Taniec na manifestacjach ulicznych jako forma regulacji autonomicznego układu nerwowego oraz sposób wyrażania emocji

The subject of this article is dancing at protests as a form of autonomic nervous system regulation and a way of expressing emotions. Selected results of a survey and interview conducted among people (n=42) dancing at the Women’s Strike demonstration in Warsaw on March 8, 2021 are presented. The protest described was one of many against the October 22, 2020 Constitutional Court ruling declaring abortion for severe fetal defect unconstitutional. In addition to discussing the results of the survey, the article also evaluates the content of respondents’ answers using research tools in the form of S.W. Porges’ polyvagal theory and the regulation zones developed from it by a group of researchers, including D.J. Siegel, as well as the concept of regulating emotions through movement. Dancing at a protest constitutes a zone of regulation, thanks to the activation of the social engagement system in the dancers. It provides protest participants with the opportunity for both self-regulation and co-regulation, producing a sense of safety. It leads to building social resilience, and by establishing a relationship with the body, it is also a way of expressing emotions. Furthermore, it has a community-building function, integrating those who dance and creating a social bond. Key-words: autonomic nervous system, vagus nerve, emotion regulation through movement, regulation zones, dancing at street protests, polyvagal theory, social engagement