If you’ve ever watched a group of middle-aged men on the dance floor, you know that it can be like watching a group of aliens flop around in an unbalanced display of sporadic twitching. But there’s a method to this madness. A man’s dance style can say a lot about him.
While dancing is a healthy and fun activity that can be enjoyed by most anyone, it is also used to help discern the quality of a mate before plucking them from the tree. What are women really looking for in a dance (sex) partner? According to most studies, they are looking for testosterone, symmetry, coordination, and moderation.
Youth & Symmetry
“It’s like an apple that is going brown,” says psychologist Dr. Peter Lovatt of Hertfordshire (a.k.a. Dr. Dance). “You want a fresh green one, instead.” Lovatt’s research suggests a man’s fertility is often judged by his coordination, symmetry, and complexity of movements. In other words, the embarrassing, asymmetrical “dad dance” repels most fertile women, while the energetic, rhythmic, and symmetrical Michael Jackson dance attracts them.
Lovatt believes that the reason a man’s dancing gets more convulsive and sporadically funny as he gets older is that a message is being sent saying “Stay away, girls, I ain’t as fertile as I used to be.” He may be fertile, but his sperm count could be drooping a little along with his testosterone level. This generally starts around age 36, followed by what researchers note as a devolving of dance finesse, which becomes increasingly awkward, uncoordinated, and overcompensated for.
Testosterone
Testosterone plays a big role in how well a man dances, and you don’t have to wait to get on the dance floor to find this out, according to researchers. A woman can guess a man’s ability simply by noting the length of two of his fingers. If his index finger is shorter in comparison to his ring finger, his dancing will be perceived as dominant, masculine, and attractive. If his index finger is longer, his dancing will be submissive, feminine, and unappealing (in theory, anyway).
The key appears to be the amount of testosterone a man was exposed to while in the womb. The greater amount of man-juice, the better a dancer he will be perceived as. Keep in mind that we are not talking about technique or natural ability. Testosterone does not gift a man with the uncanny ability to grasp the latest dance moves, but rather bolsters whatever moves he does have, making them appear more attractive. For this reason, Dr. Lovatt offers the advice that dance lessons may not necessarily improve his chances with women, as this ability is genetically hard-wired from conception.
Moderation
While some men think that the less (or more) they move about, the more macho they appear, most research indicates that it is the moderately-sized, complex dance moves that attract the majority of women. In general, simple, small dance moves (like swaying side to side) are just not attractive. However, some women who like sensitive, submissive men look for small, simple groove patterns, while women who prefer dominant males seek overly complex and large dance movements.
Researchers believe that good symmetry and moderation in movement signifies good health, minimal parasitic infection (prehistoric age), youth, and overall quality of genetic makeup. While most men appear to prefer symmetrical female dancers too, it is far from having the same level of selective importance as it does for women. Men focus on the magnitude of hip gyration (high quality or not), which becomes more pronounced the further along she is positioned within her fertility cycle.
Cheating the System
Research brings promise that a man may be able to trick a potential partner into thinking he is a higher caliber dancer (compatibility) by copying the moves of other successful males while minimizing the complexity of his motions. Big, awkward dancing is not a good way to overcompensate for a lack of “natural” ability, considering that this is one of the indicators that an embarrassing dad dance may be not too distant in his future. The most accepting female partner for the asymmetrical male, are those who are just as asymmetrical as he is, due to the fact they are more lenient when critiquing dancing ability.
What do you think – what does the way a man dances say about him?
One thought on “The Way a Man Dances”
Absolutely – take Patrick Swayze (unfortunately we can only miss him or see him in replays of his movies – and those guys in the movie “Footloose”. How about Elvis/”the pelvis” – all “erotic” to a woman but with a masculine style. I look at it as a “mating” dance and it’s a place where a man can publicly/appropriately display his potential for healthy/active sexual activity and the excitement that he can bring to his partner.