Optimal asymmetry and other motion parameters that characterise high-quality female dance

Abstract

Dance is a universal human behaviour that is observed particularly in courtship contexts, and that provides information that could be useful to potential partners. Here, we use a data-driven approach to pinpoint the movements that discriminate female dance quality. Using 3D motion-capture we recorded women whilst they danced to a basic rhythm. Video clips of 39 resultant avatars were rated for dance quality, and those ratings were compared to quantitative measurements of the movement patterns using multi-level models. Three types of movement contributed independently to high-quality female dance: greater hip swing, more asymmetric movements of the thighs, and intermediate levels of asymmetric movements of the arms. Hip swing is a trait that identifies female movement, and the ability to move limbs asymmetrically (i.e. independently of the other) may attest to well-developed motor control, so long as this limb independence does not verge into uncontrolled pathological movement. We also found that the same level of dance quality could be predicted by different combinations of dance features. Our work opens avenues to exploring the functional significance, informational content, and temporal sequencing of the different types of movement in dance.

Investigating the link between television viewing and men's preferences for female body size and shape in rural Nicaragua

“…Men referred to women's bodies not as static displays but in motion, particularly when dancing: larger buttocks and thighs exaggerate the movement of the lower body, reinforcing the visual impact of this motion which the men interpreted as a strong sexual signal. Hip swing is regarded as highly attractive in female dance (McCarty et al, 2017) and may aid in men's judgements about a woman's potential fertility (Fink et al 2012). Furthermore, while lower body shape seems to be a relatively weak cue to attractiveness judgements in static images (Tovée et al, 1999(Tovée et al, , 2002, Johnson & Tassinary (2007) have argued that body motion emphasizes WHR as a cue to attractiveness.…”

Evolution and functions of human dance

“…A recent biomechanical analysis of female dance movements (McCarty et al, 2017) documented that three types of movement contributed independently to positive assessments of female dance: greater hip swing, more asymmetric thigh movements, and intermediate levels of asymmetric arm movements. Asymmetric arm movements may express high-quality motor control because it is more challenging to perform different movements than the same movement in two limbs simultaneously.…”

Papel social da dança entre universitários e a seleção de parceiros amorosos

“…Por outro lado, três estudos apresentam a percepção masculina sobre a dança das mulheres, fornecendo informações sobre os movimentos corporais para avaliar a qualidade fenotípica feminina, como acasalamento e a sociossexualidade (Röder, Weege, Carbon, Shackelford, & Finck, 2015), a sensibilidade visual por meio da beleza (Röder et al, 2016) e a qualidade dos movimentos de dança feminina (McCarty et al, 2017).…”