Quickstep suggestions

[Marieke]

Hello all, my boyfriend and I are learning the quickstep for our wedding party (private lessons). We're having a great time learning (third lesson now), but can't decide on what music we want to dance to at the party. We want romantic music that most people would know. Preferably music with a (lot of) saxophone or music that can be played on a saxophone. Anyone have any ideas for us?

Thanks,
Marieke

[SDsalsaguy]

Hi Marieke, and welcome to the Forums! :D

First off, just let me say congratulations on your upcoming wedding!!! Best wishes to you both!

Also, FYI, I'm moving this thread to the Ballroom forum just so you have a better chance that it is seen by those familiar with quickstep music...

[MadamSamba]

Welcome to DF, Marieke and congrats on your impending wedding! Sounds like your wedding dance will be something your guests aren't going to forget in a hurry! :lol:

I looked into romantic quickstep tunes, but for some reason none popped into my head, quickstep is an astoundingly fabulous dance to watch and do, but it's not what I'd call romantic! Either way try this (http://www.starstudios.com.au/aspfiles/StarMusicSearch.asp) site for a long list of quickstep tunes. There are names and snippets from each song, so you can at least listen to a few and might get a few ideas.

Good luck!

[Taita]

Welcome Marieke,

Don't forget to check out Adwiz's excellent site here (http://dancesportmusic.com/quickstep.html). Enjoy!

...back to lurk mode...

[Genesius Redux]

Hello all, my boyfriend and I are learning the quickstep for our wedding party (private lessons). We're having a great time learning (third lesson now), but can't decide on what music we want to dance to at the party. We want romantic music that most people would know. Preferably music with a (lot of) saxophone or music that can be played on a saxophone. Anyone have any ideas for us?

Thanks,
Marieke

Wow! That's going to be a fun wedding! And ambitious!

Since most quickstep is danced to hot jazz, I don't know of any tunes that I'd call romantic. To me, waltz is about romance--quickstep is about sheer joy and energy.

I think if you're looking for quickstep tunes, you need to have something that builds to a glorious shout chorus, a big band extravaganza tune. Check out some of the up-tempo tunes by Ellington and Basie. Alternatively you could look at some of the stuff done by the Charlie Barnet orchestra.

For the rest, you might want to look at something a bit tamer for the other guests to dance to. My taste in saxophone is connected to bebop and cool jazz that isn't very danceable. Just please don't do any Kenny G. Promise me?

Oh, anything by Louis Prima tends to be very fun to dance to, partly because he changes the dance in mid-tune; "Buona Sera," for example, alternates between a tango and a very fast swing--another possible quickstep.

Actually, come to think of it, that wouldn't be a bad wedding song. The lyric:

Buona sera, signorina, buona sera!
It is time to say goodnight to Napoli,
Though it's hard for us to whisper, "Buona sera,"
With that old moon above the Mediterranean sea!

In the evening, signorina, we'll go walking
Till the mountains of the sun come into sight,
And by the little jewelry shop we'll stop and linger
While I buy a wedding ring for your finger.

In the meantime let me tell you that I love you.
Oh, buona sera, signorina, kiss me goodnight!

[tsb]

quickstep is an astoundingly fabulous dance to watch and do, but it's not what I'd call romantic!

Good luck!

ditto on both! i love quickstep, but it flies! as someone who's taught wedding dances, i hope you've already given serious thought to the outfit you'll be wearing & have also made plans to rehearsing in that outfit. if not, you may want to reconsider - if you want romantic, waltz or foxtrot might be a better choice.

if your heart is set on quicktep, personally i'm partial to "sing sing sing" - there's a 2 minute arrangement that should keep you from having to edit it for length.

[Adwiz]

We want romantic music that most people would know. Preferably music with a (lot of) saxophone or music that can be played on a saxophone. Anyone have any ideas for us?

Romantic Quickstep that has lots of sax. Tough to find, but here are some that might work for you:

- Thou Swell by Natalie Cole on her Unforgettable with Love album is a wonderful romantic tune with lots of sax and a song that celebrates the partner's worth.

- No Me Voy Sin Bailar is a lively tune about a woman who won't go anywhere if she can't dance, not even on an exotic vaction. Lots of wind instruments and well suited to sax. Great musical energy. Unfortunately, it's in Spanish.

- I Get a Kick Out of You by Frank Sinatra is nice, but maybe just a tiny bit too slow. It's a very romantic love song with lots of saxophone.

- If I Could Give You More by Harry Connick, Jr. from his "Blue Light Red Light" album is a nice love song with a little bit of sax threaded throughout. It is a bit jazzy which means the beat isn't defined as clearly as other Quickstep songs.

- Too Hot to Hold is a nice romantic tune and a wonderful love song with sax in it. Takes the theme that the partner is too hot to hold but too great to let go.

You can preview many or most of these on my site www.dancesportmusic.com (http://www.dancesportmusic.com/).

[Marieke]

Wow, thanks for the many suggestions. Very helpful websites, MadamSamba and Taita.

Since most quickstep is danced to hot jazz, I don't know of any tunes that I'd call romantic. To me, waltz is about romance--quickstep is about sheer joy and energy.

Sheer joy and energy is good. :-) Romantic isn't really the right word for the song we're looking for. The song should be appropriate for a first dance at a wedding. So no happy song about leaving your guy and stuff. And, Genesius Reduxm, I can promise you there will be no Kenny G.

I'll be checking out all the suggestions. In the meantime, if any ideas pop up, please keep posting them.

Thanks again!

[pygmalion]

Hi Marieke. I haven't yet had a chance to say hi, welcome and congrats on your upcoming nuptials! :D Welcome. 8)

[chachagirlie]

Hi Marieke!

Congrats on your upcoming nuptials!

My very first thought of a romantic quickstep was of one of the Fred Astaire tunes..."Let's Face the Music and Dance". Nat King Cole does a nice version of this and it can be found on The Ultimate Ballroom Album #4.

Wishing you all the best!