October 8, 2008
Dance Scholars Analyze Candidates' Movements in Presidential Debates
John McCain lost last night’s presidential debate at Belmont University because he became “locked in his own body.”
That’s the verdict of dance scholars at the University of Maryland and George Mason University, who analyzed the candidates’ movements during the debate using Laban Movement Analysis.
Their take on the debate is one you probably didn’t hear from the reporters and political spin doctors commenting on the TV networks.
According to the scholars, neither candidate seemed comfortable with the town-hall forum, which they liken to a “boxing ring” or “one-ring circus.” For Mr. Obama, who “lives in the university of possibilities,” the space was too confining, too constricting. As a result, he “wandered around looking slightly uncomfortable before nailing his points.”
Mr. McCain, on the other hand, began well, “with his solidity and clarity present.” But as the debate wore on, he became “increasingly locked in his own body, entrenched in a small enclosed space,” his growing discomfort evident in his pacing, shifting, and side-stepping. The scholars conclude that Mr. McCain is “a man who carries his own prison with him” — someone who has not yet escaped the effects of his imprisonment decades ago.
And you thought debates were decided by who made the most convincing arguments?
Kelly Field | Posted on Wednesday October 8, 2008 | PermalinkComments
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Do Mr. McCain’s physical disabilities, most notably the terrible injuries to his shoulders, skew the test?
Did the observers who applied the standard already know Obama and McCain’s background stories or were the reviewers “bias free?”
— frankly speaking Oct 8, 01:26 PM #
“Dance Scholars”—I hadn’t thought to join those two words in a sentence before.
Interesting.
Silly, but interesting.
— Susan G. Oct 8, 01:41 PM #
Susan, your comment was smug. Silly, but smug.
— Jane Oct 8, 03:03 PM #
Susan,
Do you also find music scholars or art scholars to be “silly, but interesting”?
— mb Oct 8, 03:23 PM #
Or Anthropology or Sociology for that matter?
— Musicologist Oct 8, 03:42 PM #
Once again the blog has wandered away from the topic. I agree with the point made by “frankly speaking.” We have to remember that McCain’s posture/movements are restricted because of his injuries.
— patty Oct 8, 04:02 PM #
I was so baffled by the comment by number 2 questioning the idea of a dance scholar that I had to ask myself, what school did this person go to? Dance means Rumba, West African tribal dancing, Rock and Roll, Waltz, Classical European, American, and Asian – pre-colonial – postcolonial and the age of romantic music. I have no real background in dance but it seems to me that this person is really missing out on what’s going on in the real world. Cha Cha!
— Andres I. Perez y Mena Oct 8, 04:03 PM #
As one of the observers, I can say that yes, we did know about Sen. McCain’s injuries. We have been watching both candidates for over a year.
We observe and notate as the event goes on and then compare our notes with each other. Patterns emerge and we make note of what has changed in this particular event, compared to how they usually are.
Both men seemed less comfortable in the open spaces of the town hall forum than they are behind a podium, although Sen. McCain seemed more uncomfortable. We thought that was worth pointing out.
Everyone is a movement analyst and most of us tend to believe the actions rather than the words someone speaks. The three of us are trained in a way of mapping movement that is used by dancers, actors, athletes, and coaches to clarify and improve physical performance. We like applying it to politicians for two reasons: First of all, they are everywhere and they make a lot of appearances in a number of different settings, and secondly, what actions they tend to take and how they take them matters greatly to the future of the country—and the planet.
— karendc Oct 8, 04:24 PM #
Many Movement Analysts are affiliated with Dance Departments however they are also working in areas of Confict Resolution, Anthropology, Health Sciences and even working with those working with computers in making avatars more human –
— KS Oct 8, 04:25 PM #
As someone who knows several dance scholars including historians, critics and philosophers I am a bit appalled at the ignorant comment
— Alex Oct 8, 04:33 PM #
Additionally, in response to Comment #1: this was not a test. We were not doing a survey either. We do research that tracks patterns, predilections, and changes over time, just like those “real” scholars we’ve heard about! ;)
— karendc Oct 8, 04:33 PM #
The one comment that each of the people I watched the debate with made was….about the body language of both the men involved. One friend did mention Senator McCain’s disability and that he looked uncomfortable or in pain.
Very interesting article.
— pollym Oct 8, 04:46 PM #
Can the observers comment on McCain’s negativity towards his opponent? Did you note the relationship between the two men in the open town hall space?
— lesliebc Oct 8, 05:15 PM #
lesliebc:
I think there was definitely awkward space between them, but then they were both trying to navigate in unfamiliar territory. Sen. McCain did not appear, to me, to be as Obama-avoidant as he was in the first debate. Sen. Obama was much more attentive to Sen. McCain’s expositions than Sen. McCain was to Sen. Obama’s, but that is also in keeping with their preferences.
— KarenDC Oct 8, 06:14 PM #
One more issue- the article didn’t mention a scholar’s name- just -“dance scholars at the University of Maryland and George Mason University”. Quotes were used, but not quoters. Even karendc didn’t give a real name. This leaves much to be desired.
— Chuck Levitan Oct 8, 06:31 PM #
Here is the tag on the original release we sent in:
The above is based on observations made using Laban Movement Analysis by three Certified Movement Analysts sharing observation data and coming to consensus at the end of the second Presidential debate, October 7, 2008. Karen Bradley is the Director of Graduate Studies in Dance at the University of Maryland, College Park, Director of Research at the Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies in New York City and a Senior Research Fellow at the James MacGregor Burns Center for Leadership Studies at the University of Maryland. Dr. Martha Eddy is a Senior Research Associate with the Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies and Director of the Center for Kinesthetic Education in New York City. Karen Studd is Associate Professor of Dance at George Mason University and Coordinator of Modular Movement Analysis Training Programs at the Laban/Bartenieff of Movement Studies. The three are available for follow-up questions, further analysis, or future consulting.
— KarenDC Oct 8, 07:25 PM #
Did anyone think that John McCain wandered around a lot more than Obama? It seemed like even when he was not responding directly to a question, he was wandering around the set.
— Meg Oct 8, 09:10 PM #
Andres I. Perez y Mena : What is “tribal” about West African dances? Would use the same concept to describe European dances? Our mindset sometimes betrays our scholarship!
— Fifi Oct 8, 11:02 PM #
I didn’t mean to hurt anyone’s feelings. Without dance we wouldn’t have had last week’s production of Cats here in Lincoln. I just think a college degree in dance is silly. I don’t mean that as a personal attack, just a general assault on an alleged field of study. I mean, I’m sure it’s rigorous in its own way,but not necessarily an academic way.
— Susan G. Oct 9, 08:25 AM #
Oh come on Susan, just because the DaVinci Code was a best seller doesn’t mean that we should shut down the English department!
I listened to the debate rather than watched it, which I highly recommend as a way of focusing on what is most important to me for a politician: how he or she thinks.
Both McCain and Obama express their views pretty well, but since they are watched as well as heard, looks like they might want to look into the findings of these movment scholars.
— JH Oct 9, 09:06 AM #
In response to 20: Sometimes, what people say is not actually what they think or how they feel. Perhaps it should be, but it is not always the case. I’m sure if you think back, an example will come to you of a time when you may have witnessed such a case. Oftentimes, it is our ability to read another’s body language that gives us this information. We do this everyday, many times a day. So are we getting “all” the information when we listen without watching? Quite the opposite. I believe we are getting less information.
In response to 19: What distresses me most about this post is that it is an example of the pervasive attitude people take in online forums that it is acceptable to be rude or derogatory without consequence. I understand that the poster does not value scholarship in the arts. Perhaps she doesn’t even believe that arts scholarship is possible. It’s fine. She’s entitled to her opinion of this. I do not think anyone, regardless of position or learning, is entitled to openly deride a field of study in a scholarly forum because statements like that do nothing to encourage thoughtful debate. Rather, it effectively shuts down the sharing of ideas. I don’t understand, however, the need she had to interject that viewpoint into this conversation, and then return with an apology followed by more derisive remarks. It has no place here or in other civil discussions. Period.
— BESS Oct 9, 01:57 PM #
Thanks, BESS. I hate to lose the opportunity to help someone learn new things, however. Susan G: what is your field of expertise?
You seem to be thinking that the purpose of dance is primarily for entertainment or to enhance a story told through theatre. That is certainly one arena my graduates enter. The movement analysis work they study helps them to analyze what they are being asked to show at an audition—it gives them an edge. The ability to analyze movement also helps prevent injuries and helps to make the corrections needed in order to heal from injuries.
Actors use movement analysis, athletes as well. I am also an arts education researcher and I use the movement analysis work to determine what and how children are learning, what they are adding to their creative repertoire, etc. It is also a way to track the learning process itself.
Movement analysis is how I recreate and analyze dance works from the past, from other cultures, and how I can remember the material I imagine when I am designing movement for a play.
These are just a few examples from my own applications. There are over 1,000 Certified Movement Analysts in the world, from many countries and cultures and every one of us uses the movement map differently.
Feel free to learn more:
http://www.limsonline.org
— KarenDC Oct 9, 02:57 PM #
Back to the article:
I am a movement analyst and have read the full analysis of the analysts quoted in the above article I would like to offer another point of view.
Although I agree with much of the actual movement analysis, I tend to disagree with its application to the candidates ability to fill the presidency. I see Obama as a candidate who has little control of his impulses (even more evident in his earlier political career.) Obama couldn’t contain himself when his record was questioned. This lack of restraint confirms his inability to deal with realities like constraints. This was manifest by his continual insistence to respond to everything that John McCain said and have the final word. It takes restraint and stability to keep government from encroaching on the rights and responsibilities of Americans.
Obama’s tendency to look beyond the horizon and wander aimlessly in the possibilities of government ‘doing more’ and ‘fixing more’ sends the message that he wants government entwined in more aspects of our lives. I feel that the job of the President of the United States is to make decisions, moving forward with conviction based on steady grounded principles in terms of. The President appoints advisors to research all of the possibilities that confront our nation today and then has the responsibility to make decisions that uphold the responsibility of government to restrain itself from creating unnecessary demands at the expense of our right to live freely. I see John McCain embodying that kind of ideology much more naturally than Barack Obama
A tree that grows taller, expanding its branches ability to fill the freedom of space around itself requires a solid and steady trunk-root system bonding to the foundation from which it sprang forth. So it is with the government-citizen relationship. Government must remain increasingly steady and stable in order to provide us maximum freedom for prosperity and creative ingenuity.
— rosie Oct 9, 03:11 PM #
Thanks, rosie. We took our analysis from what we saw in the debate and compared it to what we saw in the first debate. We did not go back to earlier data (we don’t have much on Barack Obama anyway) and we tried not to make assumptions about what the data meant beyond the present situation.
We did not note a lack of restraint in Sen. Obama beyond his natural outward free flow, which is seen by some, as you say, as an inability to “close” or get grounded. Others see the flow as inclusive and comprehensive. But we also noted moments (fewer in this debate than in the first) of strong weight and direct space: a stabile state.
We have noted before that John McCain is the stabilizer of the two. This is why it was so painful to see him struggling with exactly that in this debate.
Obviously, we believe that right now, mobility is preferable to constrained (bound) stability. But your point about your own yearnings is well taken and shared by many. I would feel better about a stabilizer if some intention (weight: light or strong) was also present as he talked about his leadership and experience.
— KarenDC Oct 9, 03:53 PM #
One more comment re: the original comment about the scholarship of dance – as a Movement Analyst who came to the field of movement analysis from dance, I see it in this way – there is a body of knowledge (now think about that metaphor for a moment ) that is human movement – dance is one specialization in that larger body of knowledge.
— KS Virginia Oct 9, 05:04 PM #
Off topic and yet – I have to say that I am a dancer who thinks that Cats may be wonderful theater – but the choreography does not relate to original written work or to felines in any form. – It is rather, quite typical broadway musical theater dancing. I do not mean to disparage it because of this – I however do not consider it serious dance in the way I would, for example, Balanchine’s Agon or Marhtha Grahams work or Bill T. Jones, or Mark Morris or even the orignal dancing in West Side Story. Cats to me is more along the lines of the earlier commentor’s example of the Da Vinci Code so Susan dug herself into a deeper hole from my vantage point form that lame comment!
— Amanda Oct 9, 05:19 PM #
In response to Rosie – two people look at and see the same thing and yet interpret it in very different ways. One person sees McCain’s wall-like stance and sees solid stability and finds that reassuring another sees it as rigid, inflexble and unable to change and adapt to new situations. This is in part why we see so much emphasis on the youth’s support for Obama – it is not just the candidates age and background difference. It is in their style, which is revealed in movment often far more than in their words. It is why, from my perpsective, when McCain altered his campagin focus and shifted his stance to being the candidate of change it didn’t work. This is at his core not who he reveals himself to be.
In the much earlier primary debates, when many were ignoring McCain at that point, I was seeing his strength and solid stability and believed he would come out on top which he did. Even aside ftom the economy – McCain has become less himself and so no longer as commanding a figure as he was in those primaries. This is quite evident in his movmement and I believe – in part- has caused him to lose ground
— KS Virginia Oct 9, 05:50 PM #
KS Virginia,
Literally…
— KarenDC Oct 9, 06:18 PM #
Rosie,
As a fellow movement analyst, I think it is sad that your posting does not reference the specific movement work that Karen et al identified in their work, but rather reads like a lot of personal opinion. I recognize that you may see the candidates differently, as each of us does, but at least keep it connected to the movement. The beauty of the Laban work is it gives us a language to evaluate what we see with some objectivity – a language without judgement. All I read was your opinions based on…what? “I see Senator McCain embody that ideology” – well, when and how exactly? What movement qualities showed you that? I feel that the writers have worked hard to evaluate what they’re seeing and while theirs is not the only analysis that exists, I think another viewpoint should at least make an effort to stick to the analysis, not the opinion, of the evaluator.
— LinDH Oct 10, 12:10 AM #
First, I am aware of these reveiwers and respect much of the work they have done in their fields.
However, in NO way were they even remotely “bias-free”. The continuing problem with movement analysis is that cultural bias pervades all aspects of one’s ability to analyze movement.
As a CMA, I did not particularly appreciate the “poetic” interpretations of “why” the candidates did what they did. When I choose to read a movement analysis, I do not wish to read something that could be a romance novel submission for a creative writing class. I agree with the majority of comments and believe that analysis should be presented as “possibilities” for intention – not expressed as absolutes.
The cultural differences, particularly in the analysis of free flow representing a lack of grounding, are indicative that the writers of these analyses are of the white American-Western European tradition where free flow indicates instability and a lack of refinement. In African American and the majority of “drum-centered-dancing” cultures, the bound flow of McCain indicates rigidity,withholding, insincerity (lying), covert intentions, and disrespect for others – as McCain made clear in both of these debates with his sneered expression and refusal to face or make eye contact with Obama, and further in the second debate with 2 verbal belittlements (referring to Obama with quick-direct pointing and saying, “this one” and let’s not forget the classic “Golden Cadillac” reference).
The value of movement analysis could be used to assist in allaying FEAR that is created because of our cultural movement differences – as non-verbal communication is how our subconscious beings are prompted to make decisions and people look for what is familliar to their cultural experience – hence Rosie’s interpretation of McCain’s bound flow as him embodying an ideology that Americans will be able to live more freely with him as President. This thinking concludes with an interpretation of intention that is completely opposite to the definition of bound flow.
Sadly, I have seen movement analysis used too many times to support sexual, religious, racial, and intellectual biases of all kinds, which deters an influx of new, culturally diverse students from pursuing a course of study in our fields. This is a terrible injustice to our field and to ourselves and to the possibilities of creating a better world.
— Denise Cavassa, CMA Oct 10, 11:02 AM #
In response to numbe 29:
I prefaced my opinions with ‘Although I agree with much of the actual analysis, I tend to disagree with how it applies to the candidates ability to fill the presidency’. My statements weren’t meant to be anything other than my opinion. The point being for those who think this article is biased or ‘silly’ to understand that the analysis is concrete but we all have different opinions of how it applies within a context. Karen encouraged us to join in the conversation and help inform the readers. If I wanted to use Laban language I would have posted on the CMA list. My comments in no way referenced my ‘opinion of the evaluator’
— rosei Oct 10, 11:29 AM #
Denise,
We ALL have our biases; it is part of our training to recognize them and account for them, which is why I rarely, if ever, analyze by myself. Having data from three observations does not make our evaluations bias-free, but it does force us to think about them and open up a little wider.
On the door outside my office is a quote I take to heart:
“Real objectivity is not impersonality but wholeness: the filling out of personality to more nearly match the width of the world.” J. Moffet
We are trying to match the width of the world, aren’t we? That means your interpretations and experiences count, as do Rosie’s. In the program, we spend a great deal of time observing together, in order to tease out those biases, confront deeply-held beliefs, and learn to recognize the larger scenarios in which we are engaged.
I myself do not write my distilled interpretations for a creative writing exercise. I write to explain what we do, how we do it, and why it matters to a world that, IMHO, needs to be MOVED.
— KarenDC Oct 10, 11:36 AM #
well said Karen! I think you have done great work for our field; much appreciation! I think a lot of what may seemed biased is also in the way the chronicle picks up the story. You don’t have much control about what they quote from your original analysis.
— rosie Oct 10, 11:45 AM #
rosie,
Thanks! It is true we have no control over how any of the mainstream media reinterprets our press releases/analyses, and trust me, it runs quite a gamut!
I am grateful to the Chronicle for this thread however. Just look at how much has been revealed about our work, which is rich and potent as is the discussion here. And now it is also public!
— KarenDC Oct 10, 12:15 PM #
When I was studying in the UK the people in the neighboring office were working on automated labanotation using video images, and I wondered about how this might be a check on “bias” (in its rigorous definition). Even converting the video to stick-figure animation and having analysts unfamiliar with the debate might do the trick. But then I wondered about the effect of the camera operators and editors, who in their own choices can illustrate what they feel about the subjects beyond the lens.
— Douglas Oct 10, 12:25 PM #
Douglas,
There is a lot of work on this side of the pond on using LMA (Laban Movement Analysis) for robotics and mo-cap projects and products. There are CMAs who know a lot more about this I do, but I’ve been consulted on a couple of projects at the idea stage.
Bias can get built in to cameras without the camera operators or editors affecting the outcome at all. Here’s how:
A camera captures a range of expressive movements that we’ll call, for example, free flow (since flow has been an area of discussion here). The model for the stored data on what is free flow may have her own issues with flow and her free flow may be LESS free than another model’s. So even if the camera captures 30 examples of free flow, the sample may be biased. In order to transcend such bias, cameras should capture a range of models, not just a single model, even with many examples.
The results of many samples would be a bell curve, with free flow at the middle (whatever algorithms are used to measure it). Then we could assume less bias.
But no one, as far as I know, is doing the capturing and measuring at the level I am speaking of.
— KarenDC Oct 10, 01:58 PM #
Tribal? Change that to group,or ethnic. Yes it can be found anywhere. So what’s your point, number 18
— Perez y Mena Oct 11, 01:34 PM #