5 Tips for A Winning
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: The first dance is announced. 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
complicated as memorizing intricate choreography, or as simple as a
little practice. Your wedding dance is one of the first joint
undertakings you make as husband and wife. It is not only a beautiful
expression of the love you share, but 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.
-
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, 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 “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
Make 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 be impressed by any extra
effort you make. They love you and are pre-disposed to be happy for
you on your wedding day. So bring joy and love into your dance,
don’t sweat the small stuff, and enjoy it all!
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