbs—right arm with left leg, or left arm with right leg

Cross-Lateral connectivity integrates diagonal pairs of opposite limbs in a counter-balancing pattern essential to mature locomotion.

Question 69: The 'body key' in Labanotation is used to:

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

Question 70: Which Shape quality describes movement that narrows the body by pulling the arms inward horizontally?

Retreating
Rising
Enclosing (Correct answer)
Sinking

Correct answer: Enclosing

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

Question 71: In Labanotation, direction symbols are read with their shading to indicate:

The Effort quality of the movement
The spatial level: high, middle, or low (Correct answer)
The relationship to another dancer
The speed of the movement

Correct answer: The spatial level: high, middle, or low

The shading pattern of Labanotation direction symbols indicates the spatial level — white for high, gray/dotted for middle, and black for low.

Question 72: Which of the following best describes 'Directional Movement' in Shape theory?

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

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

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

Correct answer: Inclination scale

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

Question 74: Shape Flow Support refers to:

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

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 75: Which of the following is NOT a component recorded in Labanotation?

Level of movement
Direction of movement
Costume color (Correct answer)
Duration of movement

Correct answer: Costume color

Labanotation records movement parameters such as direction, level, duration, and body part — but not visual design elements like costume color.

Question 76: The Shape quality of 'spreading' relates to which spatial dimension?

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

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 77: When a supervisee CMA disagrees with a supervisor's ethical judgment about a client case, the appropriate action is to:

Take unilateral action to override the supervisor's decision
Raise the concern respectfully with the supervisor and, if unresolved, consult the organization's ethics resources or a third party (Correct answer)
Comply silently with the supervisor's decision regardless of personal ethical concern
Immediately report the supervisor to a licensing board without further discussion

Correct answer: Raise the concern respectfully with the supervisor and, if unresolved, consult the organization's ethics resources or a third party

Ethical disagreements in supervision should first be addressed directly and respectfully, with escalation to formal channels only when direct dialogue fails.

Question 78: Why is movement observation important in analysis?

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

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 79: A CMA practitioner uses Space Harmony analysis in a choreographic project and later wishes to publish the movement notation of a client's improvisation. The practitioner must:

Publish freely since movement in public space has no copyright protection
Change the client's gender in the notation to anonymize it sufficiently
Wait five years before publishing to allow the statute of limitations to pass
Obtain the client's written consent before publishing any identifiable movement material (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Obtain the client's written consent before publishing any identifiable movement material

A client's movement material remains their intellectual and personal property; written consent is required before publication.

Question 80: In LMA, the four Shape qualities associated with planes are:

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

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 81: 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 82: The A-scale in Space Harmony is also known as the:

Equatorial scale
Defense scale (Correct answer)
Diagonal scale
Dimensional scale

Correct answer: Defense scale

The A-scale is called the Defense scale because its spatial directions correspond to protecting or defending the body.

Question 83: The three dimensions of Shape Flow are:

Strong/Light, Direct/Indirect, Sudden/Sustained
Up/Down, Side/Side, Forward/Back (Correct answer)
Ascending, Descending, Rotating
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 84: Which of the following Bartenieff Fundamentals exercises directly trains the 'Head–Tail' connectivity pattern?

Pelvic Forward Shift
Spinal push-up or spinal undulation (Correct answer)
Lateral Shift
Arm Circle

Correct answer: Spinal push-up or spinal undulation

Spinal undulations and related exercises develop Head–Tail connectivity by sequencing movement through the entire spine from sacrum to cranium.

Question 85: A CMA is hired to analyze the movement style of a public figure using only publicly available video footage. Which ethical consideration is MOST relevant?

The practitioner must obtain a government permit before proceeding
The analysis should only focus on Space effort to remain neutral
The practitioner should consider whether the analysis could harm the individual's reputation (Correct answer)
Public figures have no expectation of professional ethical consideration

Correct answer: The practitioner should consider whether the analysis could harm the individual's reputation

Even when using public footage, CMAs must consider the potential harm their published analyses could cause to individuals.

Question 86: The 'floor plan' in Labanotation documentation records:

The movement quality of the piece
The breath rhythm of the dancer
The spatial floor pattern and path of the performer(s) through the performance space (Correct answer)
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 87: A movement described as 'sudden' refers to which Effort motion factor?

Space
Weight
Time (Correct answer)
Flow

Correct answer: Time

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

Question 88: Which Shape mode is most self-referential and least related to the external environment?

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

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

Flow
Space
Weight (Correct answer)
Time

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 90: What is informed consent in movement practice?

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

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 91: In movement observation, what does the term 'Transition' specifically refer to?

The spatial path from Point A to Point B
The peak moment of an action
The movement connecting one posture or phrase to the next (Correct answer)
The pause between movement phrases

Correct answer: The movement connecting one posture or phrase to the next

Transitions are how a mover moves between actions or postures, and they carry significant expressive and patterning information.

Question 92: The icosahedron is important in Laban's Space Harmony because it:

Measures the effort of locomotion
Defines emotional states of movers
Categorizes breath patterns
Provides the geometric framework for the kinesphere's spatial points (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Provides the geometric framework for the kinesphere's spatial points

The icosahedron's 12 vertices map key spatial points within the kinesphere, forming the geometric basis for Laban's spatial scales.

Question 93: A student CMA practitioner is supervised by a certified CMA who asks the student to document observations they did not personally make. This situation represents:

Standard training practice in movement analysis
An acceptable exception when under direct supervision
A helpful shortcut that improves training efficiency
An ethical violation, as documentation must reflect only one's own direct observations (Correct answer)

Correct answer: An ethical violation, as documentation must reflect only one's own direct observations

Professional integrity requires that documentation accurately reflects one's own direct observations, not fabricated or secondhand accounts.

Question 94: 'Bound' Flow in Effort analysis describes movement that is:

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

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 95: In Bartenieff Fundamentals, 'Thigh Lift' is a basic exercise primarily intended to develop:

Eye-head sequencing patterns
Core-distal connectivity and inner unit activation (Correct answer)
Upper extremity isolation
Breath-movement coordination in the hands

Correct answer: Core-distal connectivity and inner unit activation

Thigh Lift activates the inner core and establishes proximal–distal connectivity between the pelvis and lower limbs.

Question 96: In LMA Shape theory, 'Shape Flow' describes:

The spatial pathway traced by the feet
The relationship between two movers
The three-dimensional changing of the body's shape in relation to itself (Correct answer)
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 97: In Shape theory, 'retreating' refers to movement that:

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

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

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

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 99: Core-Distal body connectivity involves movement that:

Radiates outward from the navel/core to the extremities and back inward (Correct answer)
Moves from the trunk muscles outward to the environment
Travels along the spine from the head to the tailbone
Coordinates the arms along with the spinal column

Correct answer: Radiates outward from the navel/core to the extremities and back inward

Core-Distal connectivity emphasizes the radial relationship between the body's navel center and the tips of the limbs.

Question 100: In Labanotation, the length of a symbol in the staff indicates:

The relationship to a partner
The duration of the movement (Correct answer)
The spatial level
The Effort quality of the movement

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 101: In Space Harmony, 'transversals' are movement paths that:

Follow the peripheral edge of the icosahedron (Correct answer)
Always begin and end at the same point
Cross from one side of the kinesphere to the other through the body
Move only in one dimension

Correct answer: Follow the peripheral edge of the icosahedron

Transversals are spatial paths that cross obliquely through the kinesphere, connecting non-adjacent spatial zones along the faces of the icosahedron.

Question 102: When a CMA practitioner's scope of practice ends and a client's needs exceed movement analysis (e.g., they disclose trauma), the ethical action is to:

Refer the client to an appropriately licensed mental health professional (Correct answer)
End the professional relationship without providing any resources
Continue working and incorporate informal trauma counseling
Consult movement notation texts to find a precedent

Correct answer: Refer the client to an appropriately licensed mental health professional

Referral to appropriately credentialed professionals when client needs exceed scope of practice is a cornerstone of ethical conduct.

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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