Making a song for “Just Dance 2023”

An unadorned two-story workshop in East Paris. In front of the green-painted iron gate is a small garden table with plastic chairs and instead of bright headlights, the entrance is lit only by a rusty lamp with a light bulb. After this idyll in the backyard, people are all the more surprised to suddenly step into a professional film studio.

Lots of monitors, cables, cameras and of course spotlights, directed from floor to ceiling on a bright green stage on which a dancer is just dancing the Just Dance choreography to a new song.

The title and artist are still top secret – the song will not be released until 2023. “No recording devices, no social media” is announced by a sign at the entrance.

The online mode has been completely revised for the “2023 edition”, which was published on November 22. If you get tired of solo dancing, you can meet friends from all over the world through the interactive platform. Up to six people can let off steam at the same time, regardless of whether they are physically present or connected via the network.

40 songs are included in the base game, the online subscription offers access to 150 songs and a constantly growing pool of titles, including the one just produced here. So there is a good reason for the secrecy. Because the selection of the songs is almost a political matter and passionately discussed among the fans.

Loud community

“Our fan community is very vocal when it comes to submitting title requests,” says Creative Director Matthew Tomkinson. In addition, there are contacts with individual community members who are asked for input. But the song must of course be danceable. When the lyrics don’t deliver enough, the creators of “Just Dance” quickly make up their own story around the song.

“In the case of Dua Lipa’s song ‘Physical’, we just took the title and the vibe,” says Tomkinson. “The original is about seduction, but we wanted to emphasize the basic idea of ​​a fitness workout, because that’s what the game is all about.” There are also direct collaborations with artists. Singer Billie Eilish was also involved in the performance of “Anything I Do” as a creative director.

At the beginning of each production, the content and graphics that define the basic mood of the video are defined in a «mood map». Based on this, individual iconography, individual characters and individual choreography are developed for each «map», as the clips are called.

A process that takes weeks and is characterized by the constant creative exchange of all involved. If dancing is communication, it’s already in the DNA of «Just Dance». “The dancers are the artistic heart of the play”, emphasizes choreographer Estelle Manas. That’s why all the attention during production goes to them and their performance.

Just waving is not enough

The dancer is repeatedly interrupted because a certain movement doesn’t quite fit. Since “Just Dance” is all about precision, she can’t allow herself the slightest deviation. After all, the players later have to base their performance on themselves to collect points. Before the fans work up a sweat in front of the screen, there is a lot of sweating and crying in the studio.

In between individual takes, the dancer must be refitted and the costume adjusted. Any small crease in the fabric can cause problems when digitizing later. The green background is replaced with a digital image using greenscreen technology. The performance itself, on the other hand, cannot be replaced, but must be performed by real people, because only then can you generate the real dance vibe.

Where is the Rammsteinbahn?

With the new subscription model you save yourself the hassle of changing data carriers if you are looking for a number from a certain annual edition. The silver discs and modules can still be used, but unfortunately cannot be transferred to the online version. It will also not be possible to download single songs: it’s all or nothing. A price of just under CHF 25 for an annual subscription sounds reasonable. But there is still a lot of room for improvement, especially with songs that are a bit heavier. Linkin Park’s somewhat dour “Numb” doesn’t change that.

The chart for a Rammstein song probably wouldn’t fit very well in the mostly colorful and light-hearted ‘Just Dance’ world. “We believe that dancing can change people,” says senior producer Claire Bourgne. «Endorphins are released, you feel more comfortable with yourself and in dealing with others.

This physical effect extends down to the molecular level and helps you manage your life better.” That, one would argue, also applies to headbanging metal fans. But if the community is loud enough, the “Just Dance” creators could eventually make this dream come true.

Source: Watson