In a continuation of “Event Prepping: Dancing at Home, Part I” where we wrote about TikTok dances and how to buy-in to the popular app for the sake of learning popular, short dances, Part II addresses further ways you can prepare from home for dancing at your upcoming event. Lucky for us, living in the digital age means we can learn random skills simply with internet access and a little motivation. That means in addition to clicking through “First Dance” song suggestions for hours, you could also spend a considerable amount of time learning how, for example, to tango or swing dance. You could FaceTime your loved ones to learn some skills from them, too! Whether you live alone or with your parents, your partner, or whomever, use your event planning as a reason for a dance party–or three. You can then take in-person lessons once the quarantine ends if you are looking for additional instruction.
Dancing from Home: Just Have Fun!
Our suggestion is to play around with different styles you may find on the internet. Because you may not feel comfortable with every move, select a few pieces from each. In this way, you can choreograph your own routine with all of your favorites–making it especially fun for you! Whether you’re dancing in your driveway, living room, car, or wherever you’re most comfortable, take the time to think (and literally sweat) about your upcoming performance. Even un-choreographed dances will benefit from a little dance fun!
Draw inspiration for your dance from YouTube tutorials such as:
Specifically For the Wedding Preppers
There are a few traditional dances people anticipate at weddings: First Dance for Bride & Groom, Father/Daughter, Mother/Groom. While not all of these dances are traditionally choreographed, some people who choose to include these specific moments in their wedding do also elect to choreograph them beforehand. There are a few tips and tricks found on Wedding Lovely’s blog here that can help any two people flow. Namely, remember partner dancing requires a leader and a follower. These identifications could be a good place to start (hopefully, an easy win!). Not only will thinking about and practicing your dances be a fun activity, it will also help calm your nerves during the real thing later!
This quote from a 2018 WeddingWire article is still helpful today:
It may surprise you, but dancing is similar to other sports in that you’ll need to train your muscles to do it well. Truly, practice makes perfect in any sport, including dancing. Sure, doing the samba or the rumba might feel a little awkward and difficult at first, but you’ll find that the more wedding dance lessons you take (and the more you practice at home!), the easier the moves will become (we recommend wearing your actual wedding shoes during your lessons, btw). By the time you hit the dance floor at your wedding, your first dance will feel as easy as walking!
Kim Forrest, “Why Wedding Dance Lessons Are a Total Must Before Your Big Day,” WeddingWire
Why not start working on that muscle memory and break in your shoes now? We hope you are all happy and healthy!
