Konami Rocks AAHPERD
Oh DDR, who's health won't you improve?
Published: April 26, 2006
For some, it's the first standing ovation at a GDC key note. For others, it's a DICE nomination. For others still, it's having game geeks stop them on the streets and tell them how much they love their games. But for a truly great development team like Konami Computer Entertainment Japan, they know they've arrived when Dance Dance Revolution is featured at AAHPERD.
...What, you've never heard of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance? Well someone doesn't get out much. A yearly trade show, AAHPERD serves as a confluence of health and phys ed minds all gathered in the epicenter of health -- that's right, Salt Lake City, Utah. More specifically, the Salt Palace Convention Center, a.k.a. Par-tay Central, USA.
Konami is using the convention as something of a springboard to get more schools and exercise programs to integrate DDR into their curriculum like the trailblazers in West Virginia already have. They'll be showing off DDR Ultramix 3, the Xbox version of the game at the show (Booth #1634 if you're dying to know), though we have to admit that we'd still prefer the sweet, sweet tunes of DDR EXTREME 2, but of course we're a little partial to the PS2 version.
"DDR has been proven to be an extremely effective way of promoting weight loss among today's young people and the game fits in perfectly as part of the physical education curriculum in our nation's schools," whooped Clara Gilbert, Director of Business Partnerships at Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc., as she threw down on a seven-footer song before back-flipping off the machine into the splits. "DDR is one of the most innovative video game concepts ever, and it is a fun and entertaining way for kids and adults to develop healthy habits and a fitness-oriented lifestyle."
Just for kicks, Konami is also sponsoring a seminar at NAPE, the National Associate for Sports and Physical Education over at Cal State Chino, moderated by none other than Josh M. Trout (hey, someone's gotta know who he is, just not us). The presentation will highlight video games' role in helping kids stay fit and will teach kids about their bodies' physiological functions.
Which reminds us, some of the staff is starting to get a little soggy around the midsection. Time for more DDR!
...What, you've never heard of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance? Well someone doesn't get out much. A yearly trade show, AAHPERD serves as a confluence of health and phys ed minds all gathered in the epicenter of health -- that's right, Salt Lake City, Utah. More specifically, the Salt Palace Convention Center, a.k.a. Par-tay Central, USA.
Konami is using the convention as something of a springboard to get more schools and exercise programs to integrate DDR into their curriculum like the trailblazers in West Virginia already have. They'll be showing off DDR Ultramix 3, the Xbox version of the game at the show (Booth #1634 if you're dying to know), though we have to admit that we'd still prefer the sweet, sweet tunes of DDR EXTREME 2, but of course we're a little partial to the PS2 version.
"DDR has been proven to be an extremely effective way of promoting weight loss among today's young people and the game fits in perfectly as part of the physical education curriculum in our nation's schools," whooped Clara Gilbert, Director of Business Partnerships at Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc., as she threw down on a seven-footer song before back-flipping off the machine into the splits. "DDR is one of the most innovative video game concepts ever, and it is a fun and entertaining way for kids and adults to develop healthy habits and a fitness-oriented lifestyle."
Just for kicks, Konami is also sponsoring a seminar at NAPE, the National Associate for Sports and Physical Education over at Cal State Chino, moderated by none other than Josh M. Trout (hey, someone's gotta know who he is, just not us). The presentation will highlight video games' role in helping kids stay fit and will teach kids about their bodies' physiological functions.
Which reminds us, some of the staff is starting to get a little soggy around the midsection. Time for more DDR!