FAQ for Wedding Couples

Your Wedding Day is the most romantic day of your life – you’ve taken care of all the other details, but what about your first dance?

One (or both) of us has two left feet - can we still look good on our big day?

Of course you can! No one expects you to be professional dancers. The goal of your first dance is to feel fabulous, and your dance instructor's job is to help you. It may take time, and patience, but if you are prepared to practice, you'll look great!

Should we take private lessons or group lessons?

We want to get ready for our first dance, but there's a whole night of dancing too!

If you've got time - do both! Private lessons will prepare you for your first dance, whereas group lessons will prepare you for the rest of the reception. Combine the two and you'll be unstoppable! If you're working on a tight budget or timeline, and can only do one or the other, stick with the private lessons.

How many lessons should we take?

How long will it take us to be ready?

Depending on your level of experience, and your expectations of your first dance, it should take you between 6 and 10 private lessons to get ready.

When you're booking your lessons, consider adding one or two tentative "emergency" lessons close to your wedding. If you don't need them, you can cancel them (check with your studio to find out the cancellation policy). However, there's nothing worse than wanting to book another "brush up" lesson, only to find that your instructor is booked solid!

Ask about discounts for buying a package of lessons up front - it could save you a bundle of money!

To make sure you remember what you're learning, practice, practice, practice. The more you practice between lessons, the more you will remember for your Wedding Day.

What can we expect?

In these lessons, your instructor will help you identify the style(s) of dance most appropriate to the song you've chosen, teach you the basic steps of that dance, choreograph a unique beginning and end to the dance, and teach you a handful of neat moves that you can use throughout.

For most couples, we recommend that, rather than memorizing choreography for a 3-minute song, you're better off with a rehearsed beginning and ending, and stick to "lead and follow" for the music in between. This reduces the pressure of having to memorize, and gives you flexibility to deal with the size of the dance floor at the hall, photo-ops, etc. If you want to do a more comprehensive choreographed routine, make sure to budget enough time and money for extra lessons.

When do we book?

How late is too late to start before the wedding?

In an ideal world, you'd start your dance research when you start planning the wedding, and start lessons about three months before your big day. However, there's no need to panic if you don't have that much time - it's never too late to take dance lessons. In fact, danceScape specializes in emergency wedding preparation lessons!

There's always time for lessons. If you're willing to come in for lessons 2-3 times per week, you can take enough private lessons in a month to get you through your first dance with style and confidence. However, remember that the shorter your timeline, the more flexible you may have to be in terms of lesson days and times.

The time that you'll need will depend on what your goals are. It's always best, of course, to give yourselves as much time as possible to minimize stress before the wedding.

What many couples often forget is that their first dance is only the beginning of your dancing that evening. In order to be able to feel confident on the dance floor for the rest of the reception, we recommend that you take one of danceScape's 10-week group workshops - For Absolute Beginners Ballroom Dancing and For Absolute Beginners Club Dancing. This can be done either before you start private lessons, or at the same time.

What about the song?

There are two major considerations when picking the song for your first dance: that it be a song that is meaningful to the two of you, and that it be something that you can dance to.

The style of dance appropriate for a piece of music is determined by the song's rhythm. Some rhythms are easy to pick out (like the 1, 2, 3 of a waltz), while others are more difficult for the untrained ear to recognize. If you're having difficulty deciding between a few songs, consider bringing all of them with you to your first lesson. That way, your instructor can show you which styles of dance are best suited to each song. There may be a style of dance that you really love, or one that you really would like to avoid, and knowing which style of dance works with which song may help you make your final decision. If there's a specific style of dance that you love, and you're looking for songs that will work, your instructor should be able to help you with that too.

What should we wear to our lessons?

When you're considering what to wear to your dance lessons, keep in mind both your clothing and your shoes.

When it comes to footwear, both the bride and the groom should wear shoes similar to the ones you'll be wearing at the reception, if not the actual pair.

Dress for the temperature. For your first class, you might want to layer with a jacket or a sweater you can remove if you become too warm. Dances with a faster tempo are more likely to make your temperature rise.

For the bride, please remember that dancing in a pair of jeans and dancing in your wedding dress are two completely different experiences. You might be more comfortable taking your first few lessons in regular clothes, but you should spend at least one lesson in a skirt with structure and hemline similar to your wedding dress.

The groom has it easier in the wardrobe department. With the exception of those choosing a kilt for a traditional Scottish wedding, the only thing you might want to consider is practicing your dance in a suit jacket at least once.

What do we need to bring to our first lesson?

Here's what you'll need to bring with you:

1. Your fiancé(e)

2. Your song(s) on CD and/or iPod

3. Any specific questions or requests you may have

4. The dimensions of the dance floor at the reception venue

5. Appropriate shoes

6. A skirt and/or jacket to practice in (optional)

7. Pen and notebook if you want to take notes

8. Patience and a sense of humour

Who else should take lessons?

In addition to the wedding couple, we recommend that the Father of the Bride and the Mother of the Groom take some lessons as well. While dances with parents aren't usually choreographed, it's nice to have some basic dance steps under your belt to make that dance even more special. Plus, setting aside some time for a private lesson with your parent ensures that you spend some quality one-on-one time in the busy months before the wedding. Make reservations for dinner afterward, and you have a perfect family evening!

In some cases, we've had entire wedding parties (couple, families on both sides, bridesmaids, and attendants) sign up for group lessons or semi-private lessons to prepare for the reception. Knowing how to dance is always valuable, and adds a boost of confidence that keeps people on the dance floor all night long. Often, people will have so much fun learning how to dance, that they'll continue to take lessons after the wedding is over!

Can we have a group lesson at the rehearsal dinner or reception?

Absolutely! A dance lesson adds a fun "edu-tainment experience" to a rehearsal dinner, and is a great gift for those who are supporting you on your special day. In one lesson, you're best off to focus on one style of dance (salsa, waltz, foxtrot, swing), so choose a style of music that your DJ or band will be sure to play often throughout the reception.

A surprise dance lesson at the reception is a great way to get people out onto the dance floor. Often, instructors will be able to do a demonstration (a short showcase of one to three dances), and then invite people up onto the dance floor for the lesson.

Make sure that you book your special lesson at least two to three months in advance to avoid disappointment.

I've still got questions!