More on the dance theme. Researchers wanted to see if particular kinds of male dance moves would be more attractive to women. They created avatars based on actual dance moves of various men and showed them to women to rate attractiveness. Women liked the dancers with more movement of head, neck and torso. Watching the videos on this link is amusing but not as amusing as reading the hypotheses of scientists as to how a man’s dance moves reflect his evolutionary fitness. For example, a man’s dance moves could signal his prowess with weapons and hunting and whether he could be a good provider. Really? If you read my blog you know I love science but it seems to me that the interpreters of this study have gone off the deep end. I do think that this could be a useful tool for students of dance to extract the essence of the movements. Also, it could be a training device for men trying to increase their dating success. But a reflection of evolutionary fitness? Darwin is rolling his eyes in his grave.
Archive for the ‘Dance’ Category
The Meaning of a Man’s Dance Style
Wednesday, October 27th, 2010The Dancing Cockatoo
Monday, May 4th, 2009For all of you wondering about the neuroscience of dance, here is a link to an article about Snowball, the dancing cockatoo. Apparently Snowball is a YouTube hit and has stimulated a lively conversation among scientists about the neurological basis for dancing and musicality in general. The prevailing thought is that the ability to move in rhythm to music is related to language skills in their most primitive form as shown by the ability to mimic sounds. Birds like cockatoos and parrots are excellent mimics and seem to even have the ability to use language for the purpose of communication, not just imitation. Irene Pepperberg’s book, “Alex and Me” is a fascinating account of her years studying the language skills of Alex, an African Grey Parrot. Alex’s ability to communicate verbally offered a window into the relationship between humans and animals that we do not usually have. If you are interested in animal communication this is a must-read.
But back to dance. For the dancers reading this, I ask this challenging question: what is the dance that Snowball is doing in the video? I would have chosen cha-cha for this music but Snowball obviously had another interpretation. Is this mambo or more like merengue?
