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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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