How Ubisoft's Quirky Just Dance Series Has Charmed Kids and Adults For 15 Years

When my children need to get the wiggles out, Just Dance delivers. I asked Ubisoft how it's managed this pop music sensation since its 2009 debut.

Happy New Year! Did you know a subscription to Crossplay is currently 25% off? This offer will only last until January 17. Please consider supporting this newsletter!

---

When I’ve run out of ways to entertain my children, or need to a distraction that’s not simply more iPad time, I will flip on an older version of Just Dance on the Switch. This is an annual franchise for Ubisoft, but I don’t even know what year we’ve been playing for what seems like ages now. (OK, I just checked—it’s Just Dance 2019, a game that came out when my oldest was much younger and my youngest was not yet born!)

Just Dance is great because it’s low stakes and works for both my eight-year-old and four-year-old. The eight-year-old can compete for accuracy, while the four-year-old can goof around. The game is “judging,” but unlike a traditional music game, you won’t “fail.” Thus, it’s really just an excuse to get the wiggles out to some catchy tunes.

I’ve been able to get away without buying a new Just Dance because, until recently, my kids weren’t clocking the advancement of pop music. That, however, has now changed:

1. Taylor Swift. The launch of The Eras Tour, combined with her recent album, had my children asking if they could see her (no, sadly) or when the album was out.

2. Wicked. My children are Wicked-pilled. The soundtrack is playing in the house constantly. By extension, they’ve gotten into Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. 

That it’s taken this long is funny because pop music is constantly playing in our house. I’ve been a pop fan for as long as I can remember? It always felt like a pretty natural extension of my deep affinity for bands like Weezer, who deftly mashed rock and pop together, years ago. My wife and I never miss, for example, Carly Rae Jepsen when she comes to town. Maybe one day we’ll be able to afford a Taylor Swift ticket.

(Unlikely.)

Just Dance 2025, which came out last October, has been in regular rotation. The one problem my children have it is that while Just Dance 2025 features a healthy dose of Ariana Grande, you can’t dance to the Wicked songs that are stuck in their heads.

Alas.

Recently, I asked Just Dance’s creative content manager, Hélène Jeannin, about the lack of Wicked in Just Dance 2025—but no answer. I did have other questions, though.

“Choosing the songs for Just Dance is a meticulous process,” said Jeannin, noting Just Dance 2025 included some of last year’s breakout hits like Sabrina Carpenter’s Espresso (also a big deal in our house) and tracks from a band like Green Day (less so). “Our team is tuned into not only the latest music trends but also broader entertainment shifts to ensure we capture what’s relevant across different platforms.”

When I’ve played Guitar Hero, Rock Band, and other music games, having the game send me back to the start is part of the appeal. Here, Just Dance is an extension of pure play. It’s an enjoyment of dance and movement because it feels good. It also feels good to dance well, but that’s not always the point of wanting to move your body to a song.

“Over the years,” said Jeannin, “we've evolved our scoring system to focus on fun, inclusivity, and positive reinforcement rather than punishing players for mistakes and promoting ‘hard’ competition.”

The video below does a great job of showing how Just Dance—which launched on the Wii in 2009, as Ubisoft embraced motion controls—has quietly changed since 2009.

With my kids, the competition is between each other. It’s friendly (mostly)! Frankly, it’s a lot of my eight-year-old quietly noting that she’s nailing more of the moves.

While both of my kids dance standing up, the game offers “seated” versions of some songs. Long before it was official supported, Just Dance fans invented their own modes.

“Not everyone has the ability or comfort to stand and dance for extended periods, whether due to physical limitations, mobility issues, or other health conditions,” said Jeannin. “By offering seated choreography, the game opens up a whole new avenue for these players, allowing them to still participate in the fun and stay active without needing to stand up.”

There’s another bonus, too. 

“Some other players might prefer the option to sit down while playing,” she said, “as it allows them to engage with the game without feeling too physically exhausted or self-conscious.”

Ding ding ding. 

Part of the appeal is how the choreography feels like a mixture of fantasy and reality. There is a surreal and cartoonish nature to the moves you’re asked to perform.

“While some of the choreographies in Just Dance incorporate real dance styles,” said Jeannin, “we make sure to simplify those moves to make them more accessible to every player, so that it stays fun and dynamic without requiring too much technical skills. We also tend to exaggerate some of the goofy moves, allowing players to focus more on having a good time.”

So far, that continues to be the case for my kids, at least. How about yours?

Have a story idea? Want to share a tip? Got a funny parenting story? Drop Patrick an email.

---

Also:

• Did you know Crossplay is 25% off right now? Dang, what a deal.

• Personally, I’m a Dance Central guy. Sure, the Kinect was a messy device, but hot damn, I had so much fun playing those games (often slightly drunk) in that era.

• I bought one of those new Rock Band controllers last year, but so far, it has remained in the box. I should finally unpack that and play it sometime, though.

• In my heart of hearts, the keyboard sings to me. I’ve always been drawn to piano/synth pop music—i.e. why I love/loved Ben Folds—and will always be upset Rock Band’s keyboard came when the music game phenomenon was dying out.