Dance on the Brain: Enhancing Intra- and Inter-Brain Synchrony
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience January 7, 2021 Julia C. Basso, Medha K. Satyal, Rachel Rugh 130 citations
Dance enhances both intra- and inter-brain synchrony, according to The Synchronicity Hypothesis of Dance. This hypothesis integrates findings from anthropology, sociology, psychology, dance pedagogy, and neuroscience. Dance involves seven neurobehavioral processes: sensory, motor, cognitive, social, emotional, rhythmic, and creative. The hypothesis proposes that humans dance for intrinsic reward, which, through increased neural synchrony, improves interpersonal coordination. Evidence from evolutionary theories, developmental movement patterns, and neuroimaging supports this idea. The hypothesis suggests dance may help repattern oscillatory activity, offering clinical benefits for autism spectrum disorder and other disorders with oscillatory impairments. Consciousness may be redefined as a shared experience enhanced by dancing together.