diff --git a/stepmania/src/Player.cpp b/stepmania/src/Player.cpp
index 574f296e3d..e554cf2af3 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Player.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/Player.cpp
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ void Player::Init(
 
 void Player::Load( const NoteData& noteData )
 {
-	m_iDCState = AS2D_IDLE;
+	m_LastTapNoteScore = TNS_NONE;
 
 	m_iRowLastCrossed = BeatToNoteRowNotRounded( GAMESTATE->m_fSongBeat ) - 1;	// why this?
 	m_iMineRowLastCrossed = BeatToNoteRowNotRounded( GAMESTATE->m_fSongBeat ) - 1;	// why this?
@@ -911,16 +911,7 @@ void Player::Step( int col, const RageTimer &tm )
 				OnRowCompletelyJudged( iIndexOverlappingNote );
 		}
 
-		if( score == TNS_MISS || score == TNS_BOO )
-			m_iDCState = AS2D_MISS;
-		else if( score == TNS_GOOD || score == TNS_GREAT )
-			m_iDCState = AS2D_GOOD;
-		else if( score == TNS_PERFECT || score == TNS_MARVELOUS )
-		{
-			m_iDCState = AS2D_GREAT;
-			if( m_pLifeMeter && m_pLifeMeter->GetLife() == 1.0f) // full life
-				m_iDCState = AS2D_FEVER; // super celebrate time :)
-		}
+		m_LastTapNoteScore = score;
 	}
 
 	if( m_pNoteField )
@@ -1205,8 +1196,8 @@ void Player::HandleTapRowScore( unsigned row )
 
 	case TNS_MISS:
 		++iCurMissCombo;
-		m_iDCState = AS2D_MISS; // update dancing 2d characters that may have missed a note
-	
+		m_LastTapNoteScore = TNS_MISS;
+
 	case TNS_GOOD:
 	case TNS_BOO:
 		if( iCurCombo > 50 )
diff --git a/stepmania/src/Player.h b/stepmania/src/Player.h
index f48f76c6ee..68d5279e5e 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Player.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/Player.h
@@ -48,8 +48,7 @@ public:
 	void Step( int col, const RageTimer &tm );
 	void RandomizeNotes( int iNoteRow );
 	void FadeToFail();
-	int GetDancingCharacterState() const { return m_iDCState; };
-	void SetCharacterState(int iDCState) { m_iDCState = iDCState; };
+	TapNoteScore GetLastTapNoteScore() const { return m_LastTapNoteScore; }
 	void ApplyWaitingTransforms();
 
 	static float GetMaxStepDistanceSeconds();
@@ -87,7 +86,7 @@ protected:
 
 	AttackDisplay	m_AttackDisplay;
 
-	int m_iDCState;
+	TapNoteScore		m_LastTapNoteScore;
 	LifeMeter*			m_pLifeMeter;
 	CombinedLifeMeter*	m_pCombinedLifeMeter;
 	ScoreDisplay*		m_pScoreDisplay;
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ScreenGameplay.cpp b/stepmania/src/ScreenGameplay.cpp
index ad5ec79870..f343a75af1 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ScreenGameplay.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/ScreenGameplay.cpp
@@ -1458,7 +1458,27 @@ void ScreenGameplay::Update( float fDeltaTime )
 		{
 			DancingCharacters *pCharacter = m_Background.GetDancingCharacters();
 			if( pCharacter != NULL )
-				pCharacter->Change2DAnimState( p, m_Player[p].GetDancingCharacterState() );
+			{
+				TapNoteScore tns = m_Player[p].GetLastTapNoteScore();
+				
+				ANIM_STATES_2D StateMap[NUM_TAP_NOTE_SCORES] =
+				{
+					AS2D_MISS, /* TNS_NONE (shouldn't happen) */
+					AS2D_MISS, /* TNS_HIT_MINE (shouldn't happen) */
+					AS2D_MISS, /* TNS_MISS */
+					AS2D_MISS, /* TNS_BOO */
+					AS2D_GOOD, /* TNS_GOOD */
+					AS2D_GOOD, /* TNS_GREAT */
+					AS2D_GREAT, /* TNS_PERFECT */
+					AS2D_GREAT /* TNS_MARVELOUS */
+				};
+
+				ANIM_STATES_2D state = StateMap[tns];
+				if( state == AS2D_GREAT && m_pLifeMeter[p] && m_pLifeMeter[p]->GetLife() == 1.0f ) // full life
+					state = AS2D_FEVER;
+
+				pCharacter->Change2DAnimState( p, state );
+			}
 		}
 
 		//