How to understand that a person dances well. Why do people dance? Why don't people dance? Typical dance of a serious but timid man

Many processes stimulate the reward system in our brain, among them coordinated movements. Because of this, we love to dance, for this reason we (if not all, then at least some) are fascinated well-staged movie fights , marching people or " Rub Goldberg cars". Scientists cannot find an unambiguous reason for this phenomenon. But movement to music (which in itself) - in essence, dance - is a double pleasure for a person.

The desire to move to the rhythm has settled in our nervous system since ancient times. There is a definite connection between the auditory cortex, which processes sound, and the region of the brain, which is involved in the planning and production of movements. This bond is especially well established when a person learns to sing. In order to imitate a vocal teacher, the diligent student must learn to imagine how to associate an audible standard with the ability to reproduce it.

Music video OK Go - This Too Shall Pass

We are not the only animals that can move to the beat, but the other species with which we share these skills are a bit surprising. For example, our closest relatives - chimpanzees - do not move to music, but they also do not know how to imitate sounds. However, parrots and cockatoos, which are great at imitating voices, also move well to the rhythm. To prove this, you can find many videos on YouTube. That is, in fact, the desire to dance is directly related to the ability to imitate sounds. From this we can conclude that when we listen to music, we subconsciously try to imitate it, for example, to stomp in time with a strong beat or to portray a solo. Hence the desire to sing along to your favorite song arises.

A scientific study published in the journal Science in 2006 suggested that dance skills were associated with survival in ancient times. Dancing for our prehistoric ancestors was one of the ways to communicate, especially during difficult times. Therefore, according to scientists, the first people who had a better sense of rhythm may have had an evolutionary advantage.

Researchers have looked at the DNA of groups of dancers and people who have never shown a taste for dancing, and found that dancers have genes associated with a predisposition to better communication in society. In addition, dancers have been found to have higher levels of serotonin, which is known to influence positive attitudes. These two factors suggest that dancers are (potentially) more social.

It is by no means a sensation that people also dance for the sake of attracting the opposite sex. British archaeologist Stephen J. Meeten, who studies the culture of the Neanderthals, proved that our ancestors were doing this 1.5 million years ago. That is, on the prehistoric dance floors, about the same thing happened as. “In many societies today, dancing is used as a presentation of oneself to attract a partner,” Meeten points out. "Dancing is a means to show your physicality and coordination - qualities that were essential to survival in a prehistoric hunter-gatherer society."

The reward system in the brain that made us love dancing is directly related to motor function. Historians believe that the music itself was created through rhythmic movements, and the first "tracks" were a simple synchronized stomp. In addition, we are very sensitive to other people's body movements.

It has been established that in others observing the dances, certain parts of the brain responsible for movements are activated. This is due to the presence of mirror neurons responsible for imitation. These cells in the cerebral cortex are excited both when performing a certain action, and when observing the execution of this action by another creature. Such neurons were found in primates, and their presence is claimed in both humans and some birds.

Another kind of pleasure that our brains get from watching dances is associated with our love of anticipating events. The observer, at the moment when the dancer has not yet completed the step to the end, thanks to the clues of the music, can predict his further movements, and when he guesses them, the reward system in the brain is triggered. It turns out that people enjoy both observing the dances and participating in them. From here grows a person's love for collective dances, which, among other things, give a sense of unity.

Have you ever seen in a public place someone with "bananas in their ears" (well, in headphones), kicking, shaking their head? Everyone stands gloomy, goes to work, thinks about problems, and a man stands next to him and dances. "Crazy," most would think. "Happy" - I think, and people like me.

Dance- a part of human culture, without which neither ancient people nor contemporaries could do. It's just that earlier it was more of a cult or a prelude, but now it is entertainment and - as if the second function remains! - a prelude.

Dancing was forbidden, dances were limited, they condemned for twirling to the sounds of maracas, they posted evil pictures on the Internet on the dancers, but men and women danced anyway, danced and would dance.

I am convinced that everyone loves to dance, only some allow themselves, while others do not. Why do people like to move to music? Is there an explanation for this? Science says there is.

Scientists write that a number of processes take place in our body, which serve as a qualitative stimulus for the so-called "reward system" of the brain. That is, the very structures that regulate human behavior through positive reactions are activated in the nervous system. And among these processes - hurray, comrades! - coordinated movements. This is dancing!

The news is great, but, unfortunately, scientists cannot find at least one objective reason why dancing triggers the release of the hormone of happiness - serotonin. But it's a fact: dancing to your favorite music can even become double happiness. Listening to pleasant music plus rhythmic movements to it, and here you are - two doses of serotonin at a time.

Scientists don't give up. They also discovered a connection between two areas of the brain - the auditory zone and the part that is responsible for planning movements and the movements themselves. Dance training Is the clearest example. The student, to the music, repeats the movements after the teacher - imitates, tries to imitate the instructor. Hears a rhythm - sees an example - repeats - the brain works. It only seems to us that during training we just work out the figures, steps, turns, and the brain continues to work ...

The doctors of science did not calm down here either. They asked each other: is man the only animal that is able to move to the beat of the music? For the answer, they went to the closest human relatives - to chimpanzees. And then the disappointment came - chimpanzees don't dance !!! They are like Arnold Schwarzenegger who doesn't dance and even walks with difficulty.

But what about the numerous videos on the Internet about wonderful cockatoo parrots that sing along and dance better than some of the clubbers? Everybody saw the parrots. Scientists say this phenomenon is due to the fact that chimpanzees cannot imitate sounds, while parrots can. It turns out that the gift to move rhythmically to the music associated with the ability to imitate the sounds heard. This is what we, like parrots, do every time we sing along quietly or loudly to our favorite singer.

By the way, these scientific discoveries lead to the conclusion that you and I do not dance to music at all, but subconsciously imitate its rhythm, melody, tempo with our movements ... we dance to the music!

The choice of dance direction, which he is fond of, can tell a lot about a person. As a rule, ballroom dances are chosen by balanced natures, Latin American motives are fond of cheerful and emotional ones, and go go dances are preferred by energetic and self-confident people.

And what does the dance say about a man?

It is quite difficult to immediately determine at the first glance at a young man whether it is worth starting a close relationship with him. But some nuances will help the girl decide whether it makes sense to give this gentleman her phone number.

It turns out that you can draw some conclusions based on how a man dances a slow dance. By taking a closer look at your partner, you can learn a few things about him.

Typical dance of a serious but timid man

If your partner uncertainly holds you by the waist and with great difficulty falls into the musical beat, most likely you cannot call him Don Juan. He treats the ladies with increased seriousness, often shy in front of them. Such a gentleman may be somewhat bland and even devoid of charm, but such men willingly marry and are able to be reliable. As a rule, in such a pair, a woman is in the lead when communicating.

But keep in mind that your partner may not have an ear for music.

Narcissistic partner

If a man in a dance supports his partner with only one hand, this is most likely a narcissistic narcissist. Perhaps he is still too young and therefore too self-confident. In any case, in the dance he demonstrates offensive negligence and dances, rather, with the aim of showing off. Acquaintance with such a character, unfortunately, can bring you a lot of grief.

Inappropriate dance behavior

If a man, dancing with a woman, playfully slips his hand over her body, he is either drunk or badly brought up. With such cheeky characters, not only should you not get to know closely, but even continue to dance.

How can a man behave while dancing?

• If a young man holds a girl with one hand around the waist, and with the other takes her hand, taking her to the side, then he is either a provincial or a man of age.
• If his hand is gracefully bent at the elbow at the same time, this is a sign of good upbringing. Such a dancer is distinguished by excellent manners and, most likely, he is easy to communicate and intelligent.
• If a man, as they say in ballroom dancing, dances with a woman "in contact," he is probably a sophisticated lover. And if at the same time he also confidently leads, then, most likely, such a man is used to dominating women. It makes sense to get this partner's attention. It will be quite easy to do if you have studied modern dance at the Sportmix studio.

Try to look at him carefully at the first contact with your dance partner: you can learn a lot about him and decide for yourself whether it is worth continuing further communication or it is better to immediately resign him.

The answer to the question of why we dance - and even why some people do it better than others - can be found in the theory of evolution. A study published in 2006 found that the ability to dance is actually linked to a survival mechanism. For our prehistoric ancestors, dancing was a way to connect and communicate, especially during difficult times. Moreover, scientists believe that those people who had good coordination and a sense of rhythm could have an evolutionary advantage.

According to Stephen J. Meeten, an archaeologist at the British University of Reading, our ancestors learned to use dance to attract an ally or helper as much as 1.5 million years ago.

Also, according to recent research, anthropologists and evolutionary biologists agree that the nature of dance lies in the imitation mechanism. By imitation, young children, for example, learn to speak and perform the same activities as adults. At the same time, the experience of repetition strengthens the bond between perceptions of oneself and others doing the same thing. Using a similar model, we learn to dance, that is, we do not so much intuitively contract muscles to the beat of the music, as we reproduce the motor trajectories that we observe.

Some researchers believe that mimicking behavior is due to special neural structures, while other experts argue that the clue lies in the cognitive mechanisms of general learning and motor control of the body. By the way, the analysis of brain activity, carried out by the method of magnetic emission tomography, revealed an interesting connection.

During the dance and while imitating someone's actions, the same neural circuits work, occurring in the same areas of the brain - in the primary motor cortex, occipital and temporal lobes.

This observation continues to be supported by studies of special cells - mirror neurons located in the cerebral cortex. Mirror neurons were not discovered until the 1990s, and much remains to be seen about their functional role. But it is definitely known that these cells are activated when performing a specific action and watching how someone performs the same action. In addition, mirror neurons are especially fired when a person is learning something or showing empathy. Therefore, the detection of increased work of these cells in professional dancers is not surprising.

It should be added here that the biology of dance is much more complex. A comprehensive study published in Scientific American notes that coordinated movements performed to music stimulate the brain's pleasure center. Moreover, the activation of this part of the brain and the increased production of the hormone dopamine are largely due to music, and not movements. That is, the pleasant sensations that arise when listening to a melody and its rhythm are enhanced if not just listen to music, but move in time with it. Take, for example, the Brazilian traditional art of capoeira. This is both dance and martial art. The capoeira masters explain that it is no coincidence that the transformation of martial techniques into dance movements to music is not accidental - it is the pleasure obtained from music and choreography that allows one to skillfully carry out martial practices.

By the way, in addition to physiology, genetic laws are also involved in the case of the dance essence. Interesting data were obtained by Israeli scientists who studied the DNA of a group of dancers and people who are not familiar with choreography. As a result, geneticists discovered an interesting fact. Dancers have two distinct genes associated with a predisposition to be good social communicators - largely due to the production of the hormone vasopressin. In addition, dancers have been found to have higher levels of another hormone, serotonin, which is known to influence feelings of joy and happiness.

What can help a person to relax, unwind and have a good time? The answer to this question is - dance. Only by succumbing to rhythmic movements to the sound of music, we rest not only mentally, but also physically, relieving ourselves of the burdensome burden of everyday life, existing stresses and experiences.

Many well-known scientists and dancers are inclined to argue that in terms of its benefits for humans, dance is comparable to long-term beneficial physical exercise in a gym, as well as moderate intake of vitamins. And it is difficult to argue with this, since in the process of dancing we use almost all muscle groups, and in the process of movement, from joyful and pleasant sensations, we get a vital endorphin, which allows us to get moral pleasure and significantly raise our mood.

A bit of history

With the advent of Homo sapiens on the planet, everything changed, technologies appeared, the world was developing rapidly, communication means were needed in order to communicate with each other, to demonstrate their emotions and feelings. Dance came to the rescue, primitive people, and then more progressive tribes, with the help of dance, communicated not only with the world of the living, but also with the world of the dead. There was communication in the dance, in the dance a person could convey to the viewer what worries him now and what he would like to focus on. During the evolution of man, a lot has changed, but the role of dance has remained the same and this is one of its main advantages, to convey its emotions and feelings.

Benefits from dance

The first thing to understand is that dance is not just a rash movement, it is a whole story that is described by body language. Thanks to the smoothness of movements, accuracy of execution, it is possible to develop not only flexibility, improve balance and coordination, but also increase self-confidence. In many treatment programs, courses, dancing is an integral part of any recovery process from the experienced mental and moral trauma. The benefits of dance were noticed in the works of eminent scientists, choreographers, doctors of their time. The best known dancer of her time, Isadora Duncan, concluded that dance is the best medicine for mental ailments and self-doubt. The same idea was shared by the therapist Merian Chase, Dr. A. V. Shtor, as well as other great people, whose undoubtedly great contribution made dance one of the best remedies for the treatment of physiological and mental illnesses.

What research shows

Since the beginning of the 19th century, many different tests have been given to assess the prospects, the importance of dance in human life and health. There were both positive and negative results, since different age groups of respondents were taken, the severity of emotional ailments. But if you sum up, you can see a clear and undeniable pattern: a dance, whatever the style it is, the same Bachata, Hustle, Kizomba or Body Ballet, plays an important role in achieving inner harmony, calmness and a balanced state.