Dancing at weddings

[KevinL]

It's been several years since I've attended a wedding, but this year I've been invited to at least four. (As a tangent, have you found that your invitations to weddings come in bunches? Lots one year, few the next?)

I have only been to one wedding since I learned to dance, so I was wondering what you have seen at weddings recently. How big have the dance floors been? Was there a mix of music that appealed to older people as well as younger people? Did the dancefloor and music selection vary if the wedding was between dancers or not?

Luckily the weddings I've been invited to (and can attend) are all between dancers, so it should work out great...

Kevin

 

[Chris Stratton]

Luckily the weddings I've been invited to (and can attend) are all between dancers, so it should work out great...

You can't imagine how lucky that is. Try being the only person in attendance who knows what they are doing - you may as well hope they have an open bar to ease the frustration.

As for the quality of the floor/music/etc I would guess that depends a lot on who is in charge of arrangments (the couple or dance freinds, vs say the MotB) and also the degree to which they exercise care in choosing a DJ and venue suitable for dancing.

(If it were me, I'd probably hire a friend to DJ, and try to set up, perhaps even announce, some contrast between experienced dance selections and things more suited to the inexperienced guests, in hope of avoiding floorcraft problems)

 

[cl5814]

Haven't been to a wedding since i came to the USA. I can't comment on the dance experience. I know at least for my wedding, the dance part would be very well planned

 

[dancin_feet]

I have never been to a "dancing" wedding. Though I do remember when I was younger at a cousin's wedding and all my other cousins, etc around my age were getting up and doing the bus stop, nutbush, etc. An uncle got me up for a bit of a waltz and the daggers that were thrown my way were incredible! The fact that I had the hide to get up and dance that way at my age was just unheard of!

I'm quite happy to dance either way. If there is no-one to dance ballroom with, I'll stand on the spot and shake my booty along with the rest of 'em!

 

[pygmalion]

nutbush?

The last wedding I attended was between two social ballroom dancers. It was heaven! Lots of music of appropriate tempos, a great DJ, and hour upon hour for dancing. The food etc, eh, wasn't all that great, but the dance floor and the music were the best I've seen at a wedding. 8)

 

[DancePoet]

Just realized I haven't been to a wedding since I started dancing lessons last spring. Wow!

I did attend a company sponsored awards event where dinner and dancing was included on two nights in a row! The first night had a band that played lot's of swing, rumba, and cha-cha tunes. Jimmy Buffet stuff and more. The second night saw a band that played mostly music a person could use swing and hustle, and a bit of waltz or rumba.

Both times folks just did the stand & wiggle or the clutch & turn stuff. I found if I asked women if they new how to do something after asking them to dance, most didn't. Yet if I asked them if I could show them the basic step, only one turned me down. When others realized what I was doing some asked me to do it with them!

The best part was when the band took breaks. Then they put classic foxtrot stuff on for backround music. A few of us had the whole floor to ourselves! Really fun and lot's of compliments coming our way afterwards.

When (and now I'm starting to wonder if) I get married, I plan on being certain there is a good mix of dance music and a good sized floor. Maybe I'll even pay an instructor to show folks some basic steps at the beginning or perhaps the night before. Nothing to complex, just the basics of a style or two. And I plan on inviting my dancing friends!