This Incredible ARKit App Will Teach You How to Dance

Apple’s ARKit is already proving to be a powerful toolset for app developers, as we’ve seen in recent examples. And while some ARKit-powered apps are solidly in the novelty category, there are others that have definite real-world practicality.

In the latter category, an upcoming app called Dance Reality could help you become a better dancer. Created by two salsa-loving app developers, Dance Reality cleverly uses ARKit to give users augmented reality dance lessons — all from their mobile device. The app works by “placing” virtual footprints on the ground to aid would-be dancers in learning foot placement while staying on beat. For absolute beginners, the app can even be slowed down so users can easily get the hang of where to place their feet. You can view a video of the app in action below.

Of course, the developers were the first to point out that the app isn’t necessarily meant to be a substitute for a good dance teacher. “This approach covers foot placement as well as staying on the beat, but not partnering figures, posture, or styling,” developer Andy Albani wrote on Product Hunt. “We’re including instructional videos with each step, but the app can’t beat in-person dance lessons and is meant to help practice between classes instead.”

Still, it’s a cool use of Apple’s augmented reality platform, and more than that, it hints at the sheer number of possibilities that the development toolset can foster, ranging from the novel to the strictly pragmatic. It’s also worth noting that ARKit apps haven’t even officially launched yet — they’ll do so in the fall alongside the public release of iOS 11. In spite of that, we’re already seeing developers making good use of the newly unveiled toolkit.

If Dance Reality has piqued your interest, and you’ve got an iPhone with an iOS 11 beta installed, Albani added that beta testing for the app begins this week — which you can sign up for or find more information about here.