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Archive for January 2010

Wedding Dance

January 5, 2010 |

Author jackieann

Learn a Wedding Dance for your First Dance – Make Your Wedding Day Extra Special

The Wedding Dance

Around the globe couples celebrate their unions with a wedding dance of some sort. Most religions, with the exception of those who still frown upon dancing, have some sort of wedding dance that is a part of this joyous event or the celebration of this event. This is much more than a simple dance. It is the first dance that will begin your life as husband and wife. For this reason alone, many couples spend a great deal of time and effort choosing the perfect song to symbolize their love for each. Once decided, this is the song that is to be played for their wedding dance.

This first dance, your wedding dance is one of the few memories of your wedding that you will have forever. Most of your wedding day will go by in such a blur of faces that there will be few moments that stand out above the rest. Your wedding dance however, is the one time during your wedding reception that you and your spouse are truly alone within the crowd. All eyes may be on you both but this is your moment together and no one else in the room should matter at this moment. This is the reason that most people will remember their wedding dance long after they’ve forgotten other details about their wedding.

Some couples actually take wedding dance lessons in order to make sure that nothing goes wrong during their wedding dance. Many instructors often suggest that you use the shoes you will be wearing for your wedding as well as a skirt that is very similar to your wedding dress in order to actually get an honest feel for how you will be dancing on your wedding day. It is amazing how much of a difference the height of your shoes and the length of your skirt or train can make when it comes to dancing. These classes are very important for couples that truly want to have the fairy tale wedding experience though not necessarily practical for couples that are already working at the end of their budget constraints.

Ballroom dance lessons will often suffice for wedding dance lessons and in many cases are much less expensive if you can take them at a local community center rather than taking private lessons. Group lessons are almost always more economical and can be a great way for you and your future spouse to learn to dance together in time for your big night and your wedding dance.

If budgets won’t even allow for this indulgence to make your wedding dance a little easier to handle you can always opt to purchase an instructional video or DVD. It would be great fun to practice your wedding dance together before the big night and it is a great way to have fun together as a couple even after the big night. You can find videos and DVDs that teach all manner of dance steps that you may find appealing.

Otherwise you can always wing it. Pick a song you love, a dance you like and have fun without worrying about getting it perfect. You are beginning your new life together as a couple and who really needs the pressure of dancing perfect, right? It is also your day and that is one thing that far too few brides really realize when getting caught up in the pressure of creating the perfect wedding within a limited budget.

The thing to remember when planning your wedding and your wedding dance is that you and your spouse to be are the most important people in the process. Do not allow yourself to feel pressured into something that you don’t want in order to appease others. Make your wedding day and your wedding dance completely your own if you are not interested in or comfortable with the idea of taking lessons from someone else. You and your partner will be glad that you did what was right for you when all is said and done.

Ballroom Dancing Lessons

WALTZ – A dance that became popular in the UK in 1912, it was one of the first where the male dancer held his partner close with his arm around her. Now one of ballroom’s most popular and romantic dances, usually the first dance for a newly married couple. An ideal dance to learn for beginners because of its slow tempo and basic steps. Once they have mastered it, a couple will be able to add those little extra moves that turn this dance into something special. Always has been, and always will be the dance to hold the one you love at the end of a night.

FOXTROT – Because of the amount of room originally needed for the foxtrot, orchestras were reluctantly forced to develop other versions. Thanks to the likes of orchestra leader Victor Sylvester in the UK, the tempo was changed and the slow foxtrot was born. Although one of the more complex dances to learn, it is still among the most loved. The foxtrot should have a feeling of lightness and smooth flowing. The difference in tempo requires the fast and slower movements to blend into one long flowing movement.

Ballroom Dancing Lessons

TANGO – Originating from the back streets of Argentina, the tango is a dramatic, sensuous and atmospheric dance. Beginners might feel more comfortable attempting this dance after learning basic ballroom steps as the complex foot kicks and flicks, and leg twists may prove a little difficult. That said, once this one is mastered, you may feel able to attempt anything. All ballroom dancing beginners have a favourite dance they cannot wait to learn, and this is one of those dancers that everyone wants to master. A fabulously exciting dance to learn. Anyone trying to master this for the first time are advised to do some warm up exercises first

The UK’s Gorgeous Harry Judd and Aliona Vilani: Strictly Come Dancing (Week 7) – Dancing Argentinian Tango (12.11.11)

Jason Donovan and Kristina Rihanoff – Argentine Tango – Strictly Come Dancing 2011

The UK’s Stunning Kara Tointon and Artem Chigvintsev Dancing A Magnificent Argentine Tango – Strictly Come Dancing 2010

UK’s Vincent & Rachel Stevens dancing a superb version of the Tango in the 2009 UK series of Strictly Come Dancing

CHA-CHA – The seeds of this dance were born in the dance clubs in Cuba and is based on the Latin American dance, the rumba. The cha cha cha beat came about because originally, the cuban dancers used to dance outside on dusty floors, with their feet making a slight shuffling sound. Picked up by the percussion players, they produced a syncopation which turned into the cha cha beat. A very sensuous dance, but not as intimate as the samba or rumba. When practising this dance, you may find it better to concentrate on learning the left and right “chasse” movements as, once mastered, the rest will feel far easier.

SAMBA – It is without doubt the dance of Brazil and its natives, and it is that South American country which hosts the best carnival in the world in February every year. For the beginner, it’s a great dance to learn with its basic steps. Written in 2/4 time, the steps are disco-related: quite simply – side-close, side-close. The dancers will incorporate these movements while moving forwards, backwards and turning to the right and left. A perfect dance for any beginner and a must at any party playing the right music. Another popular favourite with everyone.

Louis van Amstel & Cheryl Burke – SAMBA – Season 2

JIVE – A fun, lively and very energetic dance introduced to Britain in the 1950s. Starting out with the girls in huge flared circular skirts, speed and fast spins were the emphasis. Now there is more focus on controlled dancing, more underarm turns and the change of hands behind the back. No matter where you go for your night out, if there is live music being played you can be sure the ladies will be up having the last jive together. Certainly no party or dance evening would be complete without a good ol’ jive session.

Ballroom Dancing Lessons

RUMBA – One of my favourite dances. It is romantic, sensual, loving and among the most rhythmic of dances, hailed by many as the queen of Latin American dances. Rumba music is written in 4/4 time, allowing the dancer to phrase the movements with either a quick quick slow or slow quick quick feel. Although made up of basic steps with few underarm turns, the true feel of the dance requires correct hip and leg movements with clever, elaborate choreography. Although cherie was the guest artist, her rumba was simply stunning and deserves to be featured (below).

Kara Tointon & Artem Chigvintsev – Rhumba – Strictly Come Dancing – 2010 Week 11- For me Tara is the best natural dancer of the season. Utterly breathtaking at times