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DANCE PSYCHOLOGY

LECTURE

SERIES

On the Psychology of
Dance and Dancers

(c) Copyright. All rights reserved. Peter Lovatt. 2017

 On the psychology of dance and dancers

DANCE PSYCHOLOGY

a series of lectures written by

Dr Peter Lovatt

Dance Psychology is the study of Psychology as it is applied to dance. The breadth of Dance
Psychology follows the breadth of academic Psychology in addressing aspects of cognitive
processing, developmental and social psychology and the biological basis of behaviour. The
scientific basis of Dance Psychology is established in the methods used to test hypotheses and
theories, and in the critical review of published findings in this field. Each lecture addresses a
central question, and academic research is used to provide answers to that question, to identify
aspects of the question that are unresolved, and to point to areas for further study. Lectures
may also point towards aspects of dance training, choreography, performance and practice to
examine applied aspects of Dance Psychology.

Lectures | Page 2
 Contents Page

Introduction

Section 1: Cognitive Psychology and Dance

Lecture 1: Language and Dance
Lecture 2: Memory and Dance
Lecture 3: Thinking and Dance
Lecture 4: Perception and Dance
 
Section 2: Developmental Psychology and Dance
Lecture 5: Are Humans Born to Dance?
Lecture 6: Dance Confidence across Lifespan
Lecture 7: Dance and Human Mate-Selection
Lecture 8: Older Adults and Community Dance
Lecture 9: Atypical Development

Section
  3: Social Psychology and Dance
Lecture 10: Self-esteem & Recreational Dance
Lecture 11: Self-esteem & Vocational Dance Training
Lecture 12: Social Identity, Men and Dance
Lecture 13: Personality and Dance

Section
  4: Biological Psychology and Dance

Lecture 14: Dance, Vertigo and Balance

Lecture 15: Dance and Heart Disease
Lecture 16: Dance and Neurological Disorder
Lecture 17: Depression and Dance

Section 4: Research Methods in Dance Psychology

 
Lecture 18: Hypothesis Testing
Lecture 19: Quantitative Methods
Lecture 20: Qualitative Methods
Lecture 21: Evaluating Research in Dance Psychology

Lectures | Page 3
 Studying Dance Psychology
Introduction
The introductory lecture sets the scene by providing an
overview of  Dance Psychology in terms of its subject matter,
breadth and methods. Dance Psychology is the study of
psychology as it is applied to dance. The breadth of Dance
Psychology follows the breadth of academic psychology in
addressing aspects of cognitive processing, developmental and
social psychology and the biological basis of behaviour. The
scientific basis of Dance Psychology is established in the
Lectures | Page 4
methods used to test hypotheses and theories and in the critical
review of published findings in this field. Each lecture addresses
a central question and academic research is used to provide
answers to that question, to identify aspects of the question that
are unresolved, and to point to areas for further study. The
Introduction provides guidance on how this course can be used
for academic purposes through exercises and activities.
 Cognitive Psychology and Dance
Lecture 1: Language and Dance
The scientific study of dance and the creation and performance
of artistic dance are worlds apart. While the former is
constrained by what has gone before, minimal and theory-
driven the latter is free, expansive and driven by creative ideas
and sometimes by a desire to break away from everything that
has gone before. By combining these two ways of looking at
dance it can tell us something about how we use dance as a
Lectures | Page 5
language and as a form of communication. In this lecture I
discuss the scientific literature on how we recognise emotions
through dance and body movement. In this regard I introduce
some lab-based experimental and cognitive neuropsychological
research. I then discuss the issue of how choreographers break
away from the constraints of science and describe the art/science
collaboration and performances of "23 Feelings in Dance".
"Dance is the hidden
language of the soul."
Martha Graham
 Cognitive Psychology and Dance
Lecture 2: Memory and Dance
Learning and remembering dance routines is a huge part of
being a dancer. From learning sequences of new dance steps in
dance classes to learning a full-length repertoire for a major
performance dancers have to do something quite unique.
Dancers are shown sequences of dance moves a number of
times and then they just have to remember them. But how do
they do that? In this lecture we look at the structure of human
memory to see what it can tell us about how dancers learn,
remember and perform sequences of dance steps and we look at
those things that can help dancers remember more and give
better performances.  Three of the important elements for better
memory and performance are how dancers think about the steps
they have to learn, how they rehearse them in the studio and
when they sleep.

How do dancers
remember  long and
complicated patterns of
movement?

Lectures | Page 6
 Cognitive Psychology and Dance
Lecture 3: Thinking and Dance
There’s a division in many places of learning between what we impact on the way we think and learn. In this lecture we’ll look at
do with our heads and what we do with our bodies. Our heads what it is about physical exercise and dance that leads to changes
hold our thinking and when we are learning and thinking about in thinking and creativity. We’ll ask whether it is the physiological
serious, clever things we are expected to keep our body still. On arousal of dance that leads to creative facilitation, or whether it is
the other hand, when we want to have fun, or play, we use our something to do with the freedom of dance-based movement, or
body. However, there is a growing body of scientific evidence the positive emotions it elicits. We’ll end the chapter thinking
which suggests that the way we use our body can have an  about standing still.

The way we use our body

can have an impact on the
way we think and learn.

Lectures | Page 7
 Cognitive Psychology and Dance
Lecture 4: Perception and Dance
What do you see when you watch dance? Do you search for
meaning in what you are watching or do you let just sort of let
the images, colour and movements wash over you like a warm
breeze? This lecture uses classic studies in the psychology of
perceptual organisation and language processing to explore
why we search for meaning in patterns of movement.
What we see in dance, and the way that we engage with what we
are watching, will also influence how much we like it. The
findings and conclusions of some recent experimental studies
are discussed which shed some light on why standing up and
learning to dance can change our affective evaluation of dance.

What do you see when you

watch people dance?

Lectures | Page 8
 Developmental Psychology and Dance
Lecture 5: Are Humans Born to Dance?
Men and women from all around the world get down and
boogie and, according to historians, we have been dancing for
tens of thousands of years. But why do we dance? Is it a
tradition, something we have learnt to do, that has been passed
down from one generation to the next, or is dancing deeply
routed in our genes? Are we born to dance? In this lecture I look
at research evidence from studies of very young babies and
children in search of clues to help us decide whether
Lectures | Page 9
dancing is an innate, biologically-driven, activity or whether we
learn to dance because of our environmental influences.  I
explore four main questions in this lecture: Are babies born with
the ability to detect a rhythm? Do babies naturally make
rhythmic movements when they hear a rhythmic sound? Can
babies synchronise their movements to a rhythmic beat? And
are babies' preferences for certain sound patterns influenced by
how they have moved their body?
 Developmental Psychology and Dance
Lecture 6: Dance Confidence across Lifespan
How confortable are you with social dancing? Do you like the
way you move? and what do you think other people think
about as they watch you cut a rug? In this lecture I describe the
findings of a large-scale study I carried out into how people’s
confidence with dancing goes up and down as they get older. I
also describe differences between men and women in terms of
their dance confidence. It’s no surprise that women have higher
dance confidence than men throughout most their life, but why
Lectures | Page 10
does female dance confidence go down so dramatically when
women reach their mid- to late-fifties, and why does male dance
confidence go shooting up at around the same time? I look at
these findings in relation to two models of self-esteem: The
Competencies Model and the Reflected Appraisal Model, as each
theoretical model makes suggestions for how to account for the
patterns I observed. 
 Developmental Psychology and Dance
Lecture 7: Dance and Human Mate-selection
Darwin argued that human dance plays a fundamental role in
the human mate selection process.  It seems bizarre that the
way you wiggle your hips at a party could influence who you
spend the rest of your life with. It seems even more bizarre that
the way you wiggle your hips to a disco beat is influenced by
your hormonal and genetic make up and that it seems as
though we are communicating our hormonal and genetic
make up to other people as we move and dance.
Lectures | Page 11
In this lecture I critically review the experimental evidence for this
astonishing claim. I describe the high profile evidence published
in Nature, which suggested that the way we move our body is
linked to the relative size of our ears, and the controversy
associated with accusations of academic fraud and retracted
papers. In the end I look through the fog of fraud and describe the
current state of knowledge as it relates to our understanding of
dance, genes and hormones.
 Developmental Psychology and Dance
Lecture 8: Older Adults and Community Dance
There is considerable evidence for the benefits of engagement
with social and community dance for older people. Some of
these benefits derive from the physical activity associated with
dance and some of the benefits come from the high levels of
motivation that older people show for dancing (leading, for
example, to higher levels of adherence to physical activity than
seen in non-dance based activities). 
Lectures | Page 12
Community dance is inclusive, such that everyone and anyone
can take part. It is can be tailored  to people’s physical capabilities
and adapted to be culturally relevant. In this lecture I review the
literature on older adults and community dance and highlight its
impact on physical health, psychological well-being and social
inclusion.
 Developmental Psychology and Dance
Lecture 9: Atypical Development
Children’s developmental trajectory usually follows a
predictable course. Children whose development follows a
known, predicted trajectory are referred to as typically
developing children. The development of everyone else is
known as atypical development. In this lecture I talk about
atypical development and the way in which dance has been
Lectures | Page 13
suggested to help people overcome some of the characteristics
associated with atypical development. Developmental disorders
associated with atypical development can be defined in terms of
genetic, behavioural, cognitive and environmental factors. In this
lecture I discuss research on dance which has been applied to
people who have autism and also to people with dyslexia.
 Social Psychology and Dance
Lecture 10: Self-esteem and Recreational Dance
The Health Education Authority examined the link between
participation in the arts and health. Their report, published
by the Health Development Agency (2000), states inter alia
that engaging in arts-based activities improved participants’
sense of wellbeing and self-esteem. The data they report
seem compelling and conclusive. Across ninety projects 91%
reported a development in people’s self-esteem and 82%
reported increased confidence. From these data it would
seem that participation in community arts-based projects
(including dance activities) has a positive impact on people’s 
Lectures | Page 14
self-esteem and confidence. These findings are confirmed by
individual’s perception of the personal benefits of dancing.  People
often tell me that dancing has helped to increase their sense of
sense and provides a boost to their self-esteem. However, the
evidence of controlled studies in this area fails to provide strong
support for the link between engaging in recreational dance and
the enhancement of self-esteem.  In this lecture I critically review
both the quantitative and qualitative evidence in an attempt to
tease apart anecdote, expectation and evidence.
 Social Psychology and Dance
Lecture 11: Self-esteem and Vocational Dance Training
The demands of training to be a professional dancer are
immense. The extreme technical and physical demands can
provide a challenge to both the body and the mind of
dancers in vocational training. Throw into the mix the
prospect of a short career, few jobs as a professional
performing dancer, the risk of career-ending injury and the
need to conform to a particular body-shape for some forms
of dance means that trainee dancers need to develop a thick
skin and a high degree of mental resilience. There is some
evidence to suggest that dancers in vocational training tend to
have a lower sense of self and lower self-esteem than non- 
Lectures | Page 15
dancers. This is important because low self-esteem is associated
with higher levels of disordered eating and feelings of depression.
In this lecture I review the literature on the relationship between
self-esteem and vocational dance training and examine what it is
about dance training that may contribute to a trainee dancer's lower
sense of self. I look at the contribution of the presence of mirrors in
the dance studio, the type of clothing worn by young dancers,
issues of motivation, perfectionism and at how training in the
techniques of psychological resilience can help young trainee
dancers.
 Social Psychology and Dance
Lecture 12: Social Identity, Men and Dance

The theory of social identity describes how a person’s sense of Dancing also carries with it a set of perceptions, attributions,
who they are is based, in part, on the characteristics of the expectations, attitudes and values and these can have an impact on
groups they belong to. Group membership carries with it a set of people who dance, and also on decisions people make about
self, and other, definitions, which concern perceptions, whether they should dance. This lecture explores issues of social
attributions, expectations, attitudes and values. Therefore, identity as it relates to dance. It discusses gender issues, stereotypes,
belonging to a group is thought to influence a person’s self- age and the perceived inclusivity and exclusivity of different forms
concept and it can lead to being judged, either positively or  of dance.
negatively by people from both inside and outside of the group.

Lectures | Page 16
 Social Psychology and Dance
Lecture 13: Personality and Dance
Personality is  defined as “the combination of characteristics or
qualities that form an individual's distinctive character.” We can
define these characteristics and qualities in many ways. For
example, we might describe a person in terms of how extrovert
or introvert they are, by their openness to try new experiences or
by how creative they are.  In this lecture I discuss research in the
personality of dancers and other performing artists and address
questions about whether engaging in dance and the arts has an
Lectures | Page 17
impact on the personality of individuals or whether people with
certain personality types are drawn to engage with the
performing arts.  For example, there is some published evidence
which appears to show a link between participation in the arts and
incidents of mental illness, and also between increased levels of
creativity in dancers. These findings are discussed with reference
to the relationship between creativity, the arts and the expression
of certain personality traits.
 Biological Psychology and Dance
Lecture 14: Dance and Dizziness
Dancers and trapeze artists perform incredible dizzy-defying
feats. They spin, turn, whip and whirl as they perform amazing
acts of balance. Their tricks often require them to overcome
what might be perceived as the inevitable consequences of
disorientation and dizziness. Spinning in the air, the trapeze
artist needs to count her turns and be ready to be caught by her
swinging partner. She needs to know which way is up.
Likewise, a dancer at the end of 32 fouette turns needs to stop,
usually facing the audience, and then control the visual
perception of the world as it rapidly orbits her visual field.
Lectures | Page 18
So how do they do it? To have an understanding of how dancers
achieve mastery of their balance and control of their spinning
spatial orientation we’ll look at the basic mechanisms of the
human balance system, we’ll look at those elements of dancer
training which might help to develop better balance and control,
we’ll look at the scientific evidence which has examined the
hypothesis that dancers have better balance than non-dancers,
and we’ll finish off by looking at some theories of why dancing
might change the way we experience the world.
 Biological Psychology and Dance
Lecture 15: Dance and Heart Disease

There is a clear link between lifestyle factors, health and well-being. other forms of physical exercise for our health and well-being,
Lifestyle factors include things like our diet, whether we smoke or whether dancing might prevent some forms of ill health and
drink, how much sleep we get, how sociable we are and how much whether dancing provides a universal benefit. Scientific research
physical exercise we do.  In this lecture I  look at the relationship suggests that for some men, dance can have better rehabilitation
between our health and well-being as it relates to the physical outcomes after a heart attack than going to the gym; we'll
exercise we get from dance. I ask whether dancing is better than critically review the evidence

Lectures | Page 19
 Biological Psychology and Dance
Lecture 16: Dance and Neurological Disorder
A growing number of published studies, mainly from the
United States of America, have shown that some forms of
dance are good for people with Parkinson’s disease because it
helps to reduce their physical symptoms. These studies were
inspirational because they provided a new way of looking for a
new treatment for the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Dance
could be a vehicle for treating a neurological condition. In our
own research lab we wanted to understand how dance and
Lectures | Page 20
 movement could have it’s effect on the brain. We were left
wondering how, in terms of its effect on the brain, dance is
different to other forms of movement. In this lecture I review the
experimental evidence which links dance to the reduction of
some of the symptoms associated with neurodegeneration. I
discuss the physical, cognitive and well-being-based  symptoms
of Parkinson’s disease.
 Biological Psychology and Dance
Lecture 17: Depression and Dance
Research has shown that dancing is a great way to beat the blues
and make you feel happy. In this lecture I use published
research to address a range of questions concerning the
relationship between depression and dance. Such as, what types
of dance can help people to improve their moods?  What types
of depression (severe or moderate) can be helped with dance?
How much dance is necessary to change someone’s mood?
Lectures | Page 21
And what is the contribution of music? In this lecture I start by
telling you about people who have told me that dancing plays a
central role in beating feelings of depression and helps them to
feel happy. I then provide an overview of the major symptoms
and treatments for depression and then critically describe some of
the academic research which suggests that dancing is good for
people who are feeling down.
 Research Methods in Dance Psychology
Lecture 18: Hypothesis Testing
Hypothesis testing sits at the heart of the scientific study of
psychology and also provides the backbone for research in
Dance Psychology. A hypothesis is a statement that can be
tested using appropriate scientific methods. For example, we
can test the hypotheses that “Recreational dance improves the
self-esteem of young people” and “it is possible to accurately
and reliably communicate a range of emotional states through
dance”. The advantage of hypothesis testing is that it becomes
possible to test and falsify theories, and this allows us to sort fact
Lectures | Page 22
from fiction; at least it enables us to do this within a scientific
framework. This lecture introduces you to the process of scientific
research methods and covers the development of theories,
hypothesis generation and methods for testing hypotheses. The
tutorial aspect of this lecture is based on examples from the
literature that have been described in earlier lectures. Therefore this
section will be peppered with examples from Dance Psychology,
making it more engaging than a generic lecture on Research
Methods.
 Research Methods in Dance Psychology
Lecture 19: Quantitative Methods

Quantitative research methods are used when the focus of In this lecture I describe the elements and the processes of
study or investigation can be expressed numerically, counted or quantitative research methods, whilst all the time drawing on
otherwise quantified.  Such quantification allows for hypotheses examples from the literature in Dance Psychology.  
to be tested using statistical methods.

Lectures | Page 23
 Research Methods in Dance Psychology
Lecture 20: Qualitative Methods

In the most basic terms qualitative methods are used when the
focus of study or investigation does not use numbers, or
quantities. For example, people might talk freely about how
they feel after dancing, or they might describe what they see
when they watch a piece of dance.
Qualitative methods allow us to generate theory and form
hypotheses. In this lecture I describe the major elements and
methods used in qualitative methods whilst drawing on
examples from the literature from Dance Psychology.

Lectures | Page 24
 Research Methods in Dance Psychology
Lecture 21: Evaluating Research in Dance Psychology
In this lecture I provide a template for evaluating research in
Dance Psychology.  It starts with the premise that the purpose
of a good theory is to provide a conceptual framework for
viewing and understanding phenomena. It then examines
issues of parsimony, operationality, generativity, power,
falsifiability, importance, internal consistency, scope,
Lectures | Page 25
organisation, empirical support and measurement. For
research within Dance Psychology to stand with the most
rigorous of the sciences Dance Psychologists need to have an
understanding of how to evaluate theories in dance
psychology, and the aim of this lecture is to provide a
framework for such evaluation.
LECTURE SERIES IN

DANCE PSYCHOLOGY
About the Lecturer

Dr Peter Lovatt is a Dance Psychologist. He holds the

academic post of Reader and Principal Lecturer in
Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire where
he runs the Dance Psychology Lab. His academic
research addresses  questions such as: what’s the link
between dancing and neurodegeneration? How does
dancing change the way people think and solve
problems? And, why is the way we move linked to our
hormonal and genetic make up? Peter has a BSc in
Psychology and English, a MSc in Neural
Computation and a PhD in Experimental Cognitive
Psychology. He carried out his post-doctoral research
at the University of Cambridge.

Before studying the psychology of dance Peter was a

professional dancer. He trained in dance and musical
theatre at the Guildford School of Acting. Peter
combined the study of dance and psychology in 2008
and since then his work has been reported on TV,
radio and in the national and international press,
where he has become known as Doctor Dance. He has
been invited to give many keynote talks around the
world, he has given five TEDx talks. As a TV Dance
Psychologist  he’s appeared on many popular TV and
radio shows, including Strictly Come Dancing: It takes
two, The Alan Titchmarsh Show, Woman’s Hour, Big
Brother's Bit on the Side and the Graham Norton
Show.

Dr Peter Lovatt gives talks and lectures on Dance

Psychology at universities, schools and at science
festivals around the world.

For more on the author, including access to some of

his academic publications, press cuttings, lecture
outlines and TV appearances go to
www.PeterLovatt.com

EDITORIAL OFFICES
Cromer, Norfolk, United Kingdom

PUBLISHER
Dance Psychology is written and published by Peter Lovatt

Copyright Peter Lovatt. All rights reserved. 2017

PeterLovatt.com