Standing still together: Reflections on a one-year-long exploration of human micromotion

Abstract

How does it feel to stand still in silence with others for 10 minutes at a time? The current chapter reports on a study of a small group of musicians and dancers that used standstill as their regular "warm-up" activity over a year of working together. Motion capture data of the sessions reveal that each individual's quantity of motion remained similar over time, but self-reports indicate that the subjective experience of time and space changed radically. The participants developed a high spatiotemporal sensitivity and reported an increase in well-being after a year of standstill. They also reported that a 10-minute standstill helped with the mental preparation before both micromotion and regular performances.

Standing still together: Reflections on a one-year-long exploration of human micromotion