Teach me to dance: Exploring player experience and performance in full body dance games

We present a between-subjects user study designed to compare a dance instruction video to a rhythm game interface. The goal of our study is to answer the question: can these games be an effective learning tool for the activity they simulate? We use a body controlled dance game prototype which visually emulates current commercial games. Our research explores the player's perceptions of their own capabilities, their capacity to deal with a high influx of information, and their preferences regarding body-controlled video games. Our results indicate that the game-inspired interface elements alone were not a substitute for footage of a real human dancer, but participants overall preferred to have access to both forms of media. We also discuss the dance rhythm game as abstracted entertainment, exercise motivation, and realistic dance instruction.