Wedding Dance Secrets to Success
I’m sure you’ve seen it … the first dance is announced and the bride and groom shuffle on to the dance floor. As the music starts, all eyes, and cameras, are on them as they sway there, looking about as graceful and entertaining, as a bag of cabbages. Cringe…
The not-so-surprising secret to avoiding such a disaster is to have a plan. Your wedding dance is your chance in the spotlight to surprise and delight your guests so your planning efforts will be well rewarded.
Your plan need not be complicated – just break your wedding dance into three stages and prepare for each. Stage one: entering the dance floor; Stage two: performing your dance; and of course, Stage three: ending your dance and exiting the floor.
How complicated you choose to make these stages is up to you. Read on, to discover the planning secrets that will ensure your first dance as a married couple is greeted with cheers and delight by your friends and family.
STAGE 1 – Entering the Dance Floor
If you have spent considerable effort learning your wedding dance the last thing you want is for your guests to enter the dance floor before you have finished your routine.
Secret Tip 1: Give your MC or DJ a written speech that will set the scene, clear the floor and keep it clear. “Ladies and gentlemen could you please clear the dance floor as the bride and groom will now perform their first dance as a married couple. I suggest you grab your cameras as they have prepared something extra special that I’m sure will surprise and delight you.”
Choreograph your entry onto the floor so you k now exactly how, and from where, in the room you will enter the dance floor. You might even like to visit your reception venue and have a trial run.
Secret Tip 2: Plan to cut your cake immediately before you perform your wedding dance. After the cake has been symbolically cut and photos taken, the groom can guide the bride onto the dance floor holding his right arm high, palm down and the bride rests her left arm on top, displaying her sparkling wedding ring. If you unsure about how to enter the dance floor, ask your dance teacher to prepare something for you or use one of the dance beginnings presented on a quality wedding dance DVD.
STAGE 2 – Performing your dance
Your bridal dance will be something the two of you will probably remember forever, unlike the flowers, the cake and the table decorations. Also remember that this moment will be watched by all your friends and relatives and captured on video, so learn a choreographed routine from a professional.
Look around for a local dance studio and ask if they offer wedding dance packages. Dance packages are usually offered in packages of 3-24 lessons. The number of lessons you need will depend on how complicated a routine you would like and how coordinated you are. Studio lessons cost about $80 per lesson.
Secret Tip 3: If you can’t afford private lessons at a studio, look around for group classes (high schools, and community centers sometimes offer courses). Or, buy an instructional DVD – learn at home and avoid the worry of looking awkward in front of others. Learn Your Wedding Dance DVD is an Australian made new release now available online for $29.95.
Secret Tip 4: No matter how you learn your dance – practice until you know your routine well and then practice in public. Local clubs often hold dance nights. Go along and practice in public to build your confidence. It’s also fun.
STAGE 3 – End your dance in style
The ending of your wedding dance is the perfect moment for your photographer, videographer and guests to capture a stunning pose of you on film.
Secret Tip 5: Have your dance teacher choreograph a special ending for your wedding dance that lends itself to photography. The dance ending can also be a romantic statement and if you are using the Learn Your Wedding Dance DVD you will find three beautiful and romantic choreographed endings to choose from.
Secret Tip 4: Less is more. Don’t feel you have to dance for the entire song. Only dance for about 2 minutes and then have your DJ fade your music after you perform your ending moves. It’s better to perform five confident moves in a routine and leave your guests cheering for more.
After you have performed your first dance routine you might like to leave the dance floor arm in arm have your MC invite all your guests to join you for the next dance.
Partner dancing may be a new skill for you as a couple, however it can be something you can enjoy together for the rest of your lives. Dancing is fun, sexy, relationship building and will keep you fit. Make the effort to learn to dance for your wedding and you will reap the rewards for your first dance together as a married couple and beyond.
Jennifer
East Coast Entertainment