Yellowknife (Oct 11/06) - Pounding dance music pours from the Capitol Theatre's only video game.

Two kids standing on an elevated platform face the machine, their feet moving at a blinding pace while they try to keep up with the flashing red and blue squares.

Kevin Grinsted (left) takes on Jesse Tremblay in the Capitol Theatre's Dance Dance Revolution tournament, held Monday. - Jason Unrau/NNSL photo

For the uninitiated, this may seem a scene from the future. For those who competed in the theatre's Dance Dance Revolution tournament Monday, the future is here and it's all about putting your foot down.

"I like the music and the dancing," said Kevin Grinsted of why he plays Dance Dance Revolution, the video game that's swept the planet.

First introduced by Japanese game makers Konami in 1998, players are prompted by directions scrolling up the screen and step on the corresponding flashing arrows to score points. The more correct moves one successfully completes and the faster the song, the higher the score.

"I discovered it when I was in Edmonton," said Julie Popoff, who practises two or three times a week. "I've played this for about two years but lately I haven't had much time because of school."

But the Thanksgiving holiday tournament provided little excuse for Popoff not to bust a move along with the rest of Yellowknife's Dance Dance Revolutionaries.

"Practice and paying attention" are Grinsted's secrets for success. "Don't take your eyes off it."

And his mom Janet enjoys keeping an eye on her son's lightening fast feet.

"Watching the kids is fun," she said, countering the negative perception of video games. "Anything that requires a level of discipline and practice is going to have benefits both mentally and physically.

"I read a story of a woman who lost 150 pounds doing this," said Ida LeBlanc, another mother who stopped in to catch her daughter Samantha compete. "Nothing worked for this woman except the game."

And with her own home version, Samantha was providing some stiff completion for Grinsted. According to her mother, Samantha often practises until the wee hours.

Fellow competitor Lynn Gresl talks about the day she discovered the game during a family holiday.

"The first time I fell off and made a fool of myself," said Gresl, who with the generous support of her dad, began the journey towards dance dance mastery. "That holiday I spent about $20 a day. My dad was wondering where the money was going."