Why do we love to dance?

Why do we love to dance? 人们为什么爱跳舞？

Vocabulary:  dancing 词汇: 跳舞

If you asked me to dance, I'd probably freeze on the spot. I lack rhythm and coordination and some people say I have two left feet! But with some persuasion and Dutch courage I can be tempted to take to the dance floor and shake some moves – and that, apparently, is only natural.

Experts have found as well as being fun, dancing might have helped us to survive as a species.

Evolutionary anthropologist Bronwyn Tarr from the University of Oxford has been telling the BBC World Service CrowdScience programme that when we dance with others, we are rewarded with feel-good endorphins that change how we feel about ourselves and those around us.

Dancing alone is one thing but it's dancing as a group that makes our brain reward us with a cocktail of feel-good hormones and is likely to lead to profound social effects. It's being in-sync with others that makes us happy. She says that "dancing fosters social closeness between people. It helps us build social connections and communities. In our past, those social connections would have been critical for surviving."

You certainly need the right kind of music to help you shimmy, boogie or even twerk, but once you get the right beat and get into the groove with others, it can be an uplifting experience. Even my cringeworthy dad dancing makes me feel good sometimes. And in Swindon in the UK, this 'style' of dancing has been taken to a new level, where babies, attached to their fathers' chests in a sling, have been dancing with the aim of increasing the bond between parent and child.

Dance is also a good way to keep fit and improve our mental health. In Wales there have been calls for doctors to prescribe dance classes to people who are unwell. The Arts Council of Wales claims there are many health benefits. And Bronwyn Tarr says "more and more we're actually discovering that your longevity– your life expectancy – is predicted by the social connections that you have… still today it's something we should do more of."

It could be part of being an uptight Englishman that makes me a reluctant dancer. Look at other nationalities such as Cubans where dancing is at the heart of their cultural identity. And in Brazil at Carnival time, people let their hair down by dancing together day and night. They seem to be having a good time – so maybe I should get on my feet and dance!

词汇表

rhythm 节奏感
coordination 协调性
two left feet “两只左脚”，跳舞时舞步笨拙
Dutch courage 借酒壮胆，酒后之勇
shake some moves 扭动几下
evolutionary anthropologist 人类进化学家
endorphin 内啡呔
hormone 荷尔蒙
in-sync 与…同步的
foster 培养，促进
social connection 社会关系
shimmy 跳希米舞（抖动肩部和臀部的舞蹈）
boogie 跟着流行乐跳舞
twerk 抖臀
get into the groove 进入理想状态
uplifting 令人精神焕发的
dad dancing “爸爸式舞姿”（较笨拙、过时的舞步）
bond 纽带
prescribe（医生）开（药）
longevity 长寿
cultural identity 文化认同
let one’s hair down 放松，尽情享受

测验与练习

请在不参考课文的情况下完成下列练习。选择一个意思合适的单词填入句子的空格处。

1. I'm trying to ______ a good relationship with my neighbour.

foster       bond       prescribe       boogie

2. After a day in the office, I find it ______ to take a long walk along the beach.

lift-up       uplift       uplifting       uplifted

3. My sister is a moody teenager, it must have something to do with her ______!

two left feet       shimmy       hormones        endorphins

4. The exams are over so I am having a party where we can all ______.

have a hair do       let our hair out       keep our hair on       let our hair down

5. I'm going to change to a healthier diet because I know it promotes ______.

longevity       hormones       coordination       Dutch courage

答案

1. I'm trying to foster a good relationship with my neighbour.

2. After a day in the office, I find it uplifting to take a long walk along the beach.

3. My sister is a moody teenager, it must have something to do with her hormones!

4. The exams are over so I am having a party where we can all let our hair down.

5. I'm going to change to a healthier diet because I know it promotes longevity.