Why Do Humans Dance? Monday night's premiere of "Dancing with
the Stars" has celebrities – among them Pamela Anderson, Buzz
Aldrin and Kate Gosselin – showcasing their dance moves for the
world and driving a point home for those sitting at home: For
some people, dancing is a natural form of expression. For others
with two left feet, dancing can be more of a spectacle. The
answer to why we dance – and even why some people are better
dancers than others – can be found in evolution. A study
published in the Public Library of Science’s genetics journal in
2006 suggested that long ago the ability to dance was actually
connected to the ability to survive. According to the study,
dancing was a way for our prehistoric ancestors to bond and
communicate, particularly during tough times. As a result,
scientists believe that early humans who were coordinated and
rhythmic could have had an evolutionary advantage. The
researchers examined the DNA of a group of dancers and non-
dancers and found that the dancers shared two g