Did your family Thanksgiving celebration include a trio of grandmas dancing to Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road”? A solo act of a vampire rocking out to Elton John’s “Can You Feel the Love Tonight”? If not, you may want to get your hands on a copy of Make It Dance, Cost n’ Mayor’s new card game.
As the title implies, players are given a zany scenario and encouraged to make it dance. A well-known dancing duo boasting over 10 million followers across social media, Cost n’ Mayor created this interactive game to encourage dancers and nondancers to move, laugh, and earn a standing ovation (from the living room couch).
How to Play
For those of us who hate reading instructions, there is a scannable QR code provided in the box. It leads to an instructional video with everything you’ll need to know, starring Cost n’ Mayor themselves.
Each dancer is assigned a number—the game is made for four to 12 players. In each round, players take turns acting as dance captain in order of their numbers. During a turn, the dance captain draws a persona card, which dictates the character they’ll be channeling (think lion tamer, detective, race-car driver). Then, they pick a song card, which has a QR code that provides a clip of a familiar dancing song (“Fireball,” “Stayin’ Alive,” “Titanium”). Next, they choose a group card to determine if they’ll be dancing alone or with other dancers. Finally, they draw a dancer card to determine which player will serve as the judge—other audience members can weigh in, but the judge gets the final say in scoring.
Participants have two minutes on the clock to create the performance of a lifetime. Once their time is up, they dance and the judge deliberates. The score is written on a scoreboard with a dry-erase marker and the judge, according to the instructions, “holds it up for a big reveal, dance competition style!” The points go to the dance captain, and the winner is the player who ends with the highest score.
Will friendships suffer? Maybe. Will mimes dance to “Hips Don’t Lie”? Definitely. With countless combinations of personas, songs, and group members, Make It Dance is sure to have your family up on their feet (or down on the ground, doing the worm).
Dancers, you may especially love the stress-free, low-stakes nature of this game during a busy performance season. Nondancers, buckle in for a crash course in selling a performance. Regardless of your experience level, this game will convince you and your friends to Make It Dance.
