Science has an answer: The dance that makes men look more attractive

Dancing has long been a form of expression, entertainment and even flirtation, but what makes a man look more attractive on the dance floor? A study conducted by researchers at Northumbria University has attempted to answer this very question, by analyzing the moves that women perceive as most attractive.

For the study, 19 men aged 18 to 35 were recorded dancing to electronic music. None of them were professional dancers. The participants wore 38 sensors on their bodies that recorded every movement in three dimensions. These movements were then transferred to neutral digital figures, without faces and physical characteristics, so that the assessment was based solely on the manner of dancing.

In the second phase of the experiment, 35 heterosexual women watched 15-second videos of these figures and rated them on their level of attractiveness. The results revealed several common characteristics among the men who received the highest ratings.

According to the researchers, women preferred men who moved their torsos more freely, used their necks and heads more during the dance, and displayed greater energy and rhythm in their movements. Dynamic and natural body movements were found to be much more attractive than stiff or restricted ones.

One of the most interesting findings involved the right knee. The researchers noticed that men who performed faster and more varied movements with this part of their body were rated more positively. According to them, this could be related to the fact that most people are right-handed, giving this leg more freedom of movement. However, this remains a theory that requires further study.

The study's lead author, psychologist Nick Neave, said this is one of the first studies to objectively determine what distinguishes a good dancer from a less impressive one. He said dancing can provide valuable information about a person's physical condition, coordination and energy level.

Experts believe that traits like balance, flexibility, and body control are difficult to fake and therefore affect how attractiveness is perceived. In fact, other studies by the same group have shown that better dancers tend to be perceived as more attractive and have better indicators of physical health.

Although there is no magic formula for perfect dancing, the study comes to a clear conclusion: naturalness, freedom of movement and confidence are the elements that make the difference. In short, you don't have to be a professional to impress on the dance floor.