Hélène Neveu Kringelbach

The overall aim of the research is to investigate the close links between music and dance in the brain and body using the tools of neuroscience and anthropology. Emerging research from both disciplines has started to explore the links but much remains to be explored. From an anthropological perspective, cross-cultural research has shown that in many societies there are no general terms for music and dance, rather people use words for specific performances involving dance and music. In yet other societies, the same word is used for music-making, singing and dancing. From a neuroscientific perspective, listening to music has been shown to engage the action systems of the brain, suggesting that music is preparing the body to dance. We propose to investigate these links further by organising a workshop with leading scholars to explore and bring together interdisciplinary perspectives on music and dance in the brain and body. Further, we propose to carry out anthropological fieldwork in Paris and to write up the results of neuroimaging research on groove, a highly pleasurable form of music setting the body in motion.