What is dance gaming?
Dance gamingDance gaming is a sport where the player moves his body as instructed by a computer. The game shows step patterns on the computer or game console screen and the player needs to step on his game controller according to those patterns. The dance patterns are designed to fit to the muic playing on the background so the player has to simultaneously follow the patterns seen on the screen and listen to the music to keep following it correctly. Good musical understanding or body coordination is not required in the beginning. Both of these will improve while you play.
Dance gaming is an official sport in Finland and Norway and International Dance Organisation IDO has accepted it as a street dance. Picking up the hobby is easy and cheap, but improving your skills to be a top level dance gamer takes years of training. Most dance gamers never try to reach a top competitive level but instead practice at home, with friends or on the arcade for fun. Dance games can also be practiced in schools, youth centres and gyms in some countries where it has been realised that dance games are a great fitness tool.
Dance games are one part of the larger group of rhythm games. Many dance gamers also practice other rhythm games and for some rhythm games are an actual life style, not just a hobby. Dance games are the most improved and competitive rhythm games out there, but games such as Guitar Hero and Rock Band have also risen to popularity lately.