the last dance
first dance song recommendations and other wedding dance advice
It’s always a great day when First Dance Charlotte is included in an article about things to do in Charlotte!
Many of my private lesson students are transplants to Charlotte — it seems like many people move here when they are already coupled up and planning their weddings — so if that’s you, this article could be a great resource for learning about things to do around the city and beyond.
I know it can be challenging to choose a first dance song, or a father-daughter or mother-son song for your wedding. With the entire history of music available, plus new wedding love songs coming out every year, it can seem overwhelming to narrow it down.
If you are actually planning to dance during your first dance or parent dances (and not just prom sway), then the best playlists to listen through are ones compiled by wedding dance instructors. (Hint: if you are reading this, you are in the right place!)
Take yourself back to April of 2020 (if you dare!) The world was reeling from quarantines, shutdowns, uncertainty and fear due to the Coronavirus. Out of the 30 students I was teaching privately at the time, 95% postponed their weddings to a later date and I found myself, like many of my colleagues in the wedding industry, essentially unemployed.
What’s a girl to do?
Keep reading to find out about exciting new changes at First Dance Charlotte for 2022 weddings!
Andy Grammar has become one of the most popular artists for first dance songs in the past couple of years. Dare I say it, but he’s kind of like an Ed Sheeran — multiple, really good options for first dance songs that are not only beautiful but fun to dance to.
Here are some of my favorite Andy Grammar songs for your first dance.
Ah, Valentine’s Day.
Normally a day when couples get dressed up and head out to fancy dinners combined with movies, shows, performances, wine tasting, cooking classes… as long as it’s romantic and/or fun, I was all for it.
Pre-COVID that is…
Keep reading to learn about my alternative ideas for a romantic Valentine’s Day activity at home. (Hint: it involves dancing in your kitchen.)
I’m so excited to share that I was recently interviewed by Jenn and Steve Van Elk of the Wedded Podcast. We had so much fun chatting about all things “first dance” — how to navigate first dance lessons during the pandemic, how to prepare for your first dance, my favorite first dance songs, and so, so much more. I hope you’ll give this podcast a listen to learn more about me and my teaching philosophy.
Click read more for links to the podcast.
Have you considered dancing to “Come And Get Your Love” by Redbone for your wedding first dance? It’s a great choice for a first dance because it’s upbeat, fun and funky, and the disco dance possibilities are endless!
Check out the following post for a video of Kaitlyn and Alex’s epic disco first dance to this song.
When I had to stop teaching lessons during the North Carolina shutdown, I thought I would have all this time to focus on other parts of my business, like writing blog posts, posting on Instagram regularly and creating a new online wedding dance choreography course every week.
HA.
Keep reading to learn how accountability helps me meet my goals and how it can help you learn how to dance for your wedding, even if you have “two left feet.”
Anna and Zach’s wedding was planned for March 21 of this year. If you will recall, that was pretty much the first weekend of North Carolina’s Stay At Home executive order.
When I spoke with Anna a few days before her wedding she told me, “I won’t let the Coronavirus take my wedding day away from me!”
Keep reading to learn more about how Anna and Zach overcame their pandemic challenges, got married anyway, and performed their first dance among flowering peach trees.
Are you considering dancing to “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You” by Frankie Valli for your wedding first dance? It’s a great choice for a first dance because it’s romantic, fun and exciting and the choreography possibilities are nearly endless!
I’ve worked with a lot of couples from beginners to more advanced students, and for two lessons to eight, to create first dance choreography to this 1960s classic love song. Check out the video of my students, Shelley and Robert, dancing to this song.
When you hear the lyrics, “you’re just too good to be true...can’t take my eyes off of you...,” who else immediately thinks of the scene from “Ten Things I Hate About You” where Heath Ledger serenades Julia Stiles over the PA system during soccer practice? 🙋♀️
It would be impossible to come up with ten things to hate about this first dance song! Keep reading for my recommendation as well as photographic inspiration for those of you considering this song for your first dance.
Have you been dreaming of a first dance where you and your partner float gracefully around the dance floor Disney princess style? Or maybe you want to get the party started with an energetic and less traditional song choice (I’m looking at you, St. Paul and the Broken Bones!) Either way, a choreographed dance is a great way to kick off the reception and create memories to last a lifetime.
Choreography doesn’t have to be elaborate or scary, I promise! Follow the link to check out my top five reasons to learn a choreographed first dance.
Some wedding dance lifts are super simple to pull off and are a great way to end your first dance or highlight a particularly beautiful moment in your first dance song. They also look amazing in wedding photography! Keep reading to learn how to incorporate an easy, yet beautiful wedding lift into your first dance.
Anyone who has taken lessons from me knows that I am always wearing sneakers when I teach. What has me excited today is my discovery of an adorable new Keds collaboration with design darlings, Rifle Paper Co. I have long been a fan of Rifle Paper Co. for their beautiful prints and Keds for their comfy, flexible and easy-to-dance-in sneaks.
Very excited to be featured in Emily and Michael's Classic + Elegant North Carolina Country Club Wedding on Style Me Pretty. Captured by the extremely talented Allison Kuhn, Emily and Michael looked breathtaking in their portraits and on the dance floor. Here are a few images of their first dance to Percy Sledge's "When a Man Loves a Woman."
Remember the very first time you ever slow danced with someone you had a crush on? My first experience slow dancing was at a "Trophy Dance" - an end-of-the-summer celebration and award ceremony put on by the pool and tennis club my family went to while I was growing up. I remember running away and hiding in the girls' bathroom after I danced with the boy I liked to "I Swear" by All for One. Although we were both only seven years old, it still felt like a monumental moment in my life.
