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Dance Dance Revolution in UK schools
Author: Joe MartinPublished: 17th September 2007
Dance Dance Revolution uses dance mats like these as an input, getting players jumping around to burn off fat.
Today, it's not Sim City which is reaping the praise though, but an arcade rhythm game called Dance Dance Revolution.
According to the BBC, the game is being tested out in schools in Bedfordshire as you read and has met with tremendous success.
The game, which involves using a dance mat for pupils to stamp on as they try to keep up with the music, is being used to entice girls who may not be interested in traditional sports and to help combat obesity in the UK.
"You tend to burn about 400 to 600 calories an hour in these classes. You are working on coordination, balance, cardio vascular, stamina. You can vary and change the intensity so it matches other sports quite well." Said Daniel Gill, of Active Luton, a trust which runs local sports centres in the area.
"There is no segregation on ability. Even if they know they can’t do all of it, they can try anyway. And it's a good way of introducing them to a gym."
The classes, which last for 45 minutes, have proven very popular with pupils, many of whom use it as a way to stay fit whilst advancing at their own pace thanks to selectable difficulties.
Speaking as someone who has used these dance mats in the past thanks to pressure from my girlfriend, I'd have to agree that they are both entertaining and strenuous enough to provide a moderate workout. That said, I tend to prefer Elite Beat Agents or Everlasting Love for my daily dose of rhythm games.
What do you think, do games like this have a place in schools or should we try harder to motivate children through conventional means? Drop us your thoughts in the forums.
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Comments (20)Stats: 0.135 seconds
They should have machines in offices, too. Better than sitting down on your lunch break, since that's what you do all the rest of the time.
Didn't teach you to spell though did it? :p
Phil
As my games teacher used to say to me: "Shut your ****ing cakehole and get back to running around the rugby pitches! I don't give a **** if it's snowing! ****!"
:'(
You got spoken to? We just got the balls thrown at our heads. I think we only stopped playing once, and that was because half a building collapsed.
i second that motion.
P.s. Forum link opens in a new tab
Thanks for this information
:)
Good idea putting it in the schools in my opinion. Good exercise, and lets kids pWn some n00bs at the same time. Great combination!
I thought that at first, but now I'm older and wiser I saw the wisdom in my old PE teachers ways. We're all lazy gits really when we are at schools and half of us are probably totally unfit from lack of exercise, well apart from well developed wrist muscles from all that gaming (diiiirty - what did you expect me to type?)
Can you really see some little, slightly over-weight teenager running all the time if the teacher wasn't on their back provoking them to run and exercise more? Nope - Neither can I.
> them to run and exercise more?
I would take the position that being "on their back" is likely to provoke nothing more than a lifelong distaste for sports and sportspeople.
Phil