Ethnographic databases: a way to study functions of dance in nuptial rituals?

Authors

PECKA Daniel

Year of publication 2022
Type Appeared in Conference without Proceedings
MU Faculty or unit

Faculty of Arts

Citation
Description Dance is a globally present act, an expression, and a ritual. In human history it has a wide variety of forms and contexts in which it is performed (Adshead-Lansdale & Layson, 2006), including the context of nuptial rituals which are also a universal phenomenon in humans (Carroll, 2016). Nuptials are understood to have a clear reproductive function, based on their symbolic content, which is principally focused on reproduction (symbols of virginity, purity, mate quality, commitment to mate, etc.) (Buckle et al., 1996; Burch, 2019). From the perspective of signalling theory, dance is understood as various sequences of actions and movements that may carry different types of information (Johnstone, 1997; Maynard Smith & Harper, 2003; Laidre & Johnstone, 2013). Previous studies propose that a type of information transmitted through dance may be mate quality signalling; display of attributes relevant for strategies of sexual selection (Grammer et al., 2011; Fink & Shackelford, 2017). This connection suggests that dance performed as a part of nuptial ritual may play some role in mate selection. I will demonstrate how ethnographic data (from eHRAF and D-PLACE) may be used to attempt an explanation of why dance is such a common component of nuptial rituals from an evolutionary point of view and show preliminary results of my thesis. I will aim the discussion towards communicative functions of dance that may help assess whether dance signals mate quality. If future research is able to show that nuptial dance functions as a signal of mate quality, it can help elucidate some characteristics of dance in specific socio-ecological conditions. For example, why specific groups (e.g. women) are excluded from dancing or performing dances in public after reaching a certain age or status.
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