Getting married? Congratulations! Put aside those invitations and centerpieces and give your friends and relatives a gift and memory that they will treasure forever on your special day…a one-of-a-kind first dance! Knock their socks off with a sassy salsa dance or a sweet swing, or try a more traditional first dance-wither way your guests will never forget that perfect first dance that you took the time to learn.

At Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona, we have literally choreographed thousands of first wedding dances over the past 12 years. To give you a wedding dance that suits your personalities and style, we start with a wedding dance consultation for just $20. This one-hour meeting will give us a chance to gather as much relevant information as we need to customize the perfect first dance for you.

When coming in for a wedding dance lesson consultation, being prepared will save you both time and money.  Below are a few helpful tips from us to you so that your consultation will be a success. 🙂

•         Have at least 3 songs pre-prepared (or at least an idea of the style of music you would like to dance to) for your wedding dance consultation.  Without music, where would dance be? Sit down with your fiancé and get some ideas together before your consultation. There are so many different routes that can be taken. You can choose something classic like a Frank Sinatra or Dean Martin, in which case you would be dancing to a ballroom Foxtrot. Are you a Country music lover perhaps? For all of you two-step dancers out there, there a endless fun and/or romantic Country first dance tunes.  For Latin lovers, how about a sexy salsa? Latin pop music is hot right now, giving you lots of options for just the right song. Have you considered something totally out of the box like a Hip Hop dance? The avenues are endless! If you are really not sure what you are looking for, bring in 3 songs that you like so your wedding dance consultant can get an idea of what you enjoy as a couple. From there, we can make suggestions based on your taste. Let’s say that neither of you can agree on any song choices before the consultation. No worries,this does sometimes happen. In this case, we suggest that each of you bring in your top 3 picks and we can get creative from there. The beauty of what we can do at Dance FX Studios is that we have the ability to fuse several songs together and create something completely original and special to each of you so everyone is happy and confident on your big day.

•         Bring in a floor plan of the room that you will be dancing in. If you don’t have exact measurements, come in with an idea of how your reception room is set up so that we can plan accordingly. Please keep in mind where the dance floor is in relation to your guests and your band/ deejay. In order to make that first dance as husband and wife special, we want to know how your guests are being seated so they can get optimal viewing of you on the dance floor. If your room plans are not yet set in stone, let me recommend something. Seat your guests on as many sides of the dance floor as you can. No matter where someone is seated, they will get a great 360 view of you shining on the dance floor in your first dance.

Now let’s talk about the size of your dance floor. Make sure to get the dimensions of your floor BEFORE you come in. Your instructor wants to give you the best possible estimation as to what is realistic for your space. If you are looking for a first dance that is simple, slow and elegant, anything above a ten by ten will work. Let us say that you are looking for a little extra flair. I would go for no smaller than a fifteen by fifteen square feet of dancing space. For those of you who want to make your first dance a “Rock the Reception” routine and go full out, please try to get a twenty by twenty dance floor. We will need the space to show off your awesome dancing skills!

•         Fashion anyone?  What the bride and groom wear is just as important as the dance and music itself. Let’s start with the groom and buzz through him because, let’s be honest, it is all about the bride. 🙂 Grooms, there are two things you want to be conscience of – footwear and your jacket. When it comes to shoes, go for a leather bottom so you can glide with ease across the dance floor and show off your bride in the brightest light. I highly suggest that the groom remove his jacket before the first dance or even incorporate the removal of the jacket as part of the choreography. Either the bride can take it off for him and toss it into the crowd or even he can take it off himself, twirl it around his head and pass it off to a groomsman. Whatever flavor “suits” you best, (Get it?)

Now, here comes the bride. Ladies, proper footwear is a must! Please try to keep your heel height below three to four inches. Your grooms need you to be balanced when they are showing you off. Also, platforms are not ideal because they create a sense of heaviness which no bride wants. As far as the dress goes, pretty much anything works. Beware of the huge princess ball gown as it has a tendency to get in the way of the feet. At the end of the day, as long as you, the bride, feel wonderful, beautiful and amazing, that matters.
Try out our Wedding Consultation for only $20! Dance FX Studios specializes in making brides shine and grooms feel confident on their wedding day. We are located on the South East corner of Dobson and Guadalupe Rd. in Mesa, Arizona. We are on the border of Tempe, Phoenix, Scottsdale and Chandler, so no matter where you live we are just a short drive away!