More effective than medication, therapy, and yoga, dancing recently topped the list of successful treatments for depression, and for good reason. Since time immemorial, boogying has permeated every culture and formed the basis of social bonds, a linchpin of community and strong mental health.
A delightful short film directed and animated by Rosanna Wan and Andrew Khosravani for Aeon details the scientific link between dance and good feelings. When people come together to tango or jump-step through a polka, they often experience what’s known as collective effervescence, a concept coined by the French sociologist Émile Durkheim that describes the harmony and joy that arises when gathering in a group with a shared purpose.
As the film notes, “dance is the great accelerator of collective effervescence,” hurtling us toward synchronicity and happiness through a euphoric rush of neuro-hormones, endorphins, and more. When we dance together, we experience ourselves merging, becoming one energized, exuberant unit.
Watch “Dance, Dance Evolution” above, and find more from Aeon on Vimeo.
A chart from a 2024 study detailing the most effective treatments for depression
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