How to face your First Dance fears.

I hear so many stories as to why people are scared to dance in public, so it’s my mission to help quash any worries you may have.

You could even face your fears and join one of my local flashmobs, to overcome those feelings and step outside your comfort zone.

Or take the comfy route, grab a cuppa and read on……

I totally understand where you are coming from and just because I’m use to dancing in public, doesn’t mean that I don’t get nervous or worry.

I also created my very own first dance flashmob, so I remember those feelings, just like it was yesterday.

And I bet you, once you’ve done it once, you will want to do it again!

Fear of falling

I don’t want you to worry that you will look silly. Take a big deep breath, smile and try to enjoy the moment.

There’s always that fear that we will trip down the aisle, slip in the dress, or stumble through the arches.

But you are in this TOGETHER. You are holding each other tightly and securely, because you are a TEAM.

That feeling of safety in eachothers arms is the feeling you need throughout your wedding day and especially during your wedding dance.

Nobody will laugh at you, unless you intentionally make your dance funny and then, they will be laughing WITH you.

Your guests are there to support you and they want to see you succeed.

Talking through your ideas with me, including your dress and suit, will make you think about how you are going to manage the day in them.

Make sure you know exactly how and where your attachments are, especially for dancing in.

Nostalgic Moments

Some of the best dances I’ve seen, are when a couple want to reminisce and enjoy moments of the past. Their face simply light up.

These moments will bring your dance to life with your personalities and make everyone in the room feel like they in on your routine.

What was your party trick when you went out with friends? Did you go out dancing, or mess around in your bedroom?

Maybe you’re planning a traditional first dance or even a flash mob style group dance. Either way, all of these memories can be on your recreated for your wedding day.

Bringing the fun, young side of you to the dance floor, is a great way to show your partner who you are when your dancing and perhaps who you were, before they knew you.

From Cringe to Cool

If you’re worried you’re going to embarrass other members of the family with your ‘dad dancing’, then let’s nip that in the bud straight away. Your lessons are for expressing what you want to look like, as well as what you don’t.

It’s not actually the moves you learn that can make you feel uncomfortable, but they WAY in which you dance them. it can also can be about your previous experience with certain moves that don’t sit right and make you feel urgh.

The facial expressions, the subtle looks, actions and YOUR personality are what shines through, making your dance UNIQUE.

Inspire & surprise

Are you worried about what people will say about you having dance lessons? The answer is simple…DON’T TELL THEM!

The anxiety about dancing in front of family friends can be overwhelming, I totally get it. As a performer, I still get nervous if people I know come to watch me. We don’t want to disappoint them or give them a preconception about what it will look like.

But unless they have been at your rehearsals or you send them your lesson videos, they don’t know anything about your dance routine.

The element of surprise is perfect in this case and the best outcome would be to inspire them to do one, at their own wedding.

TIP; Don’t do what I did and keep it a total surprise from your photographer…..they will capture the right moments for you, if they are in on your secret.

Four left feet?

If you think you can’t dance, or you’ve had no experience dancing together, then you’re like a blank canvas to me and that’s just fab.

Maybe you are a fan of of Strictly, or perhaps watch YouTube videos and feel that you will never be able to dance like that.

At least you may have an idea of the styles you like or dislike and ultimately, the dancers you aspire to be.

Be open minded as to how you can interpret those steps you’ve seen, to suit you and your partners’ bodies.

DON’T FORGET, your guests are watching, routing for you, they don’t want to see you looking awkward….or counting out loud!

Practice makes progress, not perfection.

I Don’t think any wedding dance has been perfect and we are not looking for perfection.

Mistakes make us human and making them, is part of the process. It almost creates a more memorable story, if there was a slight hitch in the routine. So very rarely do I hear that a first dance went perfect, especially with unexpected high emotions.

I remember, we had planned a lift in our dance, back in 2016. But when the moment came, I worried about my dress splitting in the armpit area. So I gave Dean the look of panic, shook my head and we ran around each other instead. It threw us off a teeny bit, but we styled it out, continued as normal and nobody knew otherwise.

If you both struggle to remember the routine, you can always summon your guests to join you on the dance floor. Like I said before, they don’t know your routine.

Adrenaline kicks in and you do your best to make it look good, so this is where the lessons will help you plan for the worst.

No Confidence? No problem!

Dancing isn’t just for confident people, or those who think they can dance.

Whether your motto is to dance like NO-ONE is watching, or dance because EVERYONE’S watching, everybody has the right to dance.

Start with steps that are slow and dignified.

Take your guests on a journey that mirrors your dance lessons or your life, so far together.

Smile, breathe and EMBRACE dancing freely with your partner and your confidence will SHINE through.

And if in doubt…..grab a shot of dutch courage!

Some recent funny stories

A couple told me that their dance didn’t go quite to plan as the bride was too emotional. A surprise video was made for them. It got showed just before their first dance and it totally caught them unexpectedly. I didn’t see the video, but the photos looked great and captured his face and her dress beautifully.
A brides dress got caught on a candle holder. Luckily the motion of her dancing, put the candle out, otherwise she would have been dancing in flames, quite literally. I was lucky enough to receive their video and I gasped in shock as I witness the footage.
On our last lesson, the bride told me that at her most recent dress fitting, her arm strap was ‘off the shoulder’ . This meant that her arms could not be lifted above her head. We spent the last session adapting the whole dance to fit her wedding dress style.

Are you looking for inspiration to dance on your wedding day? I have 27 ideas that will help you.
Wedding dance FAQ’s
If you have any questions, or what like to chat about how I can help you FACE YOUR FEARS, please get in touch👇