Wedding
Dance Preparation
Wedding preparation is one of our specialties. We love
teaching couples something special for their first dance, or helping
fathers be comfortable dancing with their daughters. Teaching
a son to sweep his mother off her feet always gives us a smile.
Many couples &
families intend to take lessons before the wedding. Some
manage to take a wedding preparation workshop or two, others attend months of group classes,
a few manage a block
of private lessons, and most end up calling two weeks before
their wedding saying, "Help!" We can handle all of that.
You have four
learning options to choose from, leaving no room for excuses.
Option #1:
Wedding Preparation Workshop - Taught
several times throughout the year, these workshops are an
intensive format lasting 3 weeks, for an hour and fifteen
minutes per lesson (almost twice the length of a normal group
class.) They major in box-step patterns for Foxtrot,
Waltz, & Rumba to give you something slow for your special
dances. They minor in East Coast Swing to give you
something quick and lively for the rest of the reception.
Unlike our regular group classes we will not be rotating
partners for these workshops, although we may occasionally
switch partners for a brief time to better develop your
lead/follow skills. Designed for beginners, we don't
expect you to have any partner-dancing background in order to
join this class. All the better if you do as you'll be
able to pick up on more technique elements as well as the
patterns. These workshops require pre-registration and are
listed on the Class Calendar. We encourage you to bring
your special songs so that we can work them into the workshop
playlist for real-world experience. The cost is
$100 per couple. Parents are welcome too, but yes, you must
have a partner for the workshop. (Singles are welcome in
Group Classes.)
Option #2:
Group Classes - For those who
can work it into their schedules, group classes are a fun and
affordable way to learn a variety of dance styles. If your
parents come with you then you'll all be prepared for those
spotlight dances on your big day. You can do dome fast swing
and Latin for the reception, and some slow "Romance" or "Ballroom"
for your first dance. (Or you can do a fast Latin for your
first dance if you like - whatever strikes your fancy.) It can
be fun to top these off with a private lesson or two to add some
special touches that match your song, but it wouldn't be necessary.
By completing even the Romance I class you should be able to pull
some tricks out of your hat for your first dance as husband and
wife, and for your father-daughter / mother-son dances. Group
classes are 40 min. long, and a "session" is generally 4 classes,
once a week for one month. The cost is $65/couple or
$35/single for a session. This includes the Group Practice at
the end of the month.
Option #3:
Private Lessons - Many couples
want to learn how to dance specifically to their song and end up
taking private lessons. With a block of 4 lessons we can
create an entrance, a couple of twirls in the middle of the song,
and an exit. With 8 lessons we can add some extra showy moves
and choreograph certain high points of the song. With 12
lessons and practice at home we should be able to choreograph your
whole song. These estimates are based on beginning level
dancers with good rhythm, who will practice at home at least 10
minutes a day between their lessons, and who choose songs with
reasonable timing & tempo. Private lessons are 50 min.
long. The cost is 1/$70, 4/$240, 8/$450, or 12/$600.
Option #4:
Private-Group Lessons - One way
to prepare a whole bunch of you for wedding revelry is with private-group lessons. Private-groups are 6-30 of your people who come in for
one or more lessons in whatever you want them to learn! This usually
takes place the week or two before the wedding so it's fresh in
their brains, but we can start earlier if you like. It's a great way for your bridal party to have
some fun, or for your families to get to know each other a little
better. The cost is a flat fee of $100 per 50 min. lesson.
Option #5:
"Help" Lessons - If time is very
short, or your song very difficult, we can also teach you simply how
to communicate with each other on the dance floor with just one or
two Private Lessons. You'll be
"slow dancing with style" as we like to put it. The emphasis
will be on your frame, which foot moves when, and moving together in
time to your song. We'll also work on floor management, an
entrance, and a flourish for the end of your dance. Sometimes
learning specific steps can put too much pressure on the couple
(especially the groom) if you don't have enough time to properly
practice and make them into muscle memories. We don't want
dance-worries to overshadow any part of your day. We want your
dance to be a thoroughly enjoyable memory, and will do whatever we
can to help you achieve this goal. The cost for ala carte
private lessons is $70 per lesson.
How do you
choose a song? Narrow it down to 3 or 4 songs that you like,
then bring them to us and we will be happy to show you your dance
options. Not all songs are easy to dance to. You want
something with a solid beat and a medium tempo. It can be
tougher to dance very slowly rather than slightly fast, but keep
your dress in mind too when you're thinking of how fast you can move
your feet. We look forward to helping you in whichever way
suits you best. Please contact Amanda with any questions.
PLEASE remember to
bring a pair of clean, DRY shoes to change into.
Straight-from-the-street shoes track in water and
dirt that wreak havoc with the wood floor and suede-soled dance
shoes.