Wedding Dance FAQ
A choreographed wedding dance is always a nice surprise for guests and makes for some amazing photo moments. It is a great bonding experience with your partner or your bridal party, and is something fun and different to try! Below we have answered all the frequently asked questions we receive about lessons, to help you decide whether learning a wedding dance is right for you.
What if me and/or my partner have no dance background?
Totally fine! We have had experience teaching people with “two left feet” right up to competition level dancers, so don’t feel intimidated! Your dance will be special to you and will be choreographed to a level you will feel comfortable dancing on the day.
How long does it take to learn the dance/how many lessons do we need?
For a 90 second dance, we would recommend taking 2 x 1.5 hour lessons with our team to learn the dance, and then 1 hour to “clean” – that is, making sure that you know all the movements really well and the dance is looking tidy.
Do I get to pick the song/Can you make up a dance to any song?
Yes, you are welcome to pick any song! If the song is in a language other than English, our team spend a lot of time researching and translating to make sure our movements fit the words in the song.
Do we need to have picked the song before starting lessons?
If you can, then yes this is best! It is quite tricky for any level of dancer to remember choreography to a different cut of a song or a different song all together (can be very off putting), plus we try to make up the choreography to the song chosen with movements fitting words and highlights in the song.
Where are the classes?
We have studios that we hire in both Wairau and Birkenhead on Auckland’s North Shore, however can be flexible to your location. If you have a space that you would like to use – let us know! It is best to practice in a space that has mirrors (easier for learning) and hard wood floors as opposed to carpet (as most wedding dancefloors are hard floors).
Can you choreograph bridal parties as well as couples?
100% - we love both!
What moves do we learn?
We will choreograph your dance to the song supplied, so our movements will usually go with the words of the song. We will learn basic ballroom steps, some turning movements, and if you’re feeling up to it – some simple lifts! When teaching a wedding dance, we start teaching at a middle level, so if the group is learning the choreography quickly = we will make the moves slightly harder or add extra “embellishments”, however if the group are finding the movements quite tricky to learn/remember = we will simplify the choreography to suit. Before the lessons, we ask about your background with music and dance to get a gauge of what movements will suit you best and what you will be able to do.
Are you able to choreograph specific cultural pieces?
Out of respect to our multi-cultural society here in Aotearoa, we like to stick to what we know well to make sure we allow those trained in cultural dances to teach them! If you did have a cultural piece you wanted to learn, please do ask – as we have some great connections in the dance industry as well as a broad experience of our own!
Do we have to do the whole song/can we do just part of a song?
Quite often our wedding dances will be just up to the first chorus, or others will choose to dance the full song – totally up to you! We understand sometimes there can be time restraints in learning or can be tricky with bigger bridal parties getting everyone together at one time for rehearsal, so we are happy to fit in with what works best for you.
Is it private lessons or are there others in the lesson?
Lessons are private – we hire a studio for the lessons so will just be those in the dance in the classroom.
How much does it cost?
We charge $60 per hour + the cost of the studio hire (usually about $25 per hour).
How far out from the wedding should we start lessons?
Depending on how many lessons you need (which will depend on how much of the song you want to dance to), we would recommend aiming to have all your lessons finished 2 weeks before the wedding. This means the dance is learnt before things get really crazy - often family want to see you and there is a lot to plan! We always take a video of the dance each class so you have something to refer to when going over it at home.
Can we ask you questions in between lessons?
Of course – it is encouraged! We love it when you send us videos of you practicing as we can send over some tips to help.
Do we have to practice?
We definitely encourage it as it helps with remembering the choreography on the day (the aim is for it to become muscle memory!). If you are able to practice once or twice between lessons, it means that we may be able to add some tricker moves or more impressive elements.
Is this offering suitable for LGBTQIA+ couples?
100%! We love LOVE here at Event Flair and are so happy to choreograph a beautiful dance for anyone.
Event Flair would love to choreograph a special dance for your wedding, and are so happy to answer any questions you have about learning that we haven't covered in this blog. Contact us here for more information - we'd love to hear from you!