If you’re a frequent nightclub-goer, you may have noticed that revellers seem to dance in sync, as if they’ve somehow all learnt the same routine. This has nothing to do with dance in itself but more to do with our brains, suggests a study published in the journal Current Biology.

A research team in Italy was able to demonstrate this after conducting an unusual kind of experiment. For their research, the academics transformed their laboratory into a large dance floor. They invited 80 volunteers to dance to their hearts’ content, after fitting them with headphones that played music, like in a silent disco.

During the experiment, several cameras filmed the participants so that the researchers could later analyse their dance moves.

As it turns out, the volunteers tended to make 15 different types of movements, some with their heads and others that involved the whole body. But the researchers found that the participants didn’t do these movements at random: they were driven either by the music or by the other dancers around them.

Raising the hands or moving the head back and forth were identified as moves in response to the music. Conversely, moving sideways or turning the hands were seen to be driven by the imitation of other dancers.

“We discovered that one cluster of movements synchronised with the music, and another cluster of movements synchronised with the dance partner. And these two processes did not overlap… they are totally independent and do not interact,” noted study lead author Félix Bigand.

However, one movement stood out from the rest owing to its hybrid nature: the vertical bounce. Dancers liked to jump, all together, up and down to the rhythm of the music.

“We highlight the idea that bounce triggers several sensory feedback signals that might reinforce internal timekeeping and, in turn, interpersonal coordination,” the experts outlined in their paper.

This study shows how dance can act as a powerful vehicle for social unity: when we move our bodies together to music, a sense of interpersonal connection eventually emerges. This is because our brains are programmed to imitate and copy the gestures of those around us, thanks in part to the mirror neuron system.

By imitating the moves of dancers on the dance floor, we connect with them. This causes our bodies to release pleasure hormones, leading to the euphoric feeling we get when dancing with one or more partners.

So, if you feel embarrassed about the way you dance, don’t hesitate to take inspiration from others. That’s how you learn and, above all, bond.