Just Dance 2014 Beginner Tips - Setup, Songs, and Party Play

This guide covers Just Dance 2014, Ubisoft’s dance/rhythm game for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. It focuses on getting a real session working: clearing space, choosing songs, reading the coach, matching controllers to the platform, and keeping a group moving without turning the room into chaos.

The basic rule is simple. Pick a song, mirror the on-screen dancer, and let the game score how well your movement matches the routine. The harder part is staying loose, watching the next cue, and making movements clear enough for your controller or camera to read.

The game is rated E10+ with lyrics and mild suggestive themes. For family or mixed-age sessions, preview unfamiliar songs and routines, especially if guests are sensitive to pop lyrics, hip movements, or playful stage gestures.

Essential Tips

1. Clear the Play Space First

Move tables, cords, bags, and loose rugs before anyone starts dancing. Just Dance 2014 routines can include side steps, arm swings, turns, and bigger gestures than a new player expects. A clean room prevents the common party-night problem where everyone is ready to play, then someone bumps a chair during the first chorus.

For multiplayer, stagger players instead of lining everyone shoulder to shoulder. Put taller players where their arms will not block others, and keep younger or less confident players close enough to see the screen clearly.

2. Check the Exact Controller Setup

Just Dance 2014 changes feel depending on the console. Wii and Wii U players use Wii Remotes, PlayStation 3 uses PlayStation Move, PlayStation 4 can use PlayStation Move or PlayStation Camera, and Xbox versions use Kinect. Xbox One can support more local players than several other versions, but only if the room and sensor setup cooperate.

Before guests arrive, test one full song with the controller setup you plan to use. Confirm batteries, straps, camera view, lighting, and player distance. A five-minute test saves a lot of menu confusion.

3. Watch the Coach More Than the Score

The scoring feedback can say X, OK, GOOD, or PERFECT, but staring at those labels during a routine usually makes your next move worse. Keep your eyes on the on-screen coach and use the small cue icons as a warning for what comes next.

After the song, use the score to decide what to practice. During the song, copy the big shapes: arm direction, body angle, step timing, and when the routine repeats.

4. Start With Familiar Tracks

The soundtrack mixes recent pop, older party songs, novelty picks, and regional or downloadable items depending on version and availability. Good beginner choices are familiar songs such as “Feel This Moment,” “Gentleman,” “Kiss You,” “I Will Survive,” “Pound The Alarm,” “Starships,” “She Wolf,” “Troublemaker,” and “Candy.”

A familiar beat gives beginners a rhythm anchor. Once the room understands timing, add stranger routines or songs with bigger performance moves.

5. Use the First Run as Recon

Do not treat the first attempt as the real score attempt. Use it to spot the chorus pattern, repeated hand shapes, turns, and any sections where the dancer switches sides quickly.

On the second run, clean up one repeated section instead of chasing every mistake. In a dance game, a solid chorus often matters more than one flashy move you only hit once.

6. Make Movements Clear, Not Wild

Motion scoring needs readable movement. Tiny wrist flicks can feel efficient, but they may not match the routine well. At the same time, huge uncontrolled moves can throw off timing and make local multiplayer unsafe.

Aim for clean lines, visible controller hands, steady steps, and consistent rhythm. If a camera is tracking you, stay in view. If a handheld controller is tracking you, avoid hiding that hand behind your body.

7. Use On Stage Mode for Performers

On Stage Mode is built around one lead dancer with backup dancers. Use it when someone in the group wants the spotlight, or when a confident player can carry the routine while others play supporting roles.

For casual groups, rotate the lead role. It keeps the session social and prevents one player from dominating every song choice. For shy groups, start with standard routines first, then bring out On Stage once everyone is warmed up.

8. Treat Just Sweat as a Session Tool

Just Sweat can track calories and supports workout-style play, but the number should be treated as a rough activity cue. The practical value is structure: it gives players a reason to build a playlist, keep moving, and notice how long they have been dancing.

For exercise-focused sessions, pick songs you can finish with good form. Repeating a medium routine cleanly is usually better than stumbling through the hardest option once.

9. Spend Mojocoins With a Goal

Mojocoins help unlock items such as Mashups, Dancer Card avatars, Alternate Routines, Battles, and other extras. If you are playing casually, unlock whatever keeps the group excited. If you are trying to improve, prioritize routines and modes that give you more ways to replay songs you like.

Do not worry about unlocking everything immediately. The core fun is still choosing music and dancing well enough to stay on beat.

10. Plan Around Local Play First

Just Dance 2014 originally included connected features such as World Dance Floor, Just Dance TV, AutoDance sharing, leaderboards, community updates, and online party behavior on supported platforms. Because this is a legacy release, those features may be unavailable or inconsistent today.

Build the night around disc songs, local scoring, local multiplayer, On Stage, and Just Sweat. If an online menu works on your console, treat it as a bonus after you have tested it.

11. Be Careful With Downloadable Songs

Some songs and routines were tied to downloadable content, promotions, or platform storefronts. Older console shops have changed or closed, so a song you remember from one copy may not be obtainable on another.

Before promising a specific track, check the actual console and account. For a party, make a setlist from songs already visible in your game rather than relying on store access.

12. Rotate Players Before Fatigue Sets In

Just Dance works best when people can jump in and out. Rotate dancers every song or every two songs, especially in mixed-skill groups. Let one person pick the track, another take the lead role, and another rest.

If the group is playing for laughs, keep moving through songs. If the group is playing for scores, choose one routine and repeat it with short breaks.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Do not start in a cluttered room - Give every player enough space to step, turn, and raise arms safely.

2. Do not assume every console controls the same way - Check your camera, motion controller, microphone, and player-count limits before play.

3. Do not stare at feedback labels mid-song - Watch the coach and cue icons so you are ready for the next move.

4. Do not choose only the fastest songs first - Start with familiar tracks that teach timing and confidence.

5. Do not quit after one messy attempt - Use the first run to learn the routine, then replay with a clearer focus.

6. Do not move too small for the sensor - Make motions visible while staying controlled and on beat.

7. Do not leave one player in the spotlight all night - Rotate On Stage leads and song choices to keep the room involved.

8. Do not treat calories as precise fitness data - Use Just Sweat as a broad activity tracker and playlist helper.

9. Do not count on old online features without testing - Connected modes and sharing features may not be available today.

10. Do not promise downloadable songs blindly - Storefront closures and platform differences can change what a copy can access.

Summary

Category	Top Tip
Space	Clear the room and stagger players before the first song
Controllers	Test the exact console setup before a group session
Scoring	Watch the coach first and feedback second
Songs	Begin with familiar music, then widen the setlist
Practice	Use the first run to learn repeated sections
On Stage	Rotate the lead role so everyone gets involved
Just Sweat	Treat calories as a rough activity cue
Unlocks	Spend Mojocoins on routines and extras you will use
Online	Plan around local play and test connected menus separately
DLC	Build setlists from songs already available on your copy