Event Planners Recommend our Wedding Dance Workshops!

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Wedding Dance Classes for Splash Couples!

If the thought of dancing with your new wife or husband in front of all your family and friends for your first dance as a couple at your wedding reception terrifies you (like it does me!), we wanted to make sure you knew about a fabulous opportunity. The Wedding Dance Specialists is a local company based here in the DC metropolitan area that has taught thousands of couples how to dance like a pro for their wedding reception. I had the opportunity to sit in on one of their classes and loved watching Deborah Joy in action, giving helpful tips like how to maneuver around the dance floor while wearing a ball gown. And what couple doesn't need a date night before the big day?

For more about The Wedding Dance Specialists and to see their list of upcoming classes, please visit their website by clicking here.

Happy Planning!

Julie Daniel, Splash Consultant
A Splash of Elegance
http://asplashofelegance.blogspot.com/2011/06/wedding-dance-classes-for-splash.html

Celebrity DJ Company Interviews The Wedding Dance Specialists

Yeah We Think We Can Dance - by Dave Armon of Scratch Weddings (Image courtesy of FOX)

When it comes to the first dance that couples share with one another on their wedding night, the Waltz immediately comes to mind for bridal purists. But two popular TV shows have stoked interest in far more challenging dance floor moves.

ABC’s Dancing With the Stars and FOX’s So You Think You Can Dance?, have led to far more lofty aspirations among couples planning to demonstrate their fancy footwork. The result: a booming business for professional dance instructors who specialize in weddings.

Deborah Joy Block, an industry pioneer whose team trains close to 1,000 engaged couples annually, credits the dancing reality shows for convincing couples that an investment of time and energy can make a wedding reception more memorable. Although The Wedding Dance Specialists’ claim to fame is working a miracle in ONE lesson by providing a basic but complete routine, she cautions against procrastinating.

“Realistically, a lot of couples tend to delay taking lesson until a month or two before the wedding day. And they don’t leave themselves enough time or budget to allow for an elaborate routine and a lot of lessons,” said Block, who operates multiple The Wedding Dance Specialists studios in the Washington, D.C., area.

The musical preferences among couples learning dance from The Wedding Dance Specialists match up closely with Scratch Weddings clients. A recent review of first dance song selections reveals 70% opt for slow songs – mainly Top 40 slow love ballads. Examples range from At Last by Etta James to Sade’s By Your Side, to You Are The Best Thing by Ray Lamontagne.

For the 30% of couples who want their music – and their feet – to move a bit faster, we’ve seen plenty of merengue, salsa and swing, along with memorable rock tracks like Modern English’s Melt With You, and The Zombies’ This Will Be Our Year.

For those who just want to survive their moment in the spotlight regardless of the song’s tempo, the experts offer these words of reassurance.

“If you have a really good instructor who understands the unique needs of engaged couples, you should be able to look natural, elegant and relaxed in a very short period of time and still impress everybody even without an elaborate routine,” Block said, adding, “If a studio tells you need 10 lessons when your goal is just to avoid the ‘high school prom sway’– that’s excessive.”

One real-life example of how a working with a professional can make a novice into a respectable dancer involves Los Angeles Times business reporter Dawn Chmielewski, who prepared in just two weeks for a one-time guest appearance on Dancing With The Stars in 2009. She wrote a page one column about the experience
Granted Chmielewski’s partner was professional dancer Jonathan Roberts, not a groom with two left feet. To compensate for that, we’d recommend an extra week of lessons.

Celebrity DJ company and training academy Scratch Weddings was founded by Grammy Winner Jam Master Jay of Run DMC, trains thousands of DJs nationally and internationally, won numerous wedding industry awards, executed events for top national corporate brands, Their DJ training software Scratch DJ Academy MIX software is sold at Best Buy and the video game DJ Hero 2 features their curriculum. The original post of this article can be found on the Scratch Weddings Blog at http://www.scratchweddings.com/yeah-we-think-we-can-dance/

Here are a few Scratch Weddings DJ's DC bios. They include high-res photos, video interviews and demos, and mixes:

n DJ As-One http://www.scratchweddings.com/dj-biomix.php?r=REoxMDAyMQ==&e=MTMx

n DJ Bounce http://www.scratchweddings.com/dj-biomix.php?r=REoxMDAyMw==&e=MTMx

n DJ Premonition http://www.scratchweddings.com/dj-biomix.php?r=REoxMDAzOA==&e=MTMx

Video Series: How to Prepare for Your First Dance at Your Wedding

In this series of our free online instructional videos we will introduce techniques for developing your individual composure as a dancer before teaming up with your partner. Then we will cover the grand entrance, several Fox-trot pattern such as the Forward Basic, Quarter Turn and Under Arm Turn. Then we will cover the grand finale and the exit. It is a lot more comprehensive than the tradition "free trial" lesson because you can observe our teaching style and even get a head start on your private lessons without the sales pitch or the commute! :)

The supplies you are going to need today are your wedding song, your wedding dance shoes, a pair of socks, a long skirt or crinoline and finally you will need a video camera and a tripod. Some safety precautions we recommend are, practicing in your socks first before trying to dance in dance shoes, also keep in mind it's the leader's responsibility to protect the follower on the dance floor from bumping into walls or other people dancing, and finally to avoid getting your toes stepped on carefully observe the techniques we will be presenting in the video.

We founded at the Wedding Dance Specialist while we were preparing for our own wedding and the company has since grown be the largest and most popular of its kind in the nation. We absolutely love getting couples started off on the right foot, and now it's time for some dancing and romancing.
As the national experts for wedding dance instruction MonkeySee.com honored us with an invitation to be their exclusive representatives of the wedding dance industry. See the complimentary instructional videos here...
http://www.monkeysee.com/play/13847-how-to-prepare-for-your-first-dance-at-your-wedding

The Wedding Dance Specialists is the premiere national expert of the wedding dance industry. Deborah Joy and Brian Block founded the company in 2000, while engaged and preparing their own "First Dance." Year after year,The Wedding Dance Specialists remain the most recommended wedding dance company according to engaged couples, wedding vendors and the media.  The company has taught over 10,000 engaged couples. Appearing repeatedly on Oprah Winfrey's Oxygen Network, The Wedding Dance Specialists and their students starred on an episode of "Real Weddings by the Knot", the nation's first wedding reality show. In addition to attracting celebrity clientele, The Wedding Dance Specialists were the nations original wedding dance company and have since inspired an entire niche industry that has expanded worldwide!

Wedding Dance Blooper

Wedding Dance Blooper of the Week: The High School Prom Sway

This is the infamous high school prom sway that everyone (including the guests) dread. For those who want to skip dance lessons and get by with this, try videotaping yourselves and see how long you can stand watching then divide that in half (your audience's attention span). The couple just hangs on each other and sways like zombies for 4 long minutes with all eyes and cameras spotlighting them... Do you have a picture or video of the "prom sway" to share? Post it here or on our Facebook Fan Page

Wedding Dance Workshop - Twirls

Every woman loves to be twirled and your guests can't get enough of seeing it either! Learn how to twirl, spin, drape, cuddle, unwrap to give your bride the "Cinderella Moment" she deserves in the spotlght and have your guests applauding, cheering, wildly photographing and eager to join you on the dance floor!

Let's cut to the chase. "H-O-T" is how grooms describe this workshop! "Sensual" is how to the brides describe it so it looks like everyone is in agreement! Spice up your First Dance plus see how you can use all many of your moves during the reception! Learn how to loosen up, shake your hips (and other important parts) & look confident! The temperature is bound to go up with this rendezvous and the two of you! This date night will make you blush, feel intoxicated and high on life as you gaze steamily into your lover's eyes! It's time to get down and dirty, hot and flirty as you prepare to rock the reception and heat up the honeymoon!

This dance style is sure to put a twinkle in your eye, butterflies in your stomach and a skip in your step. Feel like it's a first date all over again! Learn easy moves that look impressive! . Never have to dance by yourself again to fast music either as we will show you how you can demonstrate your versatility by dancing to Latin, world beat, techno mix, Top 40, and rap. No partner switching cuz it's time to get your flirt on with your honey! You will dance out positively glowing

Dance with your partner the whole time - no partner switching

Location: Alexandria, VA
Date: April 16, 2011
Time: 4:30 -7:30 pm
Price: $30 per person.
Workshop attendees who are Facebook fans qualify for a discount on private lessons within the grace period when you register for two workshops.

Location:Columbia, MD
Date: Saturday, April 30, 2011
Time: 5 - 6:30
Price: $30 per person.
Workshop attendees who are Facebook fans qualify for a discount on private lessons within the grace period when you register for two workshops.

Location: Rockville, MD
Date: Saturday, April 16, 2011
Time: 4 - 5:30
Price: $30 per person.
Workshop attendees who are Facebook fans qualify for a discount on private lessons within the grace period when you register for two workshops.
RSVP: 703.626.7016 or email: info@theweddingdancespecialists.com

Wedding Dance Workshop (Foot Steps)

Sample a variety of slow dances perfect for love songs to see which style you prefer.
Develop your individual composure as a dancer by learning foundation techniques.
Learn the fundamentals and secrets of partner dancing.
Techniques for travelling around the floor.
Brief overview of choregraphy concepts
Invite your parents and bridal party so they can prepare for the Honors Dances.
Get a head start on your private lessons or polish and reinforce what you've already learned.
If your wedding isn't for a while and you haven't chosen a special song yet, this is the perfect way to get your feet wet and get comfortable dancing around others!
Meet other engaged couples in the area!
Maximize your investment in private lessons by getting a head start with this comprehensive workshop.
Dance with your partner the whole time - no partner switching
Invite the parents and bridal party so they will feel comfortable in the spotlight too for the Honors Dances! Gift certificates available.

An elegant First Dance requires footwork and arm work so we strongly recommend the Wedding Dance Workshop (Twirls) as a vital compliment to learn easy but dynamic armwork, sexy twirls, head drapes, cuddles and spins to loosen up and spice up your First Dance plus have cool moves you can use all night long during the reception! The First Workshop builds confidence but the second workshop adds the sparkle!

RSVP: info@theweddingdancespecialists.com or call 703.626.7016

Location: Alexandria, VA
Date: April 16, 2011
Time: 4:30 -7:30 pm
Price: $30 per person.
Workshop attendees who are Facebook fans qualify for a discount on private lessons within the grace period when you register for two workshops.

Location: Columbia, MD
Date: Saturday, April 30, 2011
Time: 5 - 6:30
Price: $30 per person.
Workshop attendees who are Facebook fans qualify for a discount on private lessons within the grace period when you register for two workshops.

Location: Rockville, MD
Date: Saturday, April 16, 2011
Time: 4 - 5:30
Price: $30 per person.
Workshop attendees who are Facebook fans qualify for a discount on private lessons within the grace period when you register for two workshops.