Just Dance
Fortunately, Brian and I have known what song we’ll be dancing to at the wedding since pretty early on in the wedding planning process (Ray LaMontange’s Hold You in My Arms), but recently I’ve been thinking more and more about the actual dancing part… Both Brian and I can dance, or maybe I should say we have rhythm (i.e. no flailing about a la Elaine from Seinfeld), but while I love to dance (more often than not, when I “go out” with my girlfriends we end up staying in and dancing in the living room until all hours of the night), Brian is more of the “I’ll dance if my girlfriend makes me, otherwise I’d rather hang out off the dance floor” type.
Now, I plan to dance…a lot… at my wedding and I want Brian to be a part of that (though I know he’ll never be the one in the middle of the circle that inevitably develops). And, more importantly (b/c I know my dreams of him hamming it up with my girlfriends on the dance floor will likely not come to fruition), I also want us both to feel comfortable during our first dance – and wouldn’t it be great if there was a twirl or a dip thrown in? So, Brian and I have talked about taking dance lessons at a place like Arthur Murray, which he was surprisingly interested in doing, but I’m not sure that is really what we’re looking for – I mean, I don’t want to do the meringue or the waltz for my first dance… plus I think they specialize in creating choreographed dances for couples, and while I wish I was talented enough to be on So You Think You Can Dance, I know we’d both be trying too hard to not be counting out loud during the first dance to actually enjoy it!
Does anyone out there know of a fun place that would teach us some good moves and help us feel more comfortable out on the dance floor together, but that is for couples who aren’t looking for choreographed dances?
I love your Ray LaMontange song soo very much! Normally, you can bring in your first dance song and they can help you figure out how to dance to that specific song. Not like a routine, but just making it look better than what you would normally do.
Good luck :)
We chose a Ray LaMontagne song, too! (Your Are The Best Thing) We took our song to the dance instructor, and he taught us an East Coast Swing that is perfect. We learned six sets of moves that look really natural to rotate between for the entire song. Enjoy!
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i agree with everyone else. i used to dance at an AM studio and it’s not just about choreographed dances. just having someone guide you in the true rhythm of the song will be very helpful.
i say at least give it a one clas shot, let the instructor know what you’re looking for and if you’re still not crazy about it then do something else.
I am kind of in the same boat, I want to have a dance that is not JUST rocking back and forth like a couple of 8th graders but I don’t want a whole Dancing with the Stars routine either! I was doing some research and there are actually several videos out there that teach you how to hold eachother and how to through in a few turns and little extras so that everything is easy, uncoreographed looking and beautiful! The one I think looks best is Dancing Together: A 90 Minute Guide to a Beautiful Wedding Dance. I thought it would be a great alternative to having actual dance lessons (my time is rather constricted as of late)! Hope this was helpful!
Haha, I have a post about wedding dancing coming up too! I say give the Arthur Murray a shot but stick to either like salsa or swing. They are both pretty versatile and you don’t need a choreographed dance to have fun dancing with them. Once you learn the basic steps, is there somewhere you can go out dancing? I remember when I was teaching my fiance to dance we took a couple lessons on a cruise and then practiced at the clubs on the ship every night. More than anything it really built his confidence and that’s what made the most difference!
As far as the first dance goes, just ask anyone at whatever local dance school there is for tips, you’ll know if it feels weird or not. Just don’t feel like you have to do something outside of your comfort zone because most likely if it feels uncomfortable, it looks uncomfortable too :) Wish you guys were up near PA, I teach dance and would love to help you out!! Let me know if you come up to the NYC/Philly area before your wedding :)
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Sounds like I should just try it out and see how it goes. I will give the nearby dance studio a call and let you guys know how it goes! Lets all keep our fingers crossed!!
See if there’s an independent ballroom dance studio near you – I’m all about supporting local businesses! Okay, that said, Arthur Murray or whatever will give you a good foundation for dancing for your whole lives if you’ll take a bunch of ballroom dance classes. Learn the basics and make it up as you go along if you’re not interested in a choreographed routine. I think you’ll be better off that way – no pressure to remember steps in a particular order.
