56 / 132
M U S I C & E N T E R T A I N M E N T
C H I C A G O W E D D I N G & P A R T Y R E S O U R C E
W W W . C H I C A G O W E D D I N G R E S O U R C E . C O M
54
By Anna Sachse, CTW Features
GROUP LESSONS VS.
PRIVATE
Not sure whether you’d rather practice
promenading with a crew or solo?
Group lessons will likely be less expensive,
and can help you conquer anxiety about
dancing around other people. It’s also good
to include both sets of parents in the les-
sons. Everyone gets comfortable with each
other and works on their ‘necessary’ dances.
On the other hand, with private classes
you’ll have the instructor’s undivided atten-
tion, which means you’ll likely get the hang
of the steps far faster and can practice to
your actual first-dance song.
ACTION PLAN
To avoid ending up in what some call the
“Frankenstein Butt Hugger” — groom’s
hands on bride’s waist, bride’s hands on
groom’s shoulders and you slowly rock
yourselves (and your guests) to sleep —
find a class for beginners which focuses on
teaching men to lead and women to follow,
with a variety of steps and simple spins, and
a few dramatically romantic “Oh, baby”
moments that couples can mix up on the fly.
If you’re a bit more experienced, sign on for
a few more classes and surprise your guests
with something fast and fun, like a swing,
samba or tango, says Crous.
Dress comfortably for your classes; how-
ever, if your dress will be a full ball gown,
you may want to wear a crinoline while
practicing so that your fiancé knows how
far away he’ll need to stand. Women also
should wear the shoes they plan to dance
in on their wedding day (or a comparable
height), and men should sport leather-soled
footwear rather than sneakers.
Ideally, you should start lessons about two
or three months before the wedding, Crous
says – early enough to nail your moves but
not so far ahead that you forget them.
Copyright © CTW Features
The First Dance: A Class Act
Dance lessons will help any bride and groom
show off their moves confidently