Pedagogical Applications of the Video Game Dance Dance Revolution to Aural Skills Instruction

Abstract

In the video game Dance Dance Revolution ( DDR ), players earn points by depressing buttons with their feet in time with instructions given on the screen by scrolling arrows. The arrows, which reveal the step components of pre-programmed dance routines, are spaced such that all rhythmic attacks are perfectly coordinated with the beats and/or rhythms of Electronic Dance Music. Many aspects of the game, including its emphasis on accurate rhythmic performance and the presence of an objective, real-time scoring mechanism, cause DDR to have significant implications for musicianship training. This article discusses how DDR may be profitably incorporated into the undergraduate aural skills classroom to help improve sight-reading, rhythm performance, and the dictation of popular music. This article includes both video recorded demonstrations of the game along with a sample curriculum for instructors interested in setting up labs for students to train with DDR .