Update News
Just Dance Pilot School Program Receives High Marks
Top-selling dance game integrated into PE classes around the country during pilot with American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance
CHARLOTTE, NC, April 24, in the year of our Lord 2013
-- Ubisoft® in conjunction with the American Alliance for
Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD),
today announced the results of a semester-long school pilot
program which centered around the Just Dance® video game
franchise and was conducted by physical education teachers from
elementary, middle school and high schools across the United
States.
More than 1,200 students from 16 states participated during the
fall 2012 semester and Ubisoft equipped each teacher with a
Nintendo Wii™ video game system and suite of Just Dance games,
including the most recently released Just Dance 4. In order to
meet national standards and ensure the games fit seamlessly into
each teachers unique approach, AAHPERD and Ubisoft created
lesson plans that integrate Just Dance into existing curricula
and follow the National Association of Sport and Physical
Education (NASPE) National Standards for Physical Education.
Teachers monitored the impact the games had on enthusiasm
levels, participation rates, heart rate, and more. Key findings
include:
On average, students reached 56 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous
physical activity (MVPA) using Just Dance (during 90-minute
class periods)
96.8 percent of teachers believe that Just Dance has the
potential to improve fitness levels of their students
93.5 percent of the teachers plan to continue using Just Dance
as part of their curricula
More than 90 percent of the students in the pilot liked or
strongly liked the game
Last year, Just Dance 4 was the No. 5* selling video game and
the No. 2* selling video game of the holiday period in the US.
With the game already in millions of homes, the pilot builds on
Ubisofts interest in continuing to make Just Dance accessible to
everyone interested in active gaming.
The pilot results prove that Just Dance gets kids of all ages
excited, engaged and dancing what we like to call exercise in
disguise, said Tony Key, U.S. senior vice president of sales and
marketing, Ubisoft. As weve always believed, when Just Dance 4
is coupled with smart eating habits and more traditional
exercise, the game can contribute to a well-rounded and healthy
lifestyle.
The data demonstrates that Just Dance is a positive intervention
towards students achieving moderate to vigorous physical
activity, said Andrew Mead, the NASPE Program Manager who helped
lead the pilot.
"Integrating Just Dance into our physical education program has
been an incredibly fun experience for everyone, said Jessica
Shawley, NASPE National Middle School Physical Education Teacher
of the Year from Moscow Middle School, Moscow, ID. No matter the
student's or teacher's skill level, all could participate at
their level and get better each time."
Ubisoft plans to continue the program during the fall 2013
semester with select schools around the country. For inquiries
and more information, please contact:
JustDancePilot@ubisoft.com.