Editor's Summary

22 December 2005

Fascinating rhythm

Dance is a common part of human courtship. Is it just for fun or does it carry a hidden message? This question was tackled in a population — Jamaican — where dance is particularly important. One property that dance might reflect is bodily symmetry, often used in evolutionary studies to measure developmental stability and genetic quality. A study using motion capture cameras to create video images of the dancers reveals a strong link between symmetry and dancing ability. The effect is stronger for men than for women, and women rate dances by symmetrical men relatively more positively than do men. It works both ways; symmetrical men value symmetry in women dancers more highly than less symmetrical men. In Jamaica at least, it seems that dance is a factor in sexual selection and reveals important information about the dancer. Freeze-frame images on the cover (by William M. Brown) show a symmetrical male dancer in action.

Letter: Dance reveals symmetry especially in young men

William M. Brown, Lee Cronk, Keith Grochow, Amy Jacobson, C. Karen Liu, Zoran Popovi and Robert Trivers

doi:10.1038/nature04344

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