Impact of the presence or absence of dancing in festivals on people’s sense of community

Abstract

Moving together or attending festivals are reported to foster social bonding. However, it remains unclear whether festivals with and without dancing affect individuals’ social bonds and sense of community. Research does not mention whether lasting effects exist over time even when community festivals are held only a limited number of times a year. To address this issue, this study examines the impact of dancing at local festivals on individuals’ sense of community. Accordingly, an online survey was conducted a few months after a community festival, and participants responded three scales: the Brief Sense of Community Scale, Community Consciousness Scale, and UCLA Loneliness Scale. The survey found that (1) the participants who attended and danced at a festival with dancing showed a higher sense of community and lower loneliness level than those who did not dance or those who attended a festival without dancing. (2) These tendencies were not influenced by previous festival attendance patterns. (3) Further, these tendencies were not related to the individuals’ willingness to attend festivals. These results suggest that dancing at festivals, rather than attending festivals without dancing, can promote a sense of community.