What Dancing Can Reveal About A Man's Health
Throughout time, dance has been used as an artistic form of self-expression. Whether practiced as a method of storytelling or simply letting loose on the dance floor as a means of stress relief, dancing can have an emotional impact both on ourselves as well as on those around us (via Encyclopedia Britannica).
Research conducted in recent years reveals that when it comes to dance, the quality of one's moves and which parts of the body used can reveal a lot about the state of a man's health as well as perceived attractiveness. But what do we consider to be "quality" dance moves?
Like many other animal species from birds to spiders, humans have utilized dance to attract mates (via National Geographic). In a 2005 study using simulation of gender-neutral digitally animated dancers, participants viewed figures with more symmetrical body structure as better dancers (via Science Daily). When examining the variable of sex within the study, experts discovered these findings were replicated when women evaluated male dancers. The outcome indicated a correlation between body symmetry, higher rated dancing skill, and levels of desirability.
Dancing ability may be related to increased health and perceived attractiveness
Other studies have closely examined what specific dance moves serve as the strongest indicators of desirability and health. Past research has shown that women were more drawn to dance moves incorporating the use of the upper body such as the head, neck, and torso (via ABC News). When analyzing blood work of the men rated as better quality dancers in this study, it was found that those men were healthier than those who were rated as less skilled dancers.
These findings were reflected in a 2013 study conducted by Northumbria University where both heterosexual men and women were asked to evaluate dancing ability in men through motion-capture technology (via Science Daily). The participants, regardless of gender, both perceived signals indicative of strength and fitness in the men's upper body dance abilities.
Although these dance studies may provide some insight into what we deem desirable in a potential partner as it relates to health, what we find attractive in others varies widely across cultures, sexual orientation, and personal preference. Dancing may just merely be one of many ways of determining attraction.