Blog

Whether you plan on a wedding dance fit for a queen, or something quirky that will leave your guests in stitches, The Beat Dance Studio has your back. With 17 years’ experience in the industry, your most important dance is sure to go off without a hitch. Read on to find out more about how you can make your wedding dance a highlight on your very special day.

Let’s start off by having a look at when and where the first wedding dance originated from. According to historical accounts, this popular dance dates back to 17^th-century Europe where it was customary for the guest of honor to lead the first dance at various important events. This tradition changed quite a bit throughout the years, with the most recent etiquette being that the married couple share the first dance before the dance floor is opened first to a select few, and then the rest of the guests.

The Four Traditional Wedding Dances    

Traditionally there are four wedding dances (also listed according to their order of appearance at the reception), although some are lesser known:

• The well-known first dance of the bride and groom.
• The parents’ dance, where the parents get to dance with their newlywed children.
• The anniversary dance, where guests who are already married share a dance. This is not a widespread tradition anymore, so usually during this time slot the wedding party will share a dance instead.
• The money dance, where guests shower the married couple with money.

The decision whether to have a choreographed wedding dance or not, will come down to the overall tone that you intend on setting at your wedding. Some brides prefer the classic close dance to a romantic song, but individualism and skilled choreography have become all the rage. Here are some tips if you decide on having a choreographed wedding dance that isn’t cookie-cutter:

• Choose a song that is both sentimental and suitable for your preferred style of dance. This is also a great starting point for your choreographer, as well as to set the overall tone for your dance.
• Give yourself at least 2-3 months’ time to practice. If you are quick learners, don’t skimp on time and think that you will be okay. Time seems to accelerate as your wedding day approaches. Soon before long the big day will be upon you and remembering dance moves should be the last thing to worry about. Thorough practice means less stress!
• Should you want your wedding party, bridesmaids, groomsmen, or parents to do choreographed dancing as well, you might want to give them even more time to practice. You can even give them their dance lessons as wedding favors.
• Get dance lessons from a qualified teacher or dance school, such as The Beat Dance Studio. They take the wedding dance seriously – so much so that they have a tailor-made Wedding Package option available for each couple, complete with interview and recommendations. Situated right off the N1 and John Vorster Drive in Centurion, this studio is conveniently accessible from both Pretoria and Johannesburg.

Not all couples want to make their first wedding dance a spectacle and prefer to keep things slower and more basic, which is also great. Even so, a few dance lessons are still recommended so that you will be able to grace the dance floor with poise and ease.

More important than nailing every step meticulously, is just enjoying the wedding dance with your person. Make is classy or make it crazy – just breathe and remember that your guests won’t know if you make any mistakes.