How is Dancetown Different?

DanceTown is a unique fitness and exercise system.  While it appears similar to other dance pad games, it differs in the following ways:

1. Senior Friendly Visual Design. Other dance pad games are designed for younger audiences, typically teens. DanceTown has a clean, uncluttered, high-contrast look designed especially for seniors. It has been extensively tested by older adults, including residents of retirement communities throughout the United States, and has been fine-tuned to be enjoyable and easy to use by adults of all ages.
   
   
2. Easier Dance Levels. DanceTown has two low-difficulty levels that provide easier dancing for players who are older or unfamiliar with dance pad games. Dance steps for these levels are written according to strict design rules that define the frequency and type of steps – for example, songs at Level 1 (Beginner) only have side-to-side steps, with no forward or backward steps that could cause novice players to trip and fall. Once a player has mastered a song at these lower skill levels, they can move up and dance the same songs at higher levels.
   
   
3. Safety Kits. Standard dance pads have only a single lightweight railing to prevent a player from falling backwards. But older players need more.  DanceTown has a specially designed heavy duty three-sided railing that provides support for dancers without interfering with their ability to enjoy the game itself, and provides much-needed assistance without appearing to be a medical or therapeutic device. Dancetown also includes a set of stabilization bars that hold the railing in place so it provides effective protection against falls.
   
   
4. Analysis and Reporting Tools. DanceTown provides powerful tools for tracking, evaluating and reporting players’ progress over time. Evaluation data includes dancers' performance on commonly used standardized tests: the Tinetti Balance and Gait Tests, the Senior Fitness Test, the TUG Test, and the Six Minute Walk Test. Every time the player is re-assessed, their results are also recorded.  This assessment data, as well as the dancer's scores, are reported in graphical and tabular form for use by administrative staff as well as by the players themselves.
   
   
5. Multiple Players and Intergenerational Play. DanceTown supports simultaneous play by 2 players, thus encouraging dancing in a social setting. In addition, each player can choose their own dancing difficulty level, encouraging seniors to dance simultaneously with their children, grandchildren, and caregivers.
   
   
6. Music Marketplace. Here at Dancetown, we are committed to building a vibrant musical marketplace, where composers and stepfile developers can offer high quality music to DanceTown players. Our Music Marketplace, scheduled for release in early 2008, will let players sample and purchase song packs of music created just for DanceTown. We will publish guidelines for authors, defining what kinds of steps are appropriate for each difficulty level. Authors will be able to submit song packs for approval, and if approved, these song packs will be offered for sale on the DanceTown online store. We will handle all aspects of song licensing through appropriate song licensing services, and will distribute payments to song and stepfile authors. Contact us if you are interested in participating in the Dancetown Music Marketplace.
   
   
7. Complete Solution. DanceTown is more than just a software download! Our service is available as a complete bundled package of hardware, software, training, free onsite training, free branding (your company name and logo on the splash screen), ongoing support, and services. It may also be unbundled and items may be purchased separately if desired.