[Roger]

Adafruit's tutorials are the way to go.

If you haven't used an Arduino before, it's C, but they hide main(). You use setup() once to set up, then loop() for every loop. Make sure you download the LED libraries (Adafruit will point you the way) and put them in the Arduino \libraries. The LED library has examples of simple code to give you an idea how to light up.

Hardware tip: If you power the LEDs separate from the Arduino, make sure you run a ground wire between the two. Otherwise it'll be exciting lighting but not remotely what you want. (It won't ruin them, btw.)

Software tip: I forget the exact command, but if you're using Adafruit's library, if you don't do ".show" before the end of loop() the LEDs won't update.