EMOTION IN MOTION: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF EXPRESSIVENESS IN CONTEMPORARY CHOREOGRAPHY

Abstract

Purpose. To investigate the psychological and physiological underpinnings of expressiveness in contemporary dance by analyzing dancer states and audience perceptions, with particular attention to how performers communicate emotion without linear narratives. Methodology. Twenty-four advanced dancers performed choreographic excerpts in two modes: neutral execution (NE), emphasizing technical precision, and expressive execution (EE), requiring performers to embody specific emotions. Performances were recorded and rated by 30 trained observers on clarity, intensity, and authenticity of expression. Physiological data were collected using heart rate variability (HRV) and galvanic skin response (GSR). Findings. Observer ratings were consistently higher in EE than in NE for clarity (M = 4.2 vs. 2.7), intensity (M = 4.5 vs. 2.8), and authenticity (M = 4.0 vs. 3.1), with p < .001 across measures. Physiological data indicated heightened arousal in EE: HRV decreased by 15%, and GSR increased by 22%. A strong positive correlation (r = .62, p < .01) between observer ratings of intensity and dancer arousal suggests that embodied emotion is perceptible to observers. Originality. The study provides empirical evidence that expressiveness in contemporary dance is a measurable psychological phenomenon grounded in embodied cognition and intersubjective resonance, linking dancers’ physiological states with audience perceptions of emotional expression. Practical value. The findings can inform pedagogical approaches to teaching expressiveness as a skill, choreographic design strategies that use emotional cues, and therapeutic applications of dance in emotional regulation.

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