Wedding Music: The All-Important First Dance
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It's all eyes on you for your first dance as Mr. & Mrs.! Follow these tips from Arthur Murray Dance Studios-with a little practice, you'll look like Fred and Ginger on your wedding day!
Do you dance with two left feet but still want a picture perfect number to dazzle your guests with? Just like in life, don’t walk into your wedding unprepared. Practice makes perfect, so enlist the experts to help those clumsy feet in need. We sat down with expert Jill Demarlo of Arthur Murray Dance Studios in Chicago, IL who gave us tips on how to turn up the volume at your event.
GM: If you have two left feet that you want to fix, how much time is needed?
AMDS: It doesn’t matter if you have no rhythm or two left feet, you can really learn to dance well for your first dance with practice. I think most couples are happy when they take anywhere from three to six months of lessons and we recommend they take at least one lesson a week. The more often they come in of course the better they are going to learn and the more progress they are going to make. Practice in between lessons is also important. Go into the kitchen and relax and have a good time so when the wedding comes around, it will feel comfortable and natural.
GM: What should you dance to if you’re tight on time but want to wow the crowd?
AMDS: The easiest dances to learn quickly would probably be waltz, rumba, and foxtrot. The swing, salsa and hustle are all great fast dances - the basics and the turns are really quite easy to do and it’s something a couple would use while dancing on their honeymoon and long after the wedding. You want to avoid songs that are a little slow that don’t have a baseline tempo. These are a little tougher for people to pick up the rhythm.
GM: How can couples maximize their practice time?
AMDS: When learning the first dance, couples should come in with an open mind, listen to each other and the ideas you have for your first dance. Don’t try to teach each other, let the teacher teach. I think that most couples find that taking lessons and learning to dance together is the most fun, the most relaxing, stress relieving thing they do in getting ready for a wedding.
GM: Does the dress play a role in the dance selection?
AMDS: The dress is definitely a factor in what you can dance to. The biggest thing with dresses is to make sure you know if the train bustles. The bride moves back most of the time when she is dancing so you don’t want to be stepping on the dress. I think anything having to do with the top of the dress is okay, but if it’s strapless you don’t want to do anything too crazy. And veil length is also very important; it can hinder turns so tell your instructor about your dress and veil (without your fiancé hearing the details) to make sure you’re dressed to dance.
GM: What songs can make your first dance memorable?
AMDS: Right now there is a trend towards all kinds of different dances that people will do for their first dance. It used to be songs like Unforgettable or At Last by Etta James were popular favorites, but right now people want to do something really fun, that matches their personality, so select something that reflects you. Couples can do the cha-cha or salsa or even tango for their first dance. To mix the traditions, you might start with something that is a little traditional but then they will move into something cool.
You can't dance without music! Click Here to read about the differences in hiring a Band vs. a DJ!
Photography by Robert Evans Studios
