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Felix Bigand
Address
Research center
Interests
About

I am a postdoctoral researcher exploring the neuroscience of music, dance, and social interaction. 

My work investigates the neurocognitive foundations of communicative musicality—the universal human ability to connect through music. Crossing the ERC MUSICOM's vision—that musicality draws on natural capacities for movement-based interaction—and my PhD research on Sign Language, I have focused on the quintessential case of gestural musical communication, namely dance. I am fascinated by how long-standing practices like dance and song may originate from a shared evolutionary capacity for human interaction, communication, and cooperation. To study these questions, I combine advanced computational methods with multimodal data—including 3D kinematics (Vicon), EEG, and eye-tracking.


Education

Title: PhD (Computer Science)
Institute: Paris Saclay University
Location: Orsay
Country: France
From: 2018 To: 2021

Title: Master (Engineering, Artificial Intelligence)
Institute: Sorbonne University
Location: Paris
Country: France
From: 2016 To: 2018

Title: Bachelor (Electronics and Automation)
Institute: Sorbonne University
Location: Paris
Country: France
From: 2015 To: 2016

Title: DEM: professional music degree in classical Percussions
Institute: Conservatoire Régional
Location: Dijon
Country: France
From: 2003 To: 2013

Experience External

Title: Research engineer (Miming musical instruments using motion capture for collective musical experience)
Institute: Burgundy University
Location: Dijon
Country: France
From: 2017 To: 2017

Title: Research engineer (Musical sonification of movements with motion capture and Max/MSP)
Institute: Burgundy University
Location: Dijon
Country: France
From: 2016 To: 2016

All Publications
2026
Nguyen T., Bigand F., Reisner S., Koul A., Bianco R., Markova G., Hoehl S., Novembre G.
Development of neural and spontaneous movement responses to music over the first year of life
eLife
Article in Press Journal
2026
Bianco R., Toth B., Bigand F., Nguyen T., Sziller I., Haden G.P., Winkler I., Novembre G.
Human newborns form musical predictions based on rhythmic but not melodic structure
PLoS Biology, vol. 24, (no. 2)
Article Journal
2026
Tomashin A., Abalde S. F., Arnese F., Bigand F., Lombardo M. V., Novembre G.
Influence of autistic traits and audience presence on motor coordination, spontaneous movement and brain activity
European Society for Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (ESCAN)
Poster Conference
2026
Koul A., Corsini A., Torricelli F., Bigand F., Abalde S., Novembre G., D'ausilio A., Tomassini A.
Kinematics-informed latent space modelling reveals neural alignment during interpersonal coordination
International Multisensory Research Forum (IMRF)
Poster Conference
2026
Abalde S.F., Bigand F., Mecozzi S., Nguyen T., Bianco R., Keller P. E., Novembre G.
On the role of ancillary body movements in interpersonal synchronization during joint music making
8th international conference of the European Society for Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (ESCAN)
Poster Conference
Dissemination
2026
Bigand F.
Dance with me!
Cervell…a…mente | Università degli Studi di Milano Statale
Public Event
2026
Sozzi M., Bigand F.
Il suono che ci muove
"Caos e armonia", il Festival delle Scienze di Roma 2026
Public Event
2026
Bigand F.
Musique et danse: aux fondements du cerveau social
L'odyssée musicale du cerveau, Université Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Dijon
Public Event
2024
Visser J., Stubbendorf C., Bigand F., Bianco R.
Ballando al ritmo di qualcun altro
Festival della Scienza, Genova, IT.
Outreach
2024
Bigand F., Novembre G.
The science of dance: “At the disco we synchronize like a flock of starlings”
El Paìs, ES.
Media
Scientific Talks
2026
Bigand F.
Balla con me!
Seminar Facoltà di Musicologia, Università La Sapienza
Workshop/Symposium
2026
Bigand F., Bianco R., Nguyen T., Abalde F. S., Novembre G.
EEG of the dancing brain: Decoding sensory, motor and social processes during dyadic dance
ESCAN 2026
Conference
2026
Abalde S.F., Bigand F., Mecozzi S., Nguyen T., Bianco R., Keller P. E., Novembre G.
On the role of ancillary body movements in interpersonal synchronization during joint music making
Methodological Challenges and Perspectives in Multimodal Music Performance Research
Workshop/Symposium
2026
Nguyen T., Bigand F., Reisner S., Koul A., Bianco R., Markova G., Hoehl S., Novembre G.
Rhythms of early social communication
PhD Academy 2026 of the Vienna Doctoral School Cognition, Behaviour and Neuroscience
School (Summer school, ...)
2026
Novembre G., Bigand F.
Social interaction through movement, music and dance
Università Roma Tre
Institute