Top Ten Tips to Ensure You Dazzle on the Dancefloor!

It's Saturday night. Chinese takeout? Check. Chilled wine? Check. Strictly Coming Dancing 2010? Check. Appreciative ‘ooohs and aaahs’ at the Cha-Cha-Chas? Check your bad self!

Dance classes and lessons are proving really popular due to the sequins and salsa spins dazzling the nation on a Saturday night. And a lot more accessible thanks to the likes of the UK's leading wedding dance specialist, First Dance UK.

Bespoken Dreams partnered with FIRST DANCE UK to follow their step by step guide to ensure there's no murder on the dancefloor during your first dance!

"Do you really want to shuffle around the dance floor clinging to each other for your first dance?

Your wedding day has been fantastic! The speeches are over and now everyone is almost ready to boogie into the night. It’s then that you realise that it’s time for you to get up and lead the way with your First Dance. All eyes are going to be on you both as you take to the dance floor… Will you be shuffling around in circles? Or, will jaws hit the ground and spontaneous applause erupt as you elegantly take each other by the hand and expertly glide around the dance floor?


“Dancing is making a significant comeback following all of the recent TV programmes on dancing. More and more couples are realising how much fun it can be to dance together, especially for their First Dance”.
Gemma Rogers, Director – First Dance UK.

Here are our top 10 tips on how to make the most of your first dance:

1. Choose your song wisely
Your first dance song is meant to mean something to you both. It’s likely to be a romantic song, but it really doesn’t have to be. You both need to know and like/love it. Just ensure that you know the lyrics and they’re not about breaking up or similar (‘Nothing Compares to You’ by Sinead O’Connor is a fine example of this as it’s a beautiful song, but totally inappropriate because she has just lost her love!)

2. Have a go at dancing to the song
Grab your other half and pretend it’s your first dance. Give it a try and dance together in your living room.

3. Apply moves to certain points in the song
It’ll be much easier to dance to if you familiarise yourselves with the song and apply moves t certain point in the song. For example, if you can associate a twist, a kiss and a lean to a particular section in the song, you’ll soon build up a routine that you’ll remember and will be able to repeat.

4. If you really have no idea, and two left feet, get help!
Don’t worry! It’s quite normal these days that couples haven’t danced together before. There are plenty of places where you can now get dance lessons, whether they be regular group classes, or private lessons specifically for your first dance.

5. Ladies – think about your shoes and dress
Any time you dance together, make sure you wear shoes similar to the ones you’ll be wearing on the day. Also, if you have a dress that will restrict your movement by its size or cut then ensure you, or your dance teacher, take this into account.

6. Film yourselves
If you’re having lessons, film yourselves as you learn so that you can then reference the film and ensure you’re doing it correctly… as well as improving wherever you’re missing a step.

7. Practice, Practice, Practice
The more you can practice, the more natural it’s going to look on the day and the more fun you’re going to have.

8. Relax
This is the most important piece of advice. The more you can relax the smoother your movements will be and the more you will glide elegantly around the dance floor.

9. On the day - Just go for it
You’ve practiced and practiced and so by now your dance and song should be second nature to you. If you make a mistake, don’t worry at all, just carry on and get back on track when you can. In that way, no-one at all will know that you had a moment of ‘freestyle’!

10. Take a bow
Fantastic, you’re first dance is complete! Your friends and family are going crazy and had no idea you could dance so well together. Savour the moment and then grab everyone else onto the dance floor to boogie the night away."

First Dance UK
Wedding Dance Lesson Specialists - Nationwide
0203 286 6975
http://www.firstdanceuk.co.uk/

"Gemma (Armer) was an absolute delight! A true professional and fun to work with. The routine matched our first dance, Stuck On You, perfectly and Gemma made each hour lesson fun. We are complete novices and Gemma made us feel competely at ease. We are so pleased we did it as it certainly added to the magic of the night, a complete fairytale! Thanks Gemma!"
Helen & John Burns, Saturday 29th August 2009