Are you the first person on the dance floor at company parties? Or do you prefer to sit on the side and talk? I am usually in between—I wait for a critical mass of dancers (or wine!) before hitting the floor, but once I start I don’t want to stop.
Dr. Peter Lovatt, from University of Hertfordshire, is studying the root of that behavior: dance confidence . He ties it back to age and gender, saying that our willingness to jump onto the dance floor can change over time. Read more about his research in The Guardian.
But don’t worry, dance confidence isn’t all genetic:
"People dance for social bonding and mate-selection purposes," Lovatt says. "It’s also good for your health and fitness, and people dance to enjoy themselves. Some dance because they are told they have to, and it has been used to show strength and fearlessness, like the traditional Maori haka dance."
