Practice switch apparatus

A practice platform, comprising:

• a user interface surface structured to be visually representative of a user interface surface of a commercially available dance platform of the type used in machine dance activity and including a plurality of electrical switches distributed among nine tiles that are disposed in an orthogonal arrangement consisting of three columns and three rows, with only three tiles in each column and row, said switches being disposed for individual activation by foot placements of a user stepping upon a selected tile of the user interface surface of said dance platform;
• said practice platform carrying an arrow-shaped insignia that is arranged in its entirety to point in a single direction;
• wherein:
• said practice platform is electrically inert such that said practice platform is structured and arranged to resist actuation of one or more electrical switch caused by said foot placements, whereby to avoid creating an electrical output that may be used by a game controller to evaluate a performance of a user of said practice platform.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a user interface surface structured to be visually representative of an activation surface of a commercially available dance platform of the type including a plurality of foot-actuated electrical switches;
• said user interface being structured to indicate nine tiles that are disposed in an orthogonal arrangement comprising three columns and three rows, with only three tiles in each column and row, individual ones of said tiles being sized and disposed to receive foot placements of a user stepping upon a defined tile area, the middle tile in a first row carrying an arrow-shaped insignia arranged to indicate an “up” direction, the middle tile in a first column carrying an arrow-shaped insignia arranged to indicate a “left” direction, the middle tile in a third row carrying an arrow-shaped insignia arranged to indicate a “down” direction, and the middle tile in a third column carrying an arrow-shaped insignia arranged to indicate a “right” direction, each said arrow-shaped insignia being a distinct entity defined entirely within the boundary that defines a respective tile;
• and
• wherein said user interface is structured and arranged to resist completion of an electrically conductive path caused by said foot placements.