Delta-band audience brain synchrony tracks engagement with live and recorded dance.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Observational hyperscanning EEG study across live and recorded viewing conditions
PubMed 40950718 · doi:10.1016/j.isci.2025.112922
What was done
Across three live performances of a dance choreography, researchers simultaneously recorded real-time brain activity from up to 23 audience members per performance using mobile wet-electrode EEG hyperscanning. Interpersonal neural synchrony was evaluated during the live performances and compared against follow-up studies using video recordings of the performance to assess the effects of live versus recorded viewing.
What was found
Interpersonal neural synchrony in the delta band (1–4 Hz) was highest when performers directly interacted with audience members ("breaking the fourth wall") and varied systematically with dancers' movements and continuous engagement measures. Synchrony and engagement were higher when dance was experienced live and collectively compared to video recordings. The abstract reports no exact numerical values, effect sizes, or test statistics.
Why it matters
This study provides physiological evidence that live, shared performance elicits stronger audience neural coupling than recorded media, supporting evolutionary models of dance as a collective bonding ritual.
Limits
The abstract does not report the total sample size, participant demographics, or quantitative metrics. Measurements were restricted to a single choreography, and mobile EEG in live event settings is susceptible to movement and environmental artifacts.