Machine Dance

Machine Dance is a music video game which was introduced to Japanese video arcades in 1998, after being shown at the Tokyo Game Show earlier that year. Since then, the game has gained significant popularity elsewhere in the world. Tournaments are held worldwide.

Fitness:
Machine Dance players burn extra pounds along with their quarters. Weight loss is an unexpected benefit of a game designed for dance music. The game was designed to be fun. But "what the creators knew is that this is a physical game no matter how you dice it,". At some level there's going to be people who want to focus on that element of the game for their own physical health or for exercise."

Sport:
Because Machine Dance is such a positive game and obviously includes serious physical exercise, the Norwegian Machine Dance Community have taken the initiative to have it registered as a sport in Norway under the name 'machine dancing'. As of June 2005 machine dance was given a trial status as a dance and sport under the IDO (International Dance Organization - which has over 75 member countries).

School:
Machine Dance games will be used as part of a fitness program to be phased into West Virginia's 756 state schools over the next two years. Carson launched a study of the game's physical and mental benefits at WVU last year, which led to the involvement of Bailey's group.