IDC Movement & Physical Storytelling 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A 'gesture score' differs from full-body movement choreography in that it:
- Focuses on isolated hand and arm movements to convey narrative meaning (Correct answer)
- Is exclusively used in theatrical productions, not film
- Requires less rehearsal time than full movement sequences
- Applies only to comedic or non-dramatic material
Correct answer: Focuses on isolated hand and arm movements to convey narrative meaning
A gesture score uses the specific physical language of hands, arms, and facial expression as a micro-choreography to communicate character intention and emotional state.
Question 2: When working with an actor who has a physical disability or limitation, an intimacy coordinator's approach to movement choreography should be:
- Reduce the physical demands of the scene to avoid complications
- Collaborate with the actor to develop equivalent physical expressions that work within their body (Correct answer)
- Consult the director to determine if the actor is appropriate for the role
- Follow standard choreography and allow the actor to adapt as needed
Correct answer: Collaborate with the actor to develop equivalent physical expressions that work within their body
Intimacy coordinators work collaboratively with actors to find physically authentic alternatives that honor both the actor's body and the storytelling needs of the scene.
Question 3: In Rudolf Laban's Space Harmony, movement along a 'diagonal' pathway typically conveys:
- Stability and groundedness
- Transition, transformation, or conflict (Correct answer)
- Rest or resolution
- Peripheral, decorative action
Correct answer: Transition, transformation, or conflict
Diagonal pathways in Laban's framework carry dynamic tension and are often associated with transformation, confrontation, or significant character change.
Question 4: The practice of 'anatomical specificity' in intimacy choreography means:
- Consulting a medical advisor before staging physical contact
- Using precise body-part language to communicate exactly what will be touched and how (Correct answer)
- Requiring actors to pass a physical fitness assessment
- Documenting all movements in anatomical diagrams for the production file
Correct answer: Using precise body-part language to communicate exactly what will be touched and how
Anatomical specificity means stating clearly and precisely which body part will make contact with which body part, eliminating ambiguity and supporting informed consent.
Question 5: When two actors have significantly different physical sizes or strengths, an intimacy coordinator choreographing a lift sequence should prioritize:
- Assigning the lift entirely to the stronger actor with no input from the other
- Using camera tricks to simulate the lift without actual physical contact
- Collaborative technique training so both actors feel agency and physical safety (Correct answer)
- Casting notes for future productions to avoid size disparities
Correct answer: Collaborative technique training so both actors feel agency and physical safety
Both actors must be trained in lift technique and both must feel physical agency and safety regardless of size or strength differences.
Question 6: The dramaturgical function of 'stillness' within an otherwise physically dynamic intimate scene is to:
- Signal to the camera crew that a cut is required
- Create a moment of heightened presence and emotional punctuation (Correct answer)
- Indicate that an actor has forgotten their movement cue
- Reduce the complexity of the choreography for practical reasons
Correct answer: Create a moment of heightened presence and emotional punctuation
Intentional stillness within movement creates contrast that draws the audience's attention and amplifies emotional weight at key story moments.
Question 7: A 'closed kinetic chain' movement in physical storytelling typically occurs when:
- The scene involves only one actor moving independently
- Both partners' bodies are in continuous contact and movement in one affects the other (Correct answer)
- The movement sequence is performed in a confined set space
- The choreography loops back to its starting position
Correct answer: Both partners' bodies are in continuous contact and movement in one affects the other
In a closed kinetic chain, two or more bodies are in sustained contact so that movement from one partner directly transmits to and requires response from the other.
IDC Movement & Physical Storytelling 4
A 'gesture score' differs from full-body movement choreography in that it: