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Posts Tagged ‘Revolution’

Article by Peter Danton

Many people have referred to Dance Dance Revolution as being high interest but requiring little skill. However, there are gamers and dancers out there that would definitely disagree. As a matter of fact there are at least ten states that are currently using Dance Dance Revolutions invigorating movements as a part of the physical education classes that are a required part of the schools curriculum. Basically a player will stand on the Dance Dance Revolution pad with arrows that point down, up, right and left; by listening to the beat of the music and watching the computer screen, they tap on the arrows corresponding to the beat.

One reason that it has become popular is that many educators and school boards feel that it is a non-competitive (when compared to the more traditional sports) type of movement. It has been shown that many students will be moving and practicing even before it is their turn which means more exercise is being performed per student. You can also set different difficulty levels on the Dance Dance Revolutions independently so that you can have a beginner playing at the same time as someone that is more advanced, making them feel less self conscious as everyone knows that kids in school can be merciless with their teasing. Generally physical education has been about a team sport and is normally fairly skills oriented; now it appears to making a move towards activities that kids do not have to be so great at throwing and catching, which in turn appeals to a much wider range of students.

Many schools are even considering spending a little extra on the games so that they can have up to four kids playing at one time. West Virginia was the state that initiated a pilot program in 20 of their public schools and it was so successful full integration of placing Dance Dance Revolutions in all 753 public schools (over 280,000 students) is expected by the end of the decade. The New York Times has even been reporting on the number of schools that are using it to get their students moving.

Many experts feel that incorporating Dance Dance Revolutions into physical education classes is a great way to promote better health and fitness in the children. It makes them move the entire body and if used in conjunction with promoting healthy snacks while playing, it is a great overall fitness program.

Article by Derick Yung

One of the main reasons people quit an exercise program is a lack of motivation and goal setting. You may start an exercise program in hopes of losing weight and becoming more fit. However, as you continue exercising, you may feel that you’re putting in so much effort but gaining so little. You become unmotivated because it’s just too much work.

With Dance Dance Revolution (DDR), kids, teens, and adults can find a way to stay motivated, exercise, and have more fun. Dance Dance Revolution is a music game available on both console and arcade. You can choose from a variety of energetic dance songs. As the song plays, you have to step on a specific pattern of arrows in response to the song’s beat.

Like most games, learning Dance Dance Revolution takes practice. There is a range of tempos, song genres, and step difficulties, so there is something for everyone. Beginners can start with easy slow-paced songs. To get better, simply practice and become familiar with the songs. As you progress you can gradually choose faster songs and more difficult step patterns. With enough practice and persistence you’ll gain stamina, become better at foot-eye coordination, and have a better sense of rhythm.

Since the game grades you on how well you’ve played each song, it is easy to set goals and stay motivated. For example, if you achieved a ‘C’ rating on a song, you can set a goal to get a ‘B’ rating in a certain timeframe. If you failed a song, you can set a goal to pass that song in a certain number of tries. Also, with a partner, you can both play the same song and participate in some friendly competition. This competition adds a great deal of fun. Furthermore, it helps you strive to improve and keep playing so you can beat your dance partner.

To play Dance Dance Revolution, check out local arcades and see if any of them has a Dance Dance Revolution arcade machine. If they don’t, or you don’t want to travel to an arcade, you can get a Dance Dance Revolution game for a console like Playstation, Playstation 2, or XBox. Of course, you could play with a regular controller but then you wouldn’t be exercising (unless you consider finger manipulation exercising). To experience the game the right way, you’ll need a dance pad.

There are three main types of dance pads: soft thin pads, ignition pads, and metal pads. Soft thin pads are flexible, made of plastic, and wear out quickly. They tend to slip around a lot. I have to constantly realign my soft thin pad while playing harder songs. If you simply want to test out DDR, soft thin pads are great. Ignition pads are soft pads which have a foam insert. The foam insert provides weight, durability, and comfort. It feels different from the arcade but is easy to adapt to. Like the soft thin pads, ignition pads will wear out. The best pads for expert players are the metal pads. They have been designed to give more of that arcade feel. They have greater durability and accuracy.

Article by Carol Moore