I’m not the sort of person you’d look at and think, “Now there’s someone who can probably cut a rug.” I’m fairly awkward, certainly clumsy, and not exactly, um, built like someone with a lot of rhythm and grace. (Although I want to cut the judges on “So You Think You Can Dance” when they scoff at a good dancer just because she doesn’t look good in a belly shirt and cameltoe shorts.) But I really love to dance. I don’t need to pound four amaretto sours to feel comfortable doing it, and I don’t care if other people are gawking at me.
So I was overjoyed when my best friend, Tracey, bought me Just Dance 3 for the Wii for Christmas. Having basically no experience with pop music, I was worried that not knowing LMO from LMFAO would make it less fun for me, but the makers of this game somehow managed to find only tracks that would wedge wildly into my brain for days at a time.
My immediate favourite was Nelly Furtado’s “Promiscuous”, because I’d actually heard it before and also used to love Nelly back when she wasn’t a slutty sell-out (nothing against slutty sell-outs):
My next earworm came from Taio Cruz’s “Dynamite”. I had no idea who Taio Cruz is, but I was so pleased that his song talked about Galileo:
I throw my hands up in the air sometimes
Saying ayo
Galileo
“Now there’s a man who doesn’t care about alienating his uneducated fans,” I thought. And then I learned that he actually says, “Gotta let go.” But it was close enough for me.
My other favourite song is now “Boom” by Reggaeton Storm, which is literally the last genre I would ever expect to get stuck in my head. And since it’s in Spanish, I sing ridiculous nonsensical lyrics to myself all day. Like:
Boom
Bop bop
Can I get a b’rito?
That’s right. I leave letters out of burrito in my head to make it fit.
Kamran’s leaving for California at the end of this week to take the bar exam out there, so he’s been waking up with me in the mornings and studying while I play the game. And since he has a one-room apartment, it’s meant a lot of him sitting around and critiquing/mocking my performances as he lounges on his bed mere steps from me. But he gets the songs stuck in his head just as hard as I do, and I feel like that’s revenge enough.
The funny thing is that the earworms only make me want to play the game more. I play in the mornings before work and then spend all day thinking about how I can’t wait to get home and play again. I can’t motivate myself to go to the gym unless Kamran’s threatening to put me in one of those 1950s-style vibrating belt machines that jiggles your fat off, but this game is so fun I actually look forward to it and want to keep playing long after my knickers are soaked with sweat and I need to go shower for work.
I was concerned it was going to be too easy after playing the Xbox Kinect version, Dance Central, where the creepy Kinect camera watches your full body with its beady robot eyes. I figured I’d just move the one arm with the Wiimote in it and let the rest of my body hang limply if the Wiimote couldn’t sense it and judge me accordingly; I thought about playing the game sitting down. But it turns out that Just Dance is harder than Dance Central. Where Dance Central is repetitious, Just Dance throws an intricate move at you once and then goes right on to something else. Just Dance doesn’t have any differing difficulty levels, but you’ll find yourself making your own as you start dancing first with just the arm holding the Wiimote, then with both arms after you’ve played a song 150 times, then finally with your legs. All while looking like an octopus with epilepsy.
Now I’m dying to try Just Dance 1 and 2 and am envisioning a future version where I get to choose my own songs from a list of a hundred and then receive my personalized game in eight to ten business days. The only thing I’m wishing for is a glove that I can strap the Wiimote into so I don’t have to hold onto it while I’m dancing; I’ve actually thought about buying Wii boxing gloves but wonder if that’s even weirder than holding on to the thing myself.
But hey, if my biggest complaint about the game is that I want to get more into it, they’re doing something right. If this is the thing that gets me fit, it’s going to be sooooo hilarious.
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So, like many foolish people out there, I once lived under the illusion that since I can’t get my fat butt to exercise in any “real” fashion, I would purchase the Wii Fit package and then lose 50 pounds. Since that never came to fruition, because I never even turn the thing on, I’ve now been living out the fantasy that I will ask for Just Dance for my birthday and since it will be FUN I will lose 50 pounds without even knowing that. Notice, I used the word “fantasy,” but are you, Katie Ett, actually saying that my fantasy could become a reality?!?!
I don’t want to get your hopes up, but yes, I’m kind of saying that. I also bought the Wii Fit with those intentions and now only use it as a really cool scale that makes me feel bad when I step on it and it says, “Oh!”
Just Dance is fun enough that I don’t really notice that I’m exercising, and although I haven’t lost any real weight doing it for two weeks-ish, I’m noticing that it’s easier to climb stairs and that I have more energy and crap. And I reeeeeeally appreciate that the songs are minutes long, unlike the games on the Fit where you finish in 30 seconds and end up spending half of your playing time figuring out what to play next.
I was going to drop 20 lb on Wii boxing but that didn’t work out either, after the rotator cuff tear. Luckily, my elbow still works so I can work on those 12 oz curls.
I love Just Dance 3. Personally, “No Limits” is my favorite. Totally brings me back to 1995.
Oh, the Bollywood song is fun, too.
And c’mon, just call me Will Smith and “Jump on it!”
Kimosabe!
Wii Fit didn’t work out so well for me either, but I could totally get behind dancing like an octopus with epilepsy.
I love the avatars on that game, especially the one that makes dancing in a kimono look easy. I’m still sort of confused as to how the Wii knows you’re doing all the moves right?
I loved DDR when it was popular and got super into it. That makes me think that I would like this. I could even strap the baby on as added weight and burn more calories. There aren’t any going to the floor and back movements are there? That might kill me.
When does ‘just chill in the corner your beverage’ come out? Pretty sure I would excel at that one.
:)
Freakin’ “Barbra Streisand.” I played this with my niece a couple weeks ago and it’s been stuck in my head ever since.
But yeah, this is a fun game, and once I get around to getting a Wii I’ll probably pick it up for myself.
I’m a big fan of the Wii Fit stuff, I might have to give this game a shot. It’s so much easier to ‘exercise’ when there is a score at the end. And I know that I am for real improving. Also I love that song ‘Dynamite’.
Good luck to your boy on the bar exam.
Two observations:
1. I actually called The Guy up to my office, made him watch the videos and then swore to God on a stack of imaginary Bibles that if he’d buy this for me, I’d work out every single day.
2. YOU KNOW there are people who learn the dances on these games and then go out to clubs and try to act like they’re all cool and shit. Except that they can’t perform without a Wii-mote in one hand.
Ooooh, this looks and sounds like soo much fun! I wish I had enough room and a Wii for myself.
I thought the Kinect version was hard, and we only played the “easy” version of everything – so if this is even harder, whoah! Has to be a great workout.
My sister & bro-in-law bought the girls a Wii for Christmas. We asked which games they’d like (IF they got a Wii) and Just Dance 3 was their #1 pick.
This game is SO MUCH FREAKING FUN. I compete against my daughters, and even when I get “perfect” “perfect” “perfect” and they just get Lazy, we still love every minute. Especially me b/c who doesn’t want to be “perfect”???
We grade all the dancers – my favorite is raver carrot top. The one guy w/out fail Georgia says “dances like a girl.” And I KNOW you know exactly which one she means.
We played Just Dance so many times a few weeks ago, I woke up the next day and could barely move my arms. And it felt so good.
PS: Good luck Kamran! Hope you pass w/ flying colors (and fly with passing colors..?)
:)
I love to dance, too, and since I haven’t done the club scene since my late 20s (Ack! Did I just admit it’s been a while since my *late* 20s?!), I’ve been searching for a way to make that work for me healthwise. Awesome that you’re getting so into it!
p.s. Sorry it’s been a while. :) And, good luck to Kamran!
“That’s right. I leave letters out of burrito in my head to make it fit” Hahaha! So glad to know I’m not the only one!
I’m not sure that Dance Central is easier repetition-wise, maybe the easy songs in the easy setting, but I’ve tried some of the hard songs in the hard setting that totally made me achy the next day, and they definitely come at you with several steps one after the other. I also like that the Kinect sees everything, like a choreographer who’s constantly nagging you to fix your technique haha! That being said, I am on board with any dance-related game, and I’m glad your downstairs neighbors haven’t gotten annoyed and complained about your exercising like ours did when I used to work out at home.
Okay, my new official favorite is the Chemical Brothers . I cannot cannot stop singing it. And it only has 4 lines!!!!!!
Hey Boy
Hey Girl
Superstar DJs
Here we go!