Just Dance: Decades of Hits Out Now – Choreography Director Talks About A Musical Journey Through Dance
Summary
- Just Dance: Decades of Hits is out now for XBOX Series X|S
- The game offers bespoke choreography for hit songs from the ‘70s to present day, making sure there’s something for everyone on a musical journey through the eras
- Choreography Director Estelle Manas shares her insights about designing dance moves that took players on a journey through the ages as much as the tracklist
Just Dance: Decades of Hits is out now for XBOX Series X|S, bringing the hottest hits from different musical eras to one dance floor. Perfect for any game night or party, up to six people can dance locally, using their phones as controllers. Those grooving solo can enjoy the new Adventure mode and its narrative journey, in which you follow Dr. Gigavolt’s daughter Lyra in a playful adventure across six themed worlds to rescue her father. However you play, with hits for every generation from the ’70s to present day, there’s something for everyone.
Some of the songs included in Just Dance: Decades of Hits are:
- “Mamma Mia” by ABBA
- “Uptown Girl” by Billy Joel
- “Wannabe” by Spice Girls
- “Stronger” by Britney Spears
- “Turn Down for What” by DJ Snake & Lil Jon
- “HOT TO GO!” By Chappell Roan
The music in Just Dance: Decades of Hits is designed to take players on a musical journey through the generations through dance. We spoke to Choreography Director Estelle Manas, who gave insights on how music and choreography have evolved over the years and how Just Dance: Decades of Hits takes you on a journey through movement as well as song.
How has dance and choreography evolved through the decades, from the ’70s to now?
Estelle Manas: What’s fascinating about exploring several decades is seeing just how much dance reflects its era.
In the ’70s, you find a lot of simple movements that anyone can easily reproduce while adding their own personal touch. In a rather festive, even flamboyant spirit, it’s not about perfection, but rather about style and groove.
In the ’80s, dance became an integral part of the musical universe because it was everywhere – on TV shows, in music videos, at concerts. With the arrival of hip-hop and pop, dance styles really asserted themselves and aligned with their associated musical genres. You can clearly see the differences in energy and movement quality; everyone expressed their personality through dance. Through her moves, Madonna expressed a female freedom that broke the rules. In “Jump,” we wanted to capture the extravagant and sexy side of rockstars.
Then, over the decades, styles became increasingly varied and influences blended together, bringing in Dancehall, K-Pop, New Style, Street Jazz… Choreography became a true visual language, a means of expression, a space for freedom, and a way to assert oneself.
It’s exactly this richness that makes traveling through the decades so fun and rewarding to choreograph.
How does Just Dance: Decades of Hits take players on a journey through different musical eras through movement?
EM: We wanted every decade to stand out, not just through the music, but through the overall aesthetics, the costumes, and of course, the choreography.
Every era has its own unique codes, references, and attitude, so movement allows us to tell the story of that specific time.
We loved digging into the research, watching old music videos and TV shows, to ensure we stayed authentic while capturing a feeling of joyful nostalgia.
Ultimately, the goal was to capture the essence of those different styles and translate them into the Just Dance language.
This way, as players transition from one song to the next, they can truly feel the atmosphere and the dance styles evolve. It’s almost like time traveling, but through dance.
Just Dance: Decades of Hits is a game where there’s something for every generation. What was it like creating choreography that would appeal and be accessible to kids, grandparents, and everyone in between?
EM: Being accessible to as many people as possible and meeting our players’ diverse goals is at the heart of everything we do. One of Just Dance’s greatest strengths is bringing multiple generations together through a single game.
We design intuitive choreographies that anyone can jump into right away, regardless of age or skill level, because togetherness and fun come first. For players looking to push themselves further, we also offer intermediate to extreme difficulty levels.
Beyond difficulty, we strive for rich variety in characters, worlds, dance styles, and emotions so everyone feels seen and welcome. We even include seated choreographies, so players with limited mobility can fully join the fun.
Were there any surprising challenges to creating choreography for the game?
EM: Our ongoing challenge, after so many years and songs, is to keep pushing the boundaries of choreographic diversity. We continuously reinvent ourselves by creating unique characters and distinct worlds for every single track.
Our greatest strength lies in our extraordinary team of choreographers and dancers. Coming from rich and varied backgrounds, each brings a distinct style, technical mastery, and theatrical flair to the project.
This year, we took that creativity even further by choreographing a map featuring five coaches for the very first time!
Is there a song you’re most excited for players to experience?
EM: There are several! I love them all, and they are each unique and fun.
But if I had to pick just one, it would be “Wannabe.” It was such a pleasure creating that choreography, directing the dancers to bring out each Spice Girl’s unique character and energy! It makes you want to play as every single one of the five coaches!
Play Just Dance: Decades of Hits on XBOX Series X|S today!
Just Dance: Decades of Hits
Ubisoft
The post Just Dance: Decades of Hits Out Now – Choreography Director Talks About A Musical Journey Through Dance appeared first on XBOX Wire.
source https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2026/10/13/just-dance-decades-of-hits-choreography/
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