They Dance To Say They are Sexy
Michael Hopkin
Nature
_____
Women love a guy who can dance, right? Well, a study using Jamaican volunteers
might explain why. The results suggest that men who are better at busting a move also
have more to offer as a mate.
Researchers led by William Brown of Rutgers University in New Jersey filmed more than 180 teenagers shaking it 
down, and converted the films into computer-animated, androgynous dancing figures. When shown the animated dancers, viewers gave higher ratings to dances performed by people who in reality had more symmetrical bodies and
were generally more attractive.
The effect was stronger for women watching male dances than for men watching women. And the dances performed by men scored more highly overall than those by women, Brown and his colleagues report in Nature. "An initial surprise was that males were better dancers than females overall. But in retrospect we should have predicted this," says Brown. Because females generally shoulder a greater burden in reproduction, it is understandable that women should be more choosy when picking a partner, he says. Men might therefore be under more pressure to perform on the dance floor.
An initial surprise was that males were better dancers than females overall. But in retrospect we should have predicted this. A high degree of symmetry, such as having similarly sized ankles and evenly levelled
ears, is generally thought to be related to someone's overall genetic quality, because it
reflects trouble-free development in the womb. Previous studies have shown that symmetrical people are generally rated as being more attractive.Dancing may be a way to advertise body symmetry, Brown's team suggests.
Michael HopkinNature
_____
Women love a guy who can dance, right? Well, a study using Jamaican volunteers
might explain why. The results suggest that men who are better at busting a move also
have more to offer as a mate.
Researchers led by William Brown of Rutgers University in New Jersey filmed more than 180 teenagers shaking it
down, and converted the films into computer-animated, androgynous dancing figures. When shown the animated dancers, viewers gave higher ratings to dances performed by people who in reality had more symmetrical bodies andwere generally more attractive.
The effect was stronger for women watching male dances than for men watching women. And the dances performed by men scored more highly overall than those by women, Brown and his colleagues report in Nature. "An initial surprise was that males were better dancers than females overall. But in retrospect we should have predicted this," says Brown. Because females generally shoulder a greater burden in reproduction, it is understandable that women should be more choosy when picking a partner, he says. Men might therefore be under more pressure to perform on the dance floor.
An initial surprise was that males were better dancers than females overall. But in retrospect we should have predicted this. A high degree of symmetry, such as having similarly sized ankles and evenly levelled
ears, is generally thought to be related to someone's overall genetic quality, because it
reflects trouble-free development in the womb. Previous studies have shown that symmetrical people are generally rated as being more attractive.Dancing may be a way to advertise body symmetry, Brown's team suggests.
