The Dance Move Men Find Most Attractive, According To Research

Here's how to make men go crazy for you on the dance floor.

By Liza Walter — Last updated on Aug 12, 2023

Photo: evablancophotos via Canva | Karolina Grabowska via Canva | rococofoto via Canva

Everyone loves to dance, but did you ever stop to think why? Aside from some amazing cardio, it doesn’t really serve a purpose other than to have fun. You can't use it to pay or order anything, and it's certainly not necessary in order to live.

Think about it: did the ancient cavemen and women dance? Who was the first to dance and why?

Were they confused when they suddenly had the urge to flair their arms for no reason? How did they look to the others? You can probably Google most of these questions and find somewhat accurate answers, but really, that’s not why we’re here today.

Some fun-loving scientists in the U.K. conducted a 2017 study to find what dance moves men love and deem the most attractive.

In order to avoid the participants making decisions based on physical attributes, the scientists recorded the 39 female dancers and used motion-capture technology to transform them into avatars.

So, without further ado, men preferred dance moves that centered around women’s hips, thighs, and arms. Can’t picture it? Envision a hula hoop moment but in a really seductive way, maybe moving your arms in time to the music.

Researchers used 3D motion-captured cameras to record 39 women dancing to drum beats and then made them into avatars with almost no physical features to show the study participants. The men and women were then shown 15-second clips of the avatars dancing and were asked to rate their moves.

The reason men found the hip swing and thigh movement the most attractive may have to do with how feminine the movements are and what men are looking for when choosing a mate.

Obviously, since this study was done abroad, it’s very possible that men here in the U.S. may find different dance moves preferable.

After all, they just kind of stand there and shuffle, so it doesn't take much to impress them on the dance floor. But just in case, according to the same study, the way to not attract men is to have absolutely no rhythm and flail your body.

Wondering what women thought about men and their dance moves? A study done in 2010 shows that women prefer upper body moves, including the neck and torso, and ... the right knee? Alrighty then, time to hit a country bar and slap that knee around the opposite sex.

When it comes down to it, it’s all about having fun. Don’t worry about whether you’re flapping your arms the wrong way or swinging your hips a little too much like Shakira.