It’s that time of year again! Geeksdanz will once again be presenting panels at Tekko 2016!

The convention runs from Thursday April 7 through Sunday April 10th at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Here’s the rundown on our panels this year:

• An Artist’s Views on the ‘Games-as-Art’ Debate – Join artistic director Ellen Deutsch and video game enthusiast Joshua Stafford as they discuss their views on the debate over whether video games should be considered “art.” What makes a game feel “artistic,” and where and how might video games fit into the art world? We want your opinions! Friday from 12:30 to 1:30 pm as part of Tekko Gakkou!
• Para Para Fitness! – Rock out to a selection of J-Pop and Eurobeat as you learn phrases from their official dances in this Zumba-style cardio class! Para Para is great for stamina and coordination as well as rhythm. Get a cardio workout that’s actually fun! Saturday from 9:30 to 10:30 am in Panel Room 6!
• Artsy Anime: A Primer – Looking for an anime with a little more meat on its bones? Tired of the same old spectacle shows? Join Ellen Deutsch as she discusses some of her favorite “artsy” anime. She’ll discuss “artsy” qualities to look for, and provide examples of some good starter series. Sunday from 9:00 to 10:00 am in Panel Room 3!

In addition, friend and co-panelist Joshua Stafford will be running two panels about martial arts:

• Japanese Weapons Fact & Fiction – Join martial artists Joshua Stafford and Marc Jeray as they discuss how Japanese weapons are portrayed in movies and anime. Which aspects of weapons are accurately represented, which are modified for story’s sake, and which are just completely made up? Saturday from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm in Panel Room 6!
• An Introduction to Iaijutsu, or How To Wield A Katana – Martial artists Joshua Stafford and Marc Jeray will introduce you to the traditional samurai art of Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Iaijutsu. The history, philosophy, and techniques of Iaijutsu will be discussed, and Josh and Marc will demonstrate how an Eishin Ryu Iaidoka wields his katana. Saturday from 8:00 to 9:30 pm in Panel Room 6!

If you’re attending the convention, drop by and say hi! More info on the convention can be found on their website here.