8 Top Tips To Ensure Your First Dance Is A Success

Your first dance can be a nerving experience, especially if you aren’t the type to rock out on the dance floor at weddings. Either way, first dances tend to be quite formal and aren’t something that most people are used to. Instead of panicking, the best thing you can do is prepare. If you’re a confident dancer on the big day then you will have nothing to worry about.

Here are 8 tips to prepare you for your first dance…

1. Choose The Right Song
Make sure you and your other half are happy with the song choice for your first dance. The key thing is that it’s easy to dance to and the lyrics suit your wedding. Try and find something with a clear beat and isn’t too fast and check it over with your DJ or wedding music provider of choice so that it will flow well with the rest of the evening. Once you have a song, you can start learning how to dance to it.
2. Establish The Basics
Are you the leader or the follower? This will affect where your hands go. Leaders place one hand on their partner’s shoulder while the follower places a hand on the leader’s bicep. Then you clasp hands and relax. It will all flow from there.

3. Plan Your Entrance
Everyone will be watching as you and your partner take to the dancefloor so make sure you are prepared and not taken by surprise. A confident entrance, perhaps with a spin for the bride, will set the tone and put everyone at ease, including you.
4. Practice The Simple Steps
The box step is the most common and simple dance step. It’s a simple back and forth movement that involves communication between both partners. Just watch a YouTube tutorial and practice in your living room and you’ll nail it in no time.
5. Get Used To Your Shoes
No matter if you’re the bride or groom, wearing new shoes for the first time on your wedding day is not the best idea. Wear them in while you practice to avoid slipping or getting blisters on the big day.

6. Consider The Dress
Long dresses may result in tripping so make sure you know what to expect when it comes to dancing in a dress, or with someone in a dress. It can be just as challenging for the groom to know where to step as well. If you don’t want to practice in the actual wedding dress, find something of a similar length skirt to rehearse in.
7. Know Your Ending
Just like your entrance, your ending is important and is when a lot of photographs will be taken. Why not plan it so the bride is dipped? Of course, practice at home to make sure that there are no unfortunate or embarrassing accidents.

8. Accept Mistakes
You are your partner are not professional dancers and a flawless first dance song is not necessary to have an amazing wedding day. Do the best you can and enjoy the moment above all else. None of the guests are going to care about a few mistakes. Brush them off and carry on.
By Jessikah Hope Stenson, Excalibur Press

SUMMER EDITION IN SHOPS NOW