Some people flirt with words. Others let their hips do the talking.
In two studies published in Scientific Reports, psychologists at Northumbria University set out to identify which dance moves heterosexual men and women find the most attractive. Using motion-capture tech and faceless avatars, the researchers stripped away physical appearance and focused entirely on movement. The results are both oddly specific and slightly bleak.
When it came to women judging male dancers, upper-body movement mattered most. Bigger gestures, wider arm swings, varied motion—these all scored well. But the strangest pattern was that men who bent and twisted their right knee more often were seen as better dancers. Co-author Nick Neave suggested it might be a balance thing, since most people are right-footed. “It is a bit of an odd finding,” he said, “so we need more studies to see if this feature is replicated.”
As for women dancing, the best-rated moves included strong hip swings, legs moving differently from one another, and asymmetrical arm movement—just not too much. Dancers who let their limbs go fully rogue were rated worse. According to the researchers, some arm movement shows coordination. Too much makes it look like your nervous system is short-circuiting.
These Dance Moves Apparently Make You Way More Attractive
The theory behind all this is evolutionary. We’re drawn to patterns that suggest physical health, motor control, and potential fertility. Hip movement, for example, is considered a “feminine trait” and may subconsciously register as a signal of reproductive fitness. Independent limb movement may flag neurological strength—because nothing screams hot like a functioning cerebellum.
The problem, of course, is that science tends to iron out all the weirdness that makes dancing personal. These studies only looked at heterosexual attraction and didn’t account for cultural context, identity, or literally any other reason people might dance. Even Neave admitted the obvious: “Dance is strongly influenced by culture,” he said. “There may be some cultural differences in specific movements or gestures.”
Still, across the test groups, people mostly agreed on who looked like a “good” dancer.
So what do you do with that? Maybe nothing. Or maybe you reconsider your go-to wedding move that looks like a sock being flung around a ceiling fan.
Attractiveness on the dance floor isn’t rocket science. Move like you mean it and keep the limbs in check.
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