McNeil pursues the possibility that coordinated rhythmic movement-and the shared feelings it evokes-has been a powerful force in holding human groups together. As he has done for historical phenomena as diverse as warfare, plague, and the pursuit of power, he brings a dazzling breadth and depth of knowledge to his study.

An exploration of the possibility that co-ordinated rhythmic movement and the shared feelings it evokes has been a powerful force in holding human groups together. The author maintains that people who move together to the same beat tend to bond, and examines dance as a shaper of evolution.