As wedding season approaches many soon to be bride and grooms are surfing the internet and trying to tie up any loose ends before their wedding day. On the list of things to do is preparing for your traditional wedding dances. Each couple is different and the wedding planning process varies from couple to couple.

As the wedding gets closer couples will start putting their time lines together and will have to decide on the different types of wedding dances they will be using.

After a year into Covid-19 there has been an explosion of online dance and fitness tutorials. While some have really embraced these opportunities many of us have zoom and screen burnout.

For big cities like Chicago, New York, and LA restrictions have been tight. Millions of couples are looking forward to getting out of their condos and apartments and returning to a normal pre-covid lifestyle.

In 2021 couples are starting their dance lessons earlier then usual. Some of our clients start preparing with ballroom dance lessons 6 months out, other wedding couples may analyze their budget and decide that investing in dance lessons isn't feasible. Others make a decision a month before, and then there are those who call and want a choreographed wedding dance with 2 weeks left.

Different Types of Wedding Dances

What ever bucket you may fall into, you will need to decide on which different types of wedding dances are suited for you. Traditionally in our American culture we see the following: the first dance, the mother son dance, and the father daughter dance.

The First Dance

The first dance refers to the traditional dance that takes place at the wedding reception where the bride and groom share a loved song and move together on the dance floor as one. Taking ballroom dance lessons to prepare for the first dance has become a popular tradition and has helped many couples navigate the dance floor while trying to avoid looking awkward and clumsy.

From our experience we see a diverse variety of request. Some couples are looking for the bare minimum and just want to get the dance over with asap. Other couples are looking forward to the dance lessons and want something a little more upbeat and think of it more as a performance.

There is no right or wrong format, but our clients who have taken lessons feel prepared for their first dance and generally have a great time working on a new hobby together.

Ballroom dancing and social dancing can be a great structure for a first dance. Some popular dance styles include Rumba, Night Club 2 Step, Cha Cha, Swing, Foxtrot, Waltz, and Salsa.

The majority of couples use private dance lessons to help them prepare. The intimate setting and one on one instruction makes learning fun. Our ballroom dance students who take private lessons learn the quickest because of the one on one attention.

Mother Son Dance

Today we are seeing more of this tradition in our dance studio. Some of our sons are starting to think they should do more than just sway left and right. It's very obvious that our mothers are very excited when they come into the dance studio to prepare for the mother son dance.

There is something very special about seeing a son all grown leading his mother to one of her favorite songs. In most cases, we find that if our client, the groom, has been training for his wedding dance, then the mother son dance doesn't take as long to put together.

At this point, the lead or the son, has learned the importance of having a good dance frame and confidence. His posture has improved and he is moving much better. Generally our follows or ladies catch on quickly as long as they have a good driver. The driver is the lead in the dance partnership.

This is certainly not a disclaimer saying that women are better than men. We all learn to dance at our own pace. With practice and consistency we, we assure that you can learn how to ballroom dance.

Father Daughter Dance

Entertain your guest with a clean comfortable Father Daughter Dance. A little effort and practice can pay huge dividends. For example instead of your guests racking up your bar bill they will be watching you and dad share that special moment.

As we observe the process of taking dance lessons for a wedding, we can sure see how much a father appreciates getting to spend this quality time with his daughter. On a typical Father Daughter Dance lesson I will take pictures during the lesson and send them to our fathers and daughters so that our clients can share these moments.

What happens if dad lives in a different state? Well if dad visits earlier in the year we get mom on those lessons. Dad will practice with mom while he is away. Sometimes life gets so busy we don't make the time we need to spend with our families.

Planning for a wedding is very time-consuming and can be stressful. We find that our clients truly enjoy the dance lessons. If anything, it's a break from all those ridiculous formalities that drive us crazy. If you want to laugh and do something fun then definitely explore the option for the Father Daughter Dance.

On our dance style page we have listed our 10 most popular styles and a description about each style. Use this as a handy tool!

https://windycityweddingdance.com/dance-styles

Have you chosen a song for your first dance. Use our Free Dance Style Exploration Tool! Submit a song for different types of wedding dances.

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