May 18 2008
Dancing Queen
While it may be hard to believe, most people are not natural born dancers. As a result, there is sometimes anxiety surrounding the dance aspects of a wedding reception. While you are often content swaying back and forth in a large crowd of dancing couples, this two step can seem a little less than romantic when all eyes are on you and you only. If you or yours falls into the category of “mediocre dancer”, I suggest you take the time and money to invest in lessons.
There are several options here. The most common method is for people to attend private lessons with a local dance teacher. Whether you want to learn the tango or East Coast swing, there is likely a teacher in your area who can help you out. This is often an expensive route but the one on one attention can mold you into a few fairly good dancers after only a few sessions. I think this option is the best for couples who are low on time or easily embarrassed by the learning process.
Another option is to sign up for an adult dance class at a dance school. This option is often less expensive than the individual lessons and has the added benefit of meeting other couples as well as learning techniques to dance with different partners. It is common that many people want to dance with the bride and groom to give their congratulations. If you have only ever danced with your fiance’ this can sometimes be awkward. The only downside is the limited flexibility. You cannot often request to go over certain aspects you are simply not understanding and you cannot move more quickly than your class. This option works well for couples who don’t have as much to invest in lessons or those couples who enjoy the social opportunities.
Lastly, don’t forget to check out your local colleges. For four months worth of lessons you can often pay the equivalent of one month at a dance school with comparable results. If you elect to “audit” the course, you do not receive a grade for your work and you, therefore, don’t actually need to apply for admission. If you are already taking a full course load at a college, take advantage of this situation. You have to take a physical education credit anyway, so you might as well use that graduation requirement to help you look fantastic on your big day.
You’ll find that planning a wedding can eat up a lot of your time. It’s important to continue enhancing your relationship during this stressful time. Dance lessons act as a great couples activity and can help you to forget about the stresses in life for an hour or two a week. Take the lessons, you’ll be glad you did.
