Why do people dance?

[pinkglitter12]

There wasnt a category for this to go in so apologies..
Ok i know I'm going to sound a little bit weird now, but its been bothering me.
Why when people hear music do they start waving their arms and legs around?
Is it a mating ritual still? Do people want to be admired for their dexterity?
Does dancing make people feel a certain way?
Why?

Awww !! and thats because it makes you both happy?!

Yay I'm happy you feel that way

We don't see royalty pooing either, but I'm sure they do...

Because it feels good?

I wonder if i never moved around in my mothers womb and just pondered

Not sure. But given most babies do it unprompted as soon as they are physically able, I'd doubt it's any of your suggestions.

If it’s any help, OP, It’s not usually about the arms and legs. Movement usually starts in the middle and works its way out. In some dancing, holding the middle taut and still seems to emphasise the movement of the rest of the body.

For me dance is in the opposition of the hips to the rest of the body- it’s like waves moving through me as a response to the music. Sometimes you resist the wave, sometimes you go with it, and that creates a pattern of parts of your body moving with or against each other.

Do you like rocking or swinging? It’s a similar process I think.

It sure makes me happy, this dog is always happy to be as close to me as possible but I don't know if it truly loves dancing or just pretending as a way to join in.
I'm also full of energy and dancing around is a good way to spend some of it in an enjoyable way.

Interesting question, OP.
I'm an awkward wallflower who hides in the corner during any event involving dancing. I once very seriously fell out with a good friend who repeatedly tried to drag me up to dance and "stop being so boring." I could have honestly punched her in the jaw.
But when I'm home, the music comes on (usually 90s dance or 00s rock) and I can dance for England. Makes me so happy!

Well, we saw Teresa May dancing, that was bad enough. Let’s not get it to the royals. Although I reckon Camilla could bust some moves with a Gin and Rothmans going.

This is some training for AI, isn't it?

"Clearly the Guyanese have seen Charles dancing before, so they kept it simple" 😂

My baby grandson starts to move his body when he hears music. It must be a natural reaction to rhythm.

Here's a question I genuinely pondered the other day... firstly it blows my mind that there were other species of humans once upon a time. We know that humans like us, homosapiens, enjoy music and dance. So the question is, is enjoyment of music a uniquely human trait or a homosapien trait? Or to rephrase, did neanderthals or other ancient humans make or enjoy music?

I love music and I love dancing.. makes me v happy
you are missing out OP

I’ve often wondered this myself. I mean, I like a dance. But sometimes when I’ve been at a party dancing I’ve looked around and thought “what the fuck are we doing?”

Music is a gift, the rhythm hits the brain.
My Dsis works in a nursing home, it is amazing how music can reconnect with memories, the residents come alive.
Who knows how or when it was discovered, some child banging some pots together and the others started shaking about.💃 🤔

I work with little kids and I am constantly experimenting and observing their reactions to music. Some are indifferent, some are really affected by it. I can change the atmosphere in a room in an instant by switching songs. It's wonderful. Mostly I'm trying to figure out why they all are obsessed with that annoying APT song but I have no answer so far.

My toddler dances. I dance (more so when noons is watching so it’s certainly not about being admired). Does music not get you going OP?

Yes, Oasis are touring again.

You are not listening to the proper music if you have never listened to a song that makes u just burst into dance!!! My kitchen is my dancing area. My daughter and I can usually be spotted whooping it up to a bit of queen, guns n roses or Bon jovi while the cottage pie is in the oven. Certain don’t want to be mating with anyone while doing so

OP have you ever been drunk? Does that make a difference for you?

Sometimes dancing is all about accessing some recessed part of your mind. I found dancing in a club with very loud music while somewhat drunk was quite a primal experience.

When you take ecstasy or some kind of hallucinogenic this also amplifies some primal rhythmic part of the brain. It’s like it turns up some areas and shuts some others down. All you can concentrate on is the beat and it’s like you and the music, the beat become one. I know that sounds corny but if it wasn’t true and it didn’t feel amazing then raves/clubs would never have been a thing.

The area my brain can go when I’m dancing is to a completely different place. It can be almost spiritual in that while you are dancing you feel nothing else but the music and your body.

It’s quite transcendent. It’s like for a small period of time you are taken to another place where no limitations exist.

But I am one of those people that can experience frisson though and I think only 40% of the population can. I even get it when I go in the sauna after about 15 minutes my skin goes all goosebumpy and I get this wonderful rush through my body which I can push even further with deep breathing. It’s quite the dopamine rush. So yes I seek it out fairly regularly. It leaves me feeling amazing. Saunas are the new clubs for me 😆 I can get it dancing too but really the sauna is more intense these days. It’s especially intense when there is music playing. Go figure.

I dance because it feels great, and brings me a lot of joy. Dancing to an upbeat tune with a group of friends is just so enjoyable, and can feel exhilarating. I’m 46 now and still love going out dancing with friends or dancing with kids, husband, parents etc at celebration events. During Covid, one of my friends(who is a dance therapist) led dancing sessions over zoom. We’d dance in our separate living rooms, to the same music and it felt wonderful in what was otherwise a very bleak time.

I feel the beat and gotta move?

Why would we evolve beyond this? If dance is good for us, we should keep doing it. Some people and some contexts might suppress the tendency to dance, but it is good to try it out occasionally!