Preparing for Your Wedding Dance
Your first dance is a special moment that you will cherish forever and there is nothing more magical than a couple connecting through dance. To fully prepare for this special dance so that you can relax and enjoy the process, there are a few things to keep in mind. In this post, I will be going over what you can expect and what to consider when it comes to preparing for your first dance.
Many couples underestimate how much time they should set aside to properly prepare for their wedding dance. In my experience, couples wait too long and this leaves them feeling overwhelmed. Learning to dance with another person takes more time and effort than you might think. I recommend couples start looking into local dance studios roughly 9 months to a year in advance. Even if you don’t start your lessons right away, at least you have a plan on when you need to start and can check it off your list.
During Your Wedding Dance Consultation
Nearly every dance studio will start the process with a consultation. Usually, the consultation is free and will give you an opportunity to get a feel for the studio. This will also give the studio director or instructor an opportunity to better understand your vision for your first dance. Below is a list of questions you may be asked during the consultation.
1. Have you chosen a song? If so, they may pull it up if they aren’t familiar. The song you choose will determine the dance you will learn. However, most wedding songs fall into the Nightclub Two Step category. Check out this blog post to learn more about Nightclub Two Step: https://justdanzehouston.com/nightclub-two-step-for-beginners/
Keep in mind that it’s okay if you haven’t decided on a song yet. If you need help, ask because dance teachers know a lot of beautiful wedding songs and may be able to help you settle on one.
2. What’s your vision for this dance? This is an important question because it will help determine how many lessons you may need and what type of choreography to prepare for you.
a. Are you looking for an elaborately choreographed dance from beginning to end?
b. Are you looking to do something unique and fun? Maybe you want to start out with a slow, romantic song, then it changes to something upbeat and fun.
c. Are you just hoping to not step on each other’s toes and do more than the junior high sway?
d. Are you wanting to learn how to social dance as well, so that you can be on the dance floor all night?
Whatever your goals may be, these are a few questions you’ll want to ask yourself to figure out what type of dance you see yourselves doing for this special day.
3. Lastly, do you or your fiancé have any dance experience? This will also help determine how soon you should start your lessons. If only one or neither of you have any experience, it’s recommended to give yourselves AT LEAST 6 months to learn how to dance. It’s a dancer’s job to make dancing look easy, but trust me when I say, it’s not! It takes time, practice, and patience to learn how to dance!
Before Your Wedding Dance Lessons
Before you begin your dance lessons with your instructor, its important to decide on which song(s) you want to dance to, that way when you go in for your lesson you don’t waste any time and can get right to work. As mentioned earlier, once the song has been chosen, your instructor will be able to identify which dance style will make the most sense.
Next, you want to keep in mind that most songs are between 3 to 4 minutes long, however, that would be a really long dance! I would recommend having the song cut or instruct your D.J. to fade it out at a certain point so that you are only dancing for 2-2:30 minutes. I always tell my wedding couples that professional dancers don’t even dance longer than 2:30 minutes in a performance! Lastly, make sure to bring your wedding shoes to your lessons, or something very similar so that you can get comfortable dancing in them. Ladies, you will be on your feet basically ALL day, so you may even consider wearing a different pair for your dance and reception. Whichever you choose, make sure to spend plenty of time practicing in the shoes you will be wearing for your dance!
During Your Dance Lessons
Taking dance lessons is a win-win; not only are you preparing for your first dance, but it also makes for a great date night! Most likely, this will be the first time you and your fiancé learn a new skill together.
My advice to you is to be patient with each other; Everyone learns a little differently and at their own pace, so make sure to be supportive and encouraging throughout the process. The choreography your instructor will teach you will depend on a few different factors – how much time you can put into the lessons, your experience and ability, and of course, your vision. Always remember, this is YOUR special dance, and your instructor wants to create something that you will love and cherish forever, so make sure you give feedback and have open communication throughout the process.
Tips For Your BIG day
The day you have been anticipating is finally here and everything has come together. Now is the time to sit back, relax, and enjoy the day. Try not to let the little things upset you or stress you out today; At the end of the day, you will be married and ready to start this new chapter in your lives! As far as your dance goes, make sure that someone communicates to the D.J. to triple-check that they have your music and that it plays properly. When it’s time for your dance, the D.J. needs to make sure the system is already turned up upon hitting play – not after they hit play. Waiting to turn up the music can result in you not hearing the beginning of the song and could potentially put you off to a rough start. However, no matter what hiccups may get thrown your way in the dance, keep going and enjoy the moment. One thing to always remember is no one knows your routine, so if you make a mistake, they will never know if you don’t tell them 😊
Thank you for reading this post and I hope you are inspired to start on your dancing journey today!
