Babies Are Born to Dance

[n2doc]

By LiveScience Staff

Babies love a beat, according to a new study that found dancing comes naturally to infants.

The research showed babies respond to the rhythm and tempo of music, and find it more engaging than speech.

The findings, based on a study of 120 infants between 5 months and 2 years old, suggest that humans may be born with a predisposition to move rhythmically in response to music.

"Our research suggests that it is the beat rather than other features of the music, such as the melody, that produces the response in infants," said researcher Marcel Zentner, a psychologist at the University of York in England. "We also found that the better the children were able to synchronize their movements with the music, the more they smiled."

To test babies' dancing disposition, the researchers played recordings of classical music, rhythmic beats and speech to infants, and videotaped the results. They also recruited professional ballet dancers to analyze how well the babies matched their movements to the music.

http://www.livescience.com/culture/babies-born-to-dance-100315.html

[ananda]

1. That's pretty cool.

Two thumbs up.

[hlthe2b]

2. So are Puppies!!!

;)

[givemebackmycountry]

11. That's one ugly cat.... n/t

[Warpy]

3. Kids also learn things like multiplication tables faster

if they're set to some sort of rhythm or tune. I know I did that myself when I was a kid and it was a snap. Lots of people refer to the alphabet song in their heads when filing, I've heard them humming it.

It seems we're programmed to learn best if it has changing tones and a beat we can dance to.

[Shell Beau]

4. So true!! My 18 month old breaks it down!!

If ANY music comes on, she stops what she is doing and starts to boogie!

[jberryhill]

5. This thread is useless without....

[damntexdem]

6. Yeah, so much easier to dance for a born baby than for a fetus.

;-)

Born, born, born ... born to dance alive.

[Mari333]

7. true dat

my grandson can boogie like a madman at 2.

[gratuitous]

8. Fortunately for the world's retinas

I got over that, so there is no longer any danger of people's retinas being burned out of their sockets by the sight of me dancing. And yes, you're all welcome.

[Uncle Joe]

9. It probably reminds them of their mother's heart beat.

Thanks for the thread, n2doc.

[roguevalley]

10. ah babies and puppies.

My niece until she was about three would hear "Thank god I'm a country boy" by John Denver on the radio and would quit playing, run to the radio and shake her tiny money maker. She was so awesome. Still is. :)

[elehhhhna]

12. what is it w/ John Denver? Our now 16 y/o was NUTS

for him until she was 3 -- then she discovered Steve Earle.