Phygital Dancing

Introducing Phygital Dancing

Phygital Dancing is a dynamic competitive discipline that blends cutting-edge technology with live performance. Competitors replicate on-screen choreography while in-game algorithms evaluate their accuracy, style, and rhythm. It's a test of stamina and concentration – but fun to do and watch.

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Phygital Dancing at the Games of the Future 2026

How Phygital Dancing works

Athletes go head to head on Just Dance, copying on-screen dance routines with a motion controller. Every match is one-on-one and played as best of three tracks.

Group stage

Sixteen athletes are drawn at random into four groups of four.

In each group athletes are paired for two opening matches and compete against each other in a best-of-three format.

The two winners play each other, and the winner of that match goes straight into the quarterfinals.

The two losers also play each other, and the loser of that match – now on two losses – is knocked out.

The two remaining athletes in each group – each with one win and one loss – play a deciding match against an athlete from another group. The winners also reach the quarterfinals.

Playoffs

The eight quarterfinalists enter a double-elimination bracket. An athlete's first loss drops them into the lower bracket, and a second loss sees them eliminated.

Participants

Athletes must be 16 or older to compete.

Track Selection Process

Before each match, athletes receive five tracks drawn at random from the official pool. A coin toss decides who goes first.

Bans : The coin-toss winner bans one track, then the other athlete bans one.

Picks : The coin-toss winner picks the first track to be played, then the other athlete picks the second.

Decider : The remaining track is played third, if needed.

How the winner is decided

Athletes dance with a Joy-Con controller in hand, which measures how accurately they copy the moves shown on screen. Points are scored for each move performed correctly, and the athlete with the higher score wins the track. The first athlete to win two tracks wins the match.