The invitation most women would like to hear this Valentine's Day is: "Would you like to dance?"

A study commissioned by British dance event MOVE IT, asked 500 men and women aged between 16 - 55 about their attitudes towards dating and matters of romance, to discover what both sexes are looking for when it comes to a romantic partner this Valentine's Day.

The results reveal a gulf between each gender's attitude towards dating and, in particular, the role of dancing within the dating scenario. Results showed that 83.3 percent of people were nervous about the first dance on a first date.

Most men are more nervous about the first dance with a girl, than the first kiss, while only 11 percent of women were nervous about the first dance.

Other areas of worry included maintaing a conversation, the first kiss and looking your best.

The study also revealed that women would be more likely to continue dating a bad kisser who could dance, than a bad dancer who could kiss and that more women rated being able to dance well above being able to kiss well when asked about the skills they most rated in a prospective partner.

A woman's dream date scenario would be dinner then dancing with 53.3 percent choosing it as their ideal date, beating a romantic walk, the cinema, bowling or a sports match.

But a man's dream date scenario would be going on a romantic walk with only a quarter of those questioned choosing dinner then dancing as their first choice.

"Being a more confident dancer can help you catch the eye of prospective dates and add a little sparkle to an evening out so we are calling on men throughout the nation to rid themselves of their dancing fears this Valentine's Day and hit the dancefloor," MOVE IT Creative Director Georgina Harper said in a statement.