User's Manual

16 05
FAQS
1. Do students have to stand in the middle of the dance mat?
a. No. They can stand anywhere they want on the mat. The most
important thing is to have a solid base by placing your feet
shoulder length apart. This will set you up to perform the dance
moves well.
2. When do I step on the arrow?
a. You should step on the arrow when it reaches the clear,
stationary arrows at the top of the Dancing Lane. Do your
best to feel the beat and you’ll get more accurate as you
keep trying.
3. What do the arrow colors mean?
a. The colors of the arrows represent the music note count of each
step. Yellow = whole notes, green = half notes, blue = quarter
notes, pink = eighth notes and above.
4. What do the bars behind the student names represent?
a. These bars represent the consistent good performance of the
respective student. The better the student dances, the more the
bars will fi ll up.
5. What do the 4 diamond shapes near the student name mean?
a. This graphic indicates which arrow the respective student is
pressing. This is good to fi nd out which player you are if one
should lose their place.
6. When I am playing, what lane do I look at?
a. For beginners, it is best to start with the Beginner level. This will
help to condition the player for more diffi cult dance moves.
The system is designed, so that a player can select any diffi culty
they desire at any moment. If a diffi culty is too easy or hard,
the player can dynamically switch between all levels.
7. Should I look at the mat when I am dancing?
a. It is not recommended. The best thing is to concentrate on the
arrows as they move to the top. As you continue to play, your
spatial awareness will dramatically increase. Also, there is a
raised area in the middle of the mat to help you fi nd center.
However, it is recommended to look down once in a while.
Players tend to move forward or backwards on the mat.
8. Do I need an even amount of players?
a. No. Players will be randomly assigned as the cards are inserted
in the mats. Teams, however, will be uneven.
Smart Cards
Included in your DDRCE package are smart cards that students will use
to identify themselves in the game. Depending on which package you
purchased, you will receive 250 smart cards with the 12-mat package
and 500 smart cards with the 24, 36, and 48-mat package. Each card
can be registered to a student in Administration Mode which they can
use every time they play to keep track of their progress. Information
is saved onto the PC about the student’s physical activity sessions,
including burned calories, BMI, total number of steps, and play history.
It is recommended to reserve a certain amount of smart cards to be
made into FREEPLAY cards. Students will use these cards when tracking
progress is not necessary or desired. The number of FREEPLAY cards
should ideally be the same as number of mats available.
A/V Cart
The mobile cart serves as the main storage device and can be locked
for safekeeping. The PC unit, coordinator unit, and smart cards are kept
together via the cart. Additionally, the black case inside should always
remain closed unless needed for a tech-support issue.
Lockable Mobile Recharging Cart
The charging cart serves as the main storage device for the dance mats
and can be locked for safe-keeping. While on the mobile cart, the wireless
dance mats are being recharged.
Workbook
The workbook includes 18 sample lessons that are split between
fi tness content and dance content, and are equally divided to cover
elementary school, middle school, and high school students. These
guides were developed to help you create unique lesson ideas that
are not only fun, but also developmentally appropriate to use in the
classroom. All lessons come with grade-level suggestions, objectives
that meet one or more NASPE standards, and a detailed description of
the activity being taught.
After the lesson plans, there is a competition section of
the workbook, which suggests several ways to use the
DanceDanceRevolution
®
: Classroom Edition by encouraging healthy
competition. Incorporating competition such as the ones suggested
in the workbook will increase motivation in the students, as well as
physical activity levels before, during, and/or after school hours.
NOTE:
The lessons included may need to be modifi ed to fi t the teacher’s needs
depending on the number of students and the number of mats available.