Save the First Dance

While some of us may be fortunate enough to know the way around a dance floor, quite a few of us may suffer from chorophobia, or the fear of dancing. If you do suffer from this fear in even the smallest way, it is understandable that the idea of your first dance together as husband and wife might be a little intimidating. If you’re happy to just get up on that dance floor and do an awkward little shuffle while giggling your way through “your song” then that’s great, but if you want something more, you might consider taking a few dance lessons.

Now I can hear what you are thinking: dance lessons will take too long! And yes – they will. If you have six months of weekly lessons (and try to attend as many weekly practice sessions as possible) you could very easily find yourself feeling confident on that dance floor. If you don’t have six months to give it though, then don’t fear. There IS a solution.

Many dance studios offer a wedding package where they will help you choreograph a dance to your wedding song. This is a particularly special service as it means that your “first dance” will provide some entertainment for your guests. Learning this way is not as ideal as learning ballroom dancing from scratch, but it does certainly provide a quick fix and definitely adds a little something special to your big day. You will basically learn a few specific moves and look adorable!

A few things to keep in mind:

Make sure to measure your dance floor. If your floor is small and you practice on a large floor you are going to have a problem on the night. During your last few practices use masking tape to mark off how much actual space you will have on the night
Practice dancing in your wedding shoes or shoes with the same kind of heel
Keep the length of your dress in mind. It’s very easy to dance in jeans but a completely different game when it comes to dancing in a long dress. Make sure that you can manage
If your dance teacher has you do something that makes you very uncomfortable (dipping might not be for you!) then say so. There is no point in forcing yourself to do something that you are not finding fun – it will be obvious to your guests that you are not enjoying yourself

Most importantly: don’t take dancing too seriously. If you are not having fun then you are doing it wrong. Relax and take it easy. If you make a mistake just carry on – no one knows what it is really supposed to look like anyway!