Your first dance as a couple, with all eyes on you and the reception at a stand still, can be cause for more than a little worry if you are not blessed with the feet of Ginger and Fred. The other spotlight dances, such as those with your parents and grandparents, can add to your mounting wedding stress if you know everyone in your family is rhythm challenged. Read the Michigan Dance Instructors Guide for simple, fast and inexpensive ways to face your fear and look like you have been dancing for years when the music plays for your special dances.

What Steps Are Needed

The first step to preparing for your public dancing debut is deciding on the style of music you will be using. By selecting the song or style of music you will be providing at the reception, you can concentrate any lessons on that type of dancing. If your heart is set on a waltz with your groom and you are planning on a Latin band, set up the music in advance or switch to a portable music system for the songs. Your special dances should be to the song which holds meaning for you as a couple.

Types of Lessons

Thanks to the resurgent popularity of the ballroom dances of the past, dance instructors are opening studios across Michigan to handle all the new clients. Dovetailing with this latest trend is the more detailed plans brides and grooms are putting together for the reception. Complete dance numbers, sometimes including the attendants, are the latest trend for the reception. Studios are jumping on the band wagon and providing bridal couples specific lessons for the reception night. Come Dancing, located in Saline, understands how a bridal couple feels when faced with hitting the floor in front of so many people. Special packages are available for wedding preparation including dance lessons with your parents and choreography for the couples dance. Platinum Dance Academy, in East Lansing, has a specific package aimed at getting the bride and groom ready for their first dance at the reception. With an average of 5 lessons, the bride and groom will float across the floor during the reception and take care of any nerves. Other classes in ballroom, Latin and jazz are available for a broader dance education. These types of professional dance instructors understand your need to learn a specific set of dance steps quickly. By focusing on only the steps you want, you can save both money and precious time.

Learn at Home

Learning at home is a great option if there are no local studios or you want to include everyone in the wedding party without paying for all those lessons. DVDs and videos made for beginners are available at a fraction of the cost of private lessons. Design your own class and invite all the groomsmen and bridesmaids over for a dance party. Chances are good some of your attendants feel the same way about hitting the dance floor, so keep the party light and casual. Make sure there is plenty of laughter and keep the critical comments to a minimum.

Dinner and Dancing as Wedding Planning

A great budget saver for many couples is the dance instruction available in many clubs and night spots. Typically offered early in the evening, before the band is ready and when the dance floor is open, these classes are tailor made for beginners. Plan on taking a class, heading out for a romantic dinner, and then returning to practice what you have learned. Once the dance floor gets busy, no one will notice your missteps and mistakes and you can practice with the type of band or music you will be hearing at the reception. If you are planning for a waltz or country dance, you will find the accomplished veterans of these steps more than willing to help you get started. Everyone loves to share their expertise and most will be willing to show you the basic steps to get you started.

Family and Friends as Dance Instructors

An often-overlooked dance lesson source is your family and friends. Even if your parents have two left feet, grandparents, aunts and cousins can be asked to help you two find your feet on the dance floor. Kitchens and living rooms have always been prime locations for dance lessons and learning with a family member who will love you regardless of your dance skills can be fun. Friends who took lessons for their own wedding can be another good option if they are willing and able to transfer what they learned. If can be helpful to learn the basics with an accomplished partner and then try your skills together.

Learning to dance used to be a common practice. Fathers taught their daughters and many men learned to waltz in the kitchen with their mothers. We have all seen that couple, the one who look like they were born knowing how to dance with each other, at social events and weddings. The grace and ease with which the float across the dance floor never ceases to draw comments from the younger generation on the perfectly matched steps and the seemingly effortless results. Some day, it will be be you two drawing the admiration and smiles from spectators. It all starts with some simple lessons.