Thirteenth International Conference on The Arts in Society

Abstract

Wonder Woman bursts into the hearts of millions of moviegoers inspired by the power of the female superhero. It was satisfying to see a woman join in WWI battle and defeat a God, but narrative alone did not make Wonder Woman the seventeenth highest-grossing film of all time. I suggest that the superhero’s physicality defined her strength and empowered female viewers. This presentation will explore how specific ways of moving, both individually and as observed in others’ bodies, can affect confidence and empowerment in women. Drawing from oral and movement interviews with twelve nationally diverse dancers at the University of Washington, and a socioemotional application of Laban Movement Analysis, my research reveals preliminary findings about physical expressions of confidence and empowerment shared among women. I suggest that free-flowing, circular movements initiated from the gut and spine are associated with feelings of safety and self-assuredness, and that direct, bound movements initiated from distal points evoke empowerment. I argue that movement patterns share an intrinsic relationship with emotional states, and therefore movement matters. Furthermore, because of our mirror neuron system, we physically experience the movement of bodies observed both on and off-screen. Not only is it fun to watch Wonder Woman plow through battlefields, but we also experience kinesthetic empathy for her confident strides and punches. I will argue that movement is an under-recognized keystone that could clarify and catalyze empowerment for women.