The Best Dances to Learn for Your Wedding

A note from Eileen: This week’s blog is features guest writer Melanie Henson. As an (if I do say so myself) rather accomplished dancer, I admit this post gave me a grin. Read on for the fun.

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When I got married, I brought to our union a good heart, mad writing career skills, a love of entertaining and a super-efficient “just get her done” housework mentality.

Oh yeah. And two left feet. Or maybe it was three. If that’s possible. (Double checking via an impromptu jig on the living room rug…oh yeah. It’s possible. Very very possible.)

Then somebody told me about wedding dance lessons. I thought that was the silliest thing ever. You get out on the reception floor, you make a fool of yourself, you sit down and sip water and try to lower your heartbeat to a nondangerous level, lather, rinse, repeat. Who needed dance lessons?

“We do,” my then fiance said diplomatically. With my super duper engaged to be married ears I heard what he was afraid to say aloud: “You do, honey. And badly.”

He was right. And since then, I’ve learned I’m — oops, we’re — not the only couple to opt for wedding dance lessons. Feel the need for a pointer or two so you don’t step on the feet of your dance partner and the partner of every other dancer in the vicinity? Call your local dance studio and ask for wedding rates to learn the following. Then get out there and boogie!

1. The Waltz for your first dance. Your first dance with your beloved is usually anything slow, rhythmic and with the traditional male/female hand positions (i.e., the man leading, the woman placing one hand on the man’s shoulder and so on).

But we recommend you learn a basic waltz for your first dance. A waltz is easy to do and looks so…princess-y. (There, I said it.) There’s nothing more romantic than a gorgeous waltz with the bride holding the skirt of her gown out. Gorgeous.

Two thumbs up for couples who learn to waltz.

2. “Fun” dances. You know you’re going to get silly out on the dance floor at some point. Make far less a fool of yourselves by learning the Electric Slide, the Macarena, congo line and the Chicken Dance.

3. Dances that fit your theme. If you really want to make an impression, take the wedding party to dance lessons too and put on a little show during your reception! Examples: the Stroll and a basic hand jive for a 50s wedding theme; country line dancing, basic two-step and square dancing for a rural wedding; traditional dances for an ethnic wedding.

4. Contemporary dance moves. Get the 411 on hip hop, salsa and other cool grooves. Some dance studios will offer basic classes on how to get out on the dance floor and look cool without doing any official dance — this would be a  contemporary dance floor basics class.

Enjoy! Dance lessons are so much fun. (We promise.)

- by Melanie Henson

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