He stood up and went through motions in the air with his hands.

Just went through the motions, sure in the knowledge the men watching didn't want too much from them.

And they had to go through the motions of doing something.

Everyone seems to be going through the motions of life while waiting for the end.

You're just going through the motions of living your life.

No point in just going through the motions and saying words he does not mean.

The other just seems to go through the motions but to be of little real help.

"Then why did he go through the motions of the meeting just now?"

She went through the motions of living with nothing behind them.

You just went through the motions and came up with an answer.