Dancing may hold clues to male physical strength

Dancing may provide clues about a male dancer's physical strength and fitness, which can be picked up by both men and women observers, according to a new study.

Men pick up clues about other men's physical qualities from their dance moves just as women do, found researchers at Northumbria University, UK.

The findings suggest that male observers pick up on the strength of their potential rivals for female mates.

The study, led by psychologist Dr Nick Neave and researcher Kristofor McCarty, used 3D motion-capture technology and biomechanical analyses to examine the extent to which male dancing provides clues about the dancer's physical strength and fitness to both male and female observers.

Researchers at Northumbria's School of Life Sciences filmed 30 males, aged 19 to 37, as they danced to a basic drum rhythm. Participants also completed a fitness test and assessments of upper and lower body strength.

The dance clips were converted into virtual humanoid characters (avatars) and rated by women and men on perceived dance and physical qualities. The ratings were then correlated with various biomechanical indices.

The results showed that both sexes found significant positive associations between an individual's hand grip strength and their perceived dance quality, these qualities were picked up by the size and vigour of the movements of the upper body and arms.

Although it is traditionally thought that signals given off by men when they dance have been designed - like animal mating displays - to be interpreted as clues of their physical attributes to the opposite sex, it seems that men are also making use of these signals, presumably to detect a potential love rival.

Lead researcher Dr Nick Neave believes that this increased sensitivity to male qualities by other men may be due to intrasexual rivalry - men sizing up the strength and virility of their competition.

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