BMC Neuroscience

Special Issue - Dance and the Brain: The Neural and Social Bases of Creative Movement

This Special Issue features contributions from an interdisciplinary Workshop on the “Neural and Social Bases of Creative Movement” (2022). Dance is one of the most ancient art forms and prevalent in every culture around the world. The origins of dance go back even further in evolutionary time since many animals also engage in ritualized displays. Human dance is rich in diversity and its essence is expressive, creative sequences of movement shared in a vibrant social context. Neuroscientists have recently begun to explore how dance is encoded, embodied and perceived in the brains of choreographers, dancers and dance audiences. The articles in this Special Issue highlight the exciting interaction between the communities of dance artists and scientists at the Workshop.