The Role of Folk Dance in the Processes of Individual and Social Wellbeing: A Comparison with Other Popular Recreational Activities Through Models of Decision Theory and Game Theory

Abstract

A qualitative and quantitative study, in which the individual benefits and social benefits of folk dance are compared with those obtained from the most popular recreational activities and regenerative properties, physical and mental, individual and social, is presented. Our starting point consists in the definition of the basic objectives of each individual for achieving the physica l and mental wellbeing and a satisfactory placement in a pleasant and stimulating social environment. Moreover we compare some bodily activities, mental and otherwise designed to get these goals. Our present study is based on a qualitative analysis, quantitative models of decision theory, and a collection of opinions of experts and practitioners. In this framework we show that both subjective and objective benefits of folk dance practice are higher than those deriving from other activities taken in consideration, with respect to the same set of objectives. Furthermore, the folk dance has positive effects over the individual in the strict sense (improvement of physical and mental activities and personality) and in his relations with others. Our interpretative hypothesis of the achieved results is that the folk dance has some specific features that are present only in part in other activities, characteristics linked to the intimate nature of human beings that integrate and enhance each other.