Why we dance

[bigdjiver]

I collect theories on why we dance.

On Monday a new bit of research entered my arena. The Chan 4 program "Sex researchers" said that exercise increased the genital blood flow of women on arousal. The display looked like about double.

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Dancing seems to work on the brain too

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1hxzFt/so ... marter.htm

[meghann]

I once read somewhere that dancing is the best rated activity for improving happiness (it was traditional Scottish dance, but still...). I'm afraid I can't remember where I saw it, though.

[jivecat]

The Chan 4 program "Sex researchers" said that exercise increased the genital blood flow of women on arousal. The display looked like about double.

Is this while they're still actually dancing or does it still work sometime afterwards?

Sorry. I like to know these things.

Makes a change from a sudden rush of blood to the head during drops, I suppose.

[bigdjiver]

Is this while they're still actually dancing or does it still work sometime afterwards?

Sorry. I like to know these things.

They did not specify that. They got her off the running machine, showed sensor to camera,then fitted her with the sensor. Subjects sexual responses were measured whilst they watched two movies.

http://www.qfac.com/articles/sexercise.html
http://www.littleabout.com/Health/fitne ... -show/613/.

http://www.channel4.com/info/press/news ... x-research

[Prian]

I know that this has been posted at least twice. I have posted it once and I know at least that Meghann has seen it. But it is interesting and relevant.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9pR3CTF5l0

[bigdjiver]

I know that this has been posted at least twice. I have posted it once and I know at least that Meghann has seen it. But it is interesting and relevant.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9pR3CTF5l0

The Dance Doctor has just done another TED session in Oslo. He is planning to do a 20 dance classes in one week in August and is hoping to make Modern Jive one of the dances.

Are there any Modern Jive weekenders in August with other classes? One of those would get him well on his way.

[David Bailey]

I collect theories on why we dance.

You collect them? Really? Doesn't "because we enjoy it" kind of cover it for everyone?

On Monday a new bit of research entered my arena. The Chan 4 program "Sex researchers"

Yeah, yeah, you just watched it for the naughty bits, admit it.

[Andy McGregor]

You collect them? Really? Doesn't "because we enjoy it" kind of cover it for everyone?

Ahh, but why do we enjoy it? Are we fulfilling a basic human need? My guess is that it's about display in seach of a mate for reproduction. The best dancers are the ones who wil produce the best offspring. Our body naturally makes us enjoy activities that are related to perpetuating the species.

Speaking personally, I spend so much time "displaying" I've not got any strength left for reproduction. My other guess is that the guys who pass the dance test get invited to reproduce before they've danced their way to exhaustion - and those of us left dancing at the end of the night are the ones who didn't get chosen

[meghann]

Ahh, but why do we enjoy it? Are we fulfilling a basic human need? My guess is that it's about display in seach of a mate for reproduction. The best dancers are the ones who wil produce the best offspring. Our body naturally makes us enjoy activities that are related to perpetuating the species.

Speaking personally, I spend so much time "displaying" I've not got any strength left for reproduction. My other guess is that the guys who pass the dance test get invited to reproduce before they've danced their way to exhaustion - and those of us left dancing at the end of the night are the ones who didn't get chosen

So I should be inviting my chosen men to reproduce before the end of the night?

After we've all paid to get in and do some dancing, and everything?

[Andy McGregor]

So I should be inviting my chosen men to reproduce before the end of the night?

If you want one that doesn't taste salty

Besides, you want to be the first female to take seed from the best dancer - once you've mated you can get back to the dancing

p.s. My guess is that I'm not picking up on the mating signals from the females of the species - it couldn't possibly be that no signals are being sent in my direction ...

[meghann]

If you want one that doesn't taste salty

Besides, you want to be the first female to take seed from the best dancer - once you've mated you can get back to the dancing

p.s. My guess is that I'm not picking up on the mating signals from the females of the species - it couldn't possibly be that no signals are being sent in my direction ...

I'm rather liking this plan.

Also, I'd need the men to be a bit sweaty so I can smell them and find out whether their genes are compatible with mine*



*Yes, I know all the problems with the research suggesting that women prefer the smell of men with compatible immune system genes, but it's more fun if I ignore that

[meghann]

You collect them? Really? Doesn't "because we enjoy it" kind of cover it for everyone?

<science> Enjoying it is a "proximate", rather than an "ultimate" reason why we dance. We enjoy it because, somewhere way back in evolutionary time, humans who enjoyed proto-dancing (or some other kind of communication/signalling display involving vaguely dance-like movement) had more children than those who didn't. Or it may be a fluke and the reward systems in our brains that make us enjoy stuff (stuff that did have a reproductive advantage) are coincidentally also activated by dancing. </science>

[Lory]

I'm rather liking this plan.

Also, I'd need the men to be a bit sweaty so I can smell them and find out whether their genes are compatible with mine*

I know we're joking around here but its true that some mens sweat is repulsive to us and yet another man, who's a bit hot and sweaty, doesn't offend at all, in fact they can be rather attractive.

Its the same for men I'm sure.

I know myself, sometimes when I'm really hot and sweaty and my hair's a total mess, I'll try to postpone a dance, explaining that I need to freshen up and brush my hair etc. and I'll get some men who say, NOO, I like you like that!

[bigdjiver]

You collect them? Really? Doesn't "because we enjoy it" kind of cover it for everyone?

It covers it for most people. "Enjoyment" is the release of certain chemicals in the brain. The question is "Why are we genetically programmed to release those chemicals when we dance?"

My guess is that kids are programmed to run about like mad things because exercise develops the body to be prepared for a hard life as a hunter gatherer. When we get older that urge subsides because we were expected to be active enough to stay fit and smart enough to know when to conserve our strength until it was needed.

If life got very easy then those that kept fit through sport / dance / whatever stood a better chance of survival if things suddenly took a turn for the worse.

My answer is that we enjoy dance because it is very good for us, and in more ways than we know. It is why I try and promote dance. If that calling means I have to endure watching naked women indulging in sexual acts it is a sacrifice I have to make. "Its for science". (Insert smiley here)

I have actually come to believe it is deeper than that. I now believe that enjoyment itself is good for us. I always thought that natural selection, relying on the failures dying quicker than the successful, was too slow a mechanism, that the "Blind Watchmaker" would have evolved some sight.

I now believe that unhappiness is a sign that an organism is not well adapted to its environment and that the chemicals producing the feeling unhappiness damage our DNA causing more mutations and us to die sooner of diseases like cancer.

This means that organisms could evolve quicker to react to things like climate change whilst it was just uncomfortable and lower the risk of mass extinction.

I believe that enjoying dancing is far more healthy an activity than is known at present.

Now you can see why enjoying watching naked ladies is just another sacrifice I make for the benefit of my health.

[meghann]

I have actually come to believe it is deeper than that. I now believe that enjoyment itself is good for us. I always thought that natural selection, relying on the failures dying quicker than the successful, was too slow a mechanism, that the "Blind Watchmaker" would have evolved some sight.

Natural selection isn't the only process going on - there's also sexual selection, and that can sometimes change a population's characteristics faster than natural selection. There's also the fact that humans as a species are highly highly adaptable, and that innate ability to adapt is useful. (It's opposite is canalisation - for example, some birds are born knowing how to sing their species' song, but they're unable to learn any other song. In contrast, blackbirds learn by listening to existing songs, and are essentially able to copy any song that their voiceboxes can produce.)

I'm following you up until:

I now believe that unhappiness is a sign that an organism is not well adapted to its environment and that the chemicals producing the feeling unhappiness damage our DNA causing more mutations and us to die sooner of diseases like cancer.

This means that organisms could evolve quicker to react to things like climate change whilst it was just uncomfortable and lower the risk of mass extinction.

A major current theory of depression (as distinct from unhappiness) is that it evolved as a way in which animals basically "shut down" when environmental conditions are too tough - a "hide in the back of the cave until things are better" response. Many other animals show signs of depression as well as humans; the difference is that humans are able to ruminate on things and thereby make it seem even worse.

It's also true that unhappiness and stress in general reduce immune system function and release chemicals in the body that, in large amounts over a long time, can cause things like cancer and heart attacks.

However, I don't see how you're making the argument that unhappiness enables organisms to evolve quicker? If it were the case that unhappy animals just died then you'd end up with a population that was pathologically happy and didn't look after itself. Having an acute response to stressors is a very very useful thing because it enables you to avoid danger and meet your needs. I agree that humans in our current overly-stressful environment could use a dampened response to stress, but in evolutionary terms I don't think what you're saying is quite correct.

(I'm not just trying to be awkward here - I have also spent a lot of time thinking about the evolutionary ecology of urban humans, so I'm up for a good debate :grin

[David Bailey]

Ahh, but why do we enjoy it?

Why do we enjoy anything? I mean, blimey, it's not like we can divide enjoyment into 27.5% exercise, 51% body contact, 12% endorphins, and 9% singles club... We enjoy different things at different times.

Speaking personally, I spend so much time "displaying" I've not got any strength left for reproduction.

Well, that's possibly as much information as I'll ever need to know.

[David Bailey]

I'm rather liking this plan.

Jesus, I'm not dancing with you then, especially if you've disappeared for a while beforehand

[meghann]

Jesus, I'm not dancing with you then, especially if you've disappeared for a while beforehand

But it was his idea!

[marcusj]

I know myself, sometimes when I'm really hot and sweaty and my hair's a total mess, I'll try to postpone a dance, explaining that I need to freshen up and brush my hair etc. and I'll get some men who say, NOO, I like you like that!

A hot sweaty dishevelled Lory works for me !!

[Andy McGregor]

But it was his idea!

I'm full of ideas - it's follow-through where I'm losing it.