Move to the Music

The science behind why dancing feels so good (and is so good for you). Plus, are you among the special few who experience "pleasure chills" when listening to music?

Sep 23, 2024

“Dancing is pure therapy. When we move together, we experience a phenomenon called 'collective effervescence,' a shared energy that is proven to uplift and heal us on a deep emotional level.”

I already knew this from an intuitive place but I loved getting validation from my friend Julie Potash Slavin who is both a DJ and a licensed clinical therapist with a new podcast called, “Music is Therapy,” coming out soon on iHeart. I reached out to understand her unique perspective on the healing benefits of moving to the music.

“As a DJ I've found that when a person hears the right song at the right moment in their life, it can unlock feelings from deep within. As a therapist I know that whether you're at the club or in your living room, embodying the experience through dance can help get you out of the same neurobiological loop and shift to a new place."
— Julie Potash Slavin, LMFT aka DJ Hesta Prynn

A Primal Instinct to Bond

There’s something primal about moving our bodies to music. Whether it's a casual sway or an all-out marathon, dancing offers more than physical fitness. It activates brain regions from the motor cortex to reward centers, releasing feel-good chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins, which boost mood, reduce stress, and enhance well-being. This might explain why so many cultures use dance in celebrations and community bonding.

Dr. Peter Lovatt, also known as Dr. Dance, has extensively studied dance psychology, highlighting its profound benefits on emotional, social, and cognitive well-being.

“Science shows us that when we dance with other people, it leads to an increase in how much we like, trust, and want to help those people.”
— Dr Peter Lovatt

Dancing or listening to music not only brings personal joy but also strengthens social connections. Research shows synchronized movement, such as group dancing, increases social bonding and empathy, thanks to the release of oxytocin, the "love hormone." Music and rhythm stimulate brain areas linked to social interaction and emotional understanding, fostering togetherness.

My inner circle seems to be full of “ravers” — the affectionate moniker we attribute to our tribe of mischief makers who seek out art, beauty and social connection through dance parties all over the world. Literally I’ve met some of my best friends in front of the DJ booth. They are the epitome of effervescence; images of their joyful smiling faces etched in my memory forever.

The Lucky Ones Who Feel the Music

One fascinating phenomenon tied to music is frisson, a French term meaning, “aesthetic chills,” which some people experience when hearing a moving piece of music. This reaction is triggered when specific musical patterns stimulate a release of dopamine in the brain’s reward centers. Often referred to as, “skin orgasms,” they can feel like waves of pleasure that start at the back of the neck and spread down the arms.1

Interestingly, only some people experience frisson — and they tend to be individuals with high levels of imagination, intellectually curious and/or have the personality trait, “openness to experience.” 2

This heightened response to beauty is a testament to what makes us human, suggesting that frisson may enhance our ability to appreciate and connect with the world around us.

By engaging in dance, we also activate various parts of the brain responsible for memory, mood regulation, and problem-solving, which helps explain why dancing not only feels amazing to the body but also boosts creativity and cognitive function.

DJ, music, dancefloor, oura ring — Last weekend with two of my favorite DJs Lemurian & Marques Wyatt | Finally my Oura ring understands my preferred Zone 2 activity

The Most Fun Homework 📚

Perhaps I’m an unconventional health coach when I “prescribe pleasure” to my clients but why not use dance and music as enjoyable ways to boost your metabolism (hello Zone 2) and mood at the same time.

Your health optimization assignment: Find a song that you love, blast it and dance with reckless abandon. Bonus marks for dancing for an hour with someone that you love.

Share your favorite songs in the comments. I’ll start: