Study: the science of sexy male dance moves (video)

what makes for sexy male dance moves.

The psychology department at Northumbria University in England videotaped 19 dancing men between 18 and 35 grooving to the same dance track heavy on drums and rhythm. 12 cameras filming simultaneously picked up signals from 38 reflectors worn on the men's bodies. A computer synthesized this information and created digital versions of the dancers on a plain gray grid, like something out of the original Tron. This eliminated any bias the women would have in judging the dancers' attractiveness based on such factors as physical appearance, clothes, or setting. 15-second clips of each dancer were then rated by heterosexual women on a scale of 1 to 7.

Dances that incorporated larger and more variable movements of the neck and torso were considered more appealing, as were dances that utilized faster bending and twisting movements of the right knee. This could be a result of the fact that 80% of people are right footed and use their left as a pivot while their right boogies. For more of a visual understanding, see the examples below of both attractive and unattractive dances.

These findings are vague at best, but they do open up a new area of research. Now scientists are tasked with narrowing in on exactly what makes for appealing dance moves by showing dancers with only one or two different movements. Also, the study only used 35 females to rate these dances, which often isn't enough women to give an opinion when picking out a wedding dress. Until more research is done, uncoordinated men on dance floors around the world will be contorting their torsos and necks, and flailing their right knees like broken marionettes. Although they'll look ridiculous, as long as they also seem confident and relaxed, someone will find them attractive, or at least ballsy.

Read more at LiveScience.com

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