Music & Dance Tips for Brides & Grooms

Congratulations on your decision
to spend your life with the one you love!

Following are several tips
which may further enhance your big day.

If you'd like help preparing for a romantic, photogenic, and impressive first dance together, please consider joining our dance classes.

Dance classes starting soon

This advice is based on dance instructors’ many years of experience preparing couples for their wedding reception and "First Dance". These tips will save you time and potential embarrassment. Take this advice and you will have a wonderful First Dance experience and many happy memories of your Wedding Reception.

TO START-

* Select a romantic song with a good easy-to-hear dance beat, and which keeps a consistent beat throughout the song.
* Select a song that is less than 3 minutes long. Two or two and a half minutes for your first dance is just right.
* Use a CD to practice your First Dance, put it on "repeat" and save a lot of shoe leather.
* Start your dance lessons at least 6 months before your wedding! This will give you enough time to plan, practice (hopefully 2 or 3 times per week), and perfect your dance. It will also allow for unforeseen missed lessons and practice, and will reduce stress.
* Make your First Dance photographically interesting so that you will end your wedding day with video and still photos you will be proud to show off to friends, family, and your children in years to come.
* Ask your dance teacher for some sexy moves - dips, turns, and spins - to get memorable and exciting photos!
* Have a good idea of the size and shape your wedding reception dance floor will be so that you can practice and get used to dancing in that amount of space.
* Plan how and where you are going to start (enter), and end your dance.
* Advise your Bandleader or DJ how and when you plan to start and end your First Dance. Also let your Photographers know.
* Plan what will happen when you end your dance. Will you invite everyone onto the dance floor, or just your parents and/or grandparents? Then who? Wedding party? Your DJ may have good suggestions for this.
* If you are taking dance lessons, you should plan to practice at least three times per week, a half hour or more each time. Practice is very important (especially for the groom) between dance lessons, in order to really feel comfortable and be able to look and feel relaxed on your wedding night. In fact, seek out opportunities to dance with other people as well (maybe your parents): we only become a good leader or follower by practicing with a variety of partners.
* Practice sometimes without the music, especially at the beginning stages, it will help you concentrate on perfecting your steps, and leading or following.
* Keeping time to the beat of the music is very important - feel the beat!
* Remember HE leads...SHE follows (at least when you’re on the dance floor).
* He keeps time and dances to the music...she keeps in time with him, and trusts him to be on the right beat.

TIPS FOR THE GROOM - MEN...you are going to discover that once you get over the initial fear and trauma of taking dance lessons, it’s really a lot of fun! The best part is you will learn to lead, take control...and your girl will not only enjoy it, she will actually let you lead! Remember: if you don't lead, she will. Also if you don't lead she can't follow. Remember you are the captain of the ship while you are on the dance floor.

Here are some other tips that will help you and your fiancé cooperate and become perfect partners on the dance floor and off-

* Lead her firmly but gently. Your arms are her guide on the dance floor, keep them firm. 80% of your lead comes from your right hand on her left shoulder blade.
* Look straight ahead (not at your feet) when dancing. Remember you are steering. Believe it or not your feet will work without you looking at them!
* Listen and keep time to the music. Try to pick a song that has an easy beat to hear. Listen to the song on your own, and - if you are doing a dance routine - try to visualize what step you are dancing at each part of the song.
* If you have trouble hearing the beat of the music, ask your dance teacher or your partner to help you.
* Try to practice at least twice or three times a week with your partner. The more you practice the more comfortable you will be ... and look ... on your wedding day. Practice with others as well; it’ll make you a much better partner to your girl.
* Don't dance on your toes, unless you are doing swing or Latin dances. Take each forward step like a comfortable walking step, with your heel hitting the floor first.
* Always try to move counter-clockwise around the dance floor when dancing “smooth” dances (foxtrot, waltz, etc.)
* Become comfortable dancing the steps first, then smoothly combining all the steps and keeping time to the music. Your confidence and lead will improve the most after you are comfortable with the steps.
* Remember this is a team effort, the cooperation and teamwork you developed on the dance floor while learning and practicing will serve as a foundation for cooperation and teamwork off the dance floor.
* Have Fun!

TIPS FOR THE BRIDE -

* Relax and let him lead!
* You probably had to twist his arm a little to get him to agree to take lessons, so encourage him by telling him how well he is doing and how happy you are that he is doing this for you.
* Do not lean too heavily on his shoulder when dancing, and keep your left hand fingers together and flat on his upper arm; that will show off your ring in photos!
* Check to see if you can comfortably raise your arms in your wedding dress. If you can't, you will not be able to do turns, which require you to raise your arms over your head. Let your dance teacher know if this is a problem.
* Check the length of your wedding dress to be sure you can dance and move comfortably in it. You want to be sure it’s not too long, so that he won't step on it while dancing. If appropriate for your dress style, practice with him in a hoop or full slip to test the length of your dress.
* If you will be wearing a veil or other headdress during your dance, discuss with your dance instructor whether it will inhibit turns or other dance moves.
* Practice dancing with other partners as well (perhaps your Dad); it’ll make you a much better partner. Just remember to assure your fiancé – frequently - that he’s your favorite partner!
* Ladies, if you are doing a planned dance routine, don't get mentally locked into the routine. The most important thing is to relax and follow whatever steps he leads you into. As in life, the most important thing to learn is cooperation and flexibility. You’re a team now!
* Practice once or twice in your wedding reception dance shoes. You can cover them with cotton socks or nylons to avoid getting them scuffed or damaged.
* Ladies, always look diagonally to your left (over his right shoulder), when dancing. This keeps you from blocking his view, as he has to see where he's going. This is also important to get your face in the photos. If you are looking directly at your partner the photographer will not be able to get a shot of your face, especially if your groom is taller than you are.
* Never look down when you are dancing.
* No matter what happens, relax and keep dancing...and follow your partner!
* Last but not least: Think Love, a kiss at the beginning and end of your First Dance is the perfect way to begin and end the dance!

Copyright: 2004 Jerry Neerin @ www.weddingmusic2dance.com
(reproduced by permission, 1/28/05)
Including minor enhancement by Cathy Hempstead, owner of:

Dance Partners

Adult Social Dance Studio
Cathy Hempstead, Owner/Instructor
Bloomington, Illinois

Phone: 309-661-0529, or complete our Mailform with questions: