• What is your level of commitment? Are you willing to put in the time to practice to make your dancing dream become reality? • What is the style of your wedding gown? A form-fitting gown will restrict certain movements, while bulky, heavy gowns present other complications. DANCER COUPLE TIPS Ballroom dancing enthusiasts Annelore and David Jones have been tripping the light fantastic together for a couple of decades. They recommend starting your lessons “well ahead of the wedding so that ‘muscle memory’ can kick in. That will also give you time to build your confidence level. Consider a relatively slow dance for the first dance, because a quickstep or jive can take a lot of time to perfect. After you have your first dance music selected, practice at home many times, not just a few times at the dance studio. Leading up the reception, listen to the music often, either together or separately — the key is to be totally familiar with the music, the sequences it uses, and any changes in tempo. Remember, even a simple, well-done first dance will dazzle your guests, many of whom will just shuffle on the dance floor”. 1-2-3 & ENJOY Above all, enjoy taking dance lessons together. All the stress of wedding planning and the build-up to the celebrations takes its toll on a couple. As the day nears, all discussions tend to revolve around the wedding and all the details. Things can get extremely tense — just ask anyone who’s gone through the process. Take some advice from Jennifer Jones, Artistic Director of Joy of Dance Centre & Teachers College in Toronto. “Think of each lesson as a special date, away from all the stress. Have a fabulous, fun, romantic time together.” “This is a very rare opportunity for the bride to relax and let someone else be in control. For months she’s been the one in charge of all the planning but on the dance floor she can follow her groom’s lead and relax and trust where he is taking her. It can be a very empowering experience for her groom.” Let the dance force be with you! Boldly go where so many grooms and their brides have gone before — into the spotlight on the dance floor at the occasion-of-a-lifetime. Look into each other’s eyes, embrace each other and the moment, and let the music and the dance carry you away. WE 44 Wedding Essentials 2013