Understanding the brain on dance

How does the brain perceive and interpret beautiful movement? 

This is one of the key questions being asked by scientists at Bangor University who have enlisted the help of a professional dancer in their quest to better understand how our brains process movement and how we learn by observation.

Dr Emily Cross' research focuses on the relatively new field of science called neuroaesthetics which looks at how the brain perceives artistic endeavours.
 
Contemporary dancer Riley Watts was filmed dancing in a variety of settings, including a 3D motion-capture studio. He then underwent a functional MRI brain scan while simultaneously watching videos of himself dancing.
 
The pilot experiment will provide a window into what Mr Watts' brain is doing as he watches the videos of himself dancing.
The fMRI data will show what the professional dancer actually perceives when he sees himself moving in very complex ways; whether he is happy with that movement or not, and how his brain differentiates between the various different dancing contexts.