Dance Dance Revolution (DDR), an interactive video game that awards points for dancing in sync with its music, has developed a cult following since its emergence from Japan in 2000. Not only is it fun, but it teaches players coordination and rhythm as they dance over the light-up footpad. When an arrow glows the player must stomp on it. The concept is similar to that of “whack-a-mole,” except it engages one’s feet and encourages some funky new moves. Over the past 8 years there have been countless studies conducted and testimonials that have reported on the health benefits of DDR. It is perfect for those who want to lose weight, but are not enticed by kicking a ball. DDR games even offer a specific “Workout Mode” for people who want to track their progress and weight by calculating calories burned, minutes played, and distance traveled. While surfing the internet I found some interesting testimonials:
- Dr. Cedric Bryant, the chief exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise confirmed, “DDR can be a great activity. It gets your heart rate up and requires you to follow varying movement patterns. That helps in terms of agility and balance. It’s a real creative way of getting kids moving.”
- Coach Fenwick from Patrick Middle School says, “Compared to a stair-master or jogging, you can burn just as many calories.”
- Brandon Sheline, of Kokomo, Ind., tells that “he uses DDR as an integral part of his training for track because it builds his leg strength and increases his foot speed.”
- Blogger asylumzero said, “About 3-4 years ago, I played DDR a LOT during the summer and lost about 15 lbs in 1 1/2 month. It increased my stamina in general, including when I’m running.”
- Personally, I have seen students playing DDR in the basement of the William Pitt Union in the center of the University of Pittsburgh’s campus. They are always crowded around the machine and sweating profusely as they wait for their next turn to battle the scores of their opponents.
The endless success stories seem to confirm the facts. There is even a website http://www.ddrfreak.com deemed “the most visited website for DDR fans” that promotes the game by providing all of the press attention it has received since its release (it also provided a lot of the information that I am reporting here). I learned that a study conducted at Pennsylvania State University found that, “the average heart rate while teens are playing DDR is 144 beats per minute.” This is equal to a slow jog or a moderate bike ride.
In 2002, CBS correspondent Tracy Smith reported on The Early Show about a school near Los Angeles that was truly revolutionized by dance. Patrick Henry Middle School actually bought DDR machines and then incorporated DDR competitions into their physical education classes. This sounds like a really great idea, and apparently it worked so well that teachers had to force the kids to go to lunch at the sound of the bell.
Something truly astonishing that has branched off of the DDR craze (there have been more than 6.5 million copies sold worldwide) are the developments of a company called Sportwall International. This company used the DDR concept to invent more games that utilize a player’s whole body, not just the fingertips. Apparently these games have been seen in 100 schools and 100 McDonald’s restaurants in the United States to help encourage physical fitness.
Who would have thought that Americans would start seeing video games pop up in schools and in McDonalds!? If everybody from doctors, to educators, to fast-food managers see the importance of dance as health, Dance Dance Revolution may truly be a solution.
