Dance: It's Only Human
By Katie L. Burke
Two evolutionary psychologists think that what humans get from dancing with one another is the same thing that chimpanzees get from grooming one another.
February 29, 2016
From The Staff Communications Evolution Animal Behavior
Dancing is something we see in almost every human culture. But scientists think we're the only animals who synchronize our movements to music. To understand why, American Scientist’s Katie Burke spoke with two evolutionary psychologists who research how dancing helps us bond with other people. It turns out, what we get from dancing with one another is the same thing that chimpanzees get from grooming one another, which could help explain how our ancestors and our cultures evolved—to dance.
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This story was produced in association with PRX with funding from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
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