Tips for a Beautiful Wedding Dance
Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!
And congratulations on wanting to make the
most out
of your first dance.
We’ve all seen this at weddings:
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The first dance is announced.
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The bride and groom shuffle to the dance
floor, looking embarrassed.
-
As the music starts, they lean on each
other
like limp rags and shuffle back
and forth.
-
It seems like an eternity later as their
song draws to a close, and the guests
have lost interest.
-
As the music ends, the couple looks
uneasy
at how to proceed.
You can avoid the monotonous wedding dance
by having a plan. Having a plan can be
as compli-
cated as memorizing intricate
choreography, or
as simple as a little
practice.
Your wedding dance is one of the first joint
under-takings you make as husband and wife.
It is not only a beautiful expression of the
love you share, but it embodies the key
element of marriage -- teamwork.
Here are some tips to making that teamwork
pay
off for a beautiful dance you and your
guests will always remember.
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Pick Your Song Carefully
When you choose your song, you will of
course want to pick a song with meaning to
you and your fiancée. But there are other
things to take into consideration if you are
planning on a special dance.
-
The First is the Beat. Is it
actually a song
you can dance to? Some beautiful
songs
were not really recorded for
dancing.
Typical dances used at weddings are
Night Club Two-Step (for contemporary
ballads), Swing, Waltz, and Foxtrot (Big
Band,
Frank Sinatra, etc.).
Your dance instructor can help you
choose
a song and a dance that go
together.
-
The Second is the Length. While
you may
love the song "Stairway to
Heaven," your
guests will have
revisited the bar and started talking
amongst themselves long before its
8-minute conclusion.
You can choose a shorter song, have the
DJ fade your song out before it’s over,
or have
the DJ cut you a shorter version
to play for
your dance. Keeping it
to 2-3 minutes is a
good plan.
-
Plan
a Beginning and an End
Dance professionals call this an entrance
and
an exit. Having this planned can make
you much more at ease during this spotlight
moment.
Think about how you will enter the dance
floor. On each other’s arm? Will
you walk on before or after the music starts? Will you
meet in the middle?
How will you end your dance … with a kiss?
Plan how you will segue into the next
activity.
-
Start Well in Advance
Performing a choreographed wedding dance is
a new skill, even if you already dance a
bit.
Be sure to allow yourself time to feel comfortable
with your dance steps.
Most couples getting ready for a wedding
will need several private lessons, usually
taken a week apart. Allow for this
time, and time to practice.
Remember that as your wedding date
approaches, you’ll be extremely busy with
family and last-minute arrangements.
Practicing your dance will be hard to fit
in.
Start early by calling a dance instructor
now.
-
Have Fun
Practicing!
In between your lessons, be sure to practice
your new dance skills. This is a great
time to get used to working as a team.
Learning something new can be stressful,
though, especially under all the other
pressures you may be feeling as you plan
your wedding.
So, as you practice, remember why you are
choosing to share this dance. Remember
how much you are in love, and have fun
together!
If possible, you’ll want to practice in the
shoes you’ll be wearing on your wedding day.
If you will be wearing a full skirt,
practice while wearing the petticoat … a big
skirt can feel different to the bride and
the groom, and getting used to it will make
you more confident.
-
Talk to Your DJ and Photographer
M ake sure your DJ and photographer know
what
you’re up to! The DJ will need to know
how you will enter and exit your dance so
they can cue the music accordingly.
If you have a special CD cut, bring more
than
one copy with you. Get the DJ to
try it on his equipment prior to the wedding
to make sure
it plays OK.
Photographers are used to couples standing
still and swaying in the middle of the
floor.
If you plan more than this, be
sure they know
so they can catch all the
important moments
of your dance.
-
Some Parting Thoughts . . .
Your dance, no matter what you do, will be a
beautiful expression of your love, and a
great symbol of your future life together.
Your guests will love anything you do, and
they will be impressed by any extra effort you make.
They love you and are predisposed to be
happy for you on your wedding day.
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We Have
Not Chosen a Song for Our First
Dance Yet. Can You Help Us?
Yes, we have
hundreds of songs
appropriate for
use as a first dance. They
are categorized by
type
of dance (foxtrots,
waltzes, rumbas, etc.).
We can help you choose a song which is
appropriate for the occasion, and meaningful
to you as a couple, and then teach you to
dance to it.
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We
Have Chosen our Song.
How Do We
Now Learn to Dance to it?
After you tell us your song, or play it for
us,
we will determine which dance is
appropriate
for it, and choreograph the
appropriate steps.
We will then teach you everything you need
to know to perform at your reception:
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How the man should lead his bride onto
the dance floor
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How
to signal the DJ
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How
to find the beat in the music
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How
to take dance hold
-
How
to dance the steps with style and grace
-
How
and when to end the dance
-
How
to acknowledge and play with the
audience
-
How
to dip the lady and escort her off
the dance floor
-
How
to respond to the applause.
-
How Long Will It Take Us to Learn to
Dance?
If your goal is to simply to be able to
dance to your song, most couples take from
three to five private lessons to master
this, although you will be able to dance
after just one lesson.
If you would like to be able to dance to the
other songs that will be played throughout
the evening, we offer inexpensive group
classes each week that teach the basics of
different dances. Some couples find
that this type of instruction is all they
need to master the first dance.
-
We've Left This for
the Last Minute. Can You Still
Teach Us to Dance in Time for the
Wedding?
Yes, we can arrange emergency sessions for
you! We teach six days a week so we'll be
able to at least give you the basics to do a
presentable job!
We realize the many demands that the couple
has on their time in the days before a
wedding,
so we keep it simple and fun!
-
Can I Really Learn to Dance?
Yes. If you can walk, you can dance.
We've been teaching couples to dance for
years, and we have yet to find a couple who
couldn't learn.
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Will I Have to Sign a Contract?
No. We are glad to teach you on a
pay-as-you-go basis, or, at the students'
request, arrange for a package price. The
number of lessons a couple takes is entirely
up to them and what they feel comfortable
with.
Our lesson fees are very reasonable, and
there is never any pressure put on the
students whatsoever.
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Will I Have a Good Teacher?
Our instructors have been teaching wedding
couples for many years and are very
experienced in every facet of the wedding
dance preparation.
Many of our happy couples have sent us
letters of thanks and sometimes pictures of
their performance!
Many of our students come to us from word of
mouth from a continually growing list of
satisfied customers.
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What Dances Do You Teach?
Although most couples dance a Foxtrot or a
Waltz for their first dance, we can also
teach you any other Ballroom or Latin dance:
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Cha Cha
-
Swing
-
Tango
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Rumba
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Salsa
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Polka
-
Merengue
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Quickstep
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Hustle
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Bolero
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Mambo
-
Viennese Waltz
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Paso Doble
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Two Step
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And Many Others
We also offer group classes in all of these
dances.
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My Parents (or Friends) Also Want to
Learn to Dance for my Wedding. Can
You Accommodate Them?
Yes.
They are welcome to take either the
group classes or private lessons with you or
by themselves. We can arrange special
classes for any members of your bridal party
or reception guests. |
