Saturday, October 5, 2013

What Does the First Dance Symbolize?

The Most Sacred Ritual of the Wedding Reception – The First Dance
By Deborah Joy Block, National Wedding Dance Expert

TWDS Founders Deborah and Brian Block's First Dance - Tango
Whether you are a spiritual, religious and conservative or a secular hippy bride and groom or somewhere in between - you all share one thing in common - your joy for dance. The only difference is when and how you do it. You’ve made a big investment in many aspects of the wedding day that will only last one day but will live on in your memories and album– with one exception – your dance lessons. The cake will be eaten, the flowers will die, the gown will be preserved or sold but learning to dance is a small investment in your actual relationship which lives on and evolves. "Partner" dancing is a life skill useful for future special occasions or even just tender moments in your living room on a rainy night! Our students say their dancing date nights are the most fun and romantic time they have during the wedding planning process and our couples tell us that the First Dance is the most sentimental moment of the reception too!
Dance is incorporated into many cultures at weddings and is expressed in various ways depending on the level of religious observance. Many modern and westernized couples want rituals that express their unity and are seeking ways to grow closer through this unique, private and romantic learning experience. On the big day, they are seizing the opportunity to confidently sparkle in the spotlight while personalizing their celebration through their own creative expression. For these insightful couples, the First Dance is often the highlight of the reception, and the most vivid wedding memory guests recall since actions speak louder than words.

There are lots of aspects of the wedding that can be outsourced - - the bakery, the caterer, the florist, the event planner. In more modest conservative traditions dancing may be segregated by gender and the couple spends quiet time alone to physically represent their unity but in both cases "partner" dancing is still applicable and beneficial to learn for the couple's private use and public interaction with guests of the same gender because it is compatible with a wide variety of cultural music styles. Wedding preparation should also include any applicable  folk dances to bond the guests. In Western weddings, the most noteworthy and vital components that validate and authenticate a wedding are the vows and First Dance. The public and legally binding vows verbally profess the couple’s intentions to be supportive and loyal to each other. The First Dance is the first marital act that physically proves a couple’s ability to be supportive of one another. After all, you are not going to recite your vows to each other every day of your marriage but instead you will prove your sincerity through your actions both big and small. Just as couples attend a rehearsal to prepare for their ceremony, it is vital to dedicate some time in advance before making their public debut in the spotlight as a married couple. By exercising teamwork and patience during private rehearsals and ultimately for public display, the couple “moves as one” on the dance floor and a promise is sealed and delivered. For this reason, the First Dance is the most sacred ritual of the wedding reception.

For less than the price of Cinderella's glass slipper, couples can sparkle in the spotlight instead of being all dressed up with no place to go once they reach the ballroom floor. With a little preparation, you can turn the most sentimental moment into the most memorable moment for you and your guests! Whether Cinderella's fairytale is being swept off her feet in the spotlight and paparazzi or in the privacy of the bridal chamber - we can help transform your groom into Prince Charming!
TWDS students Greg and Shelley Webb

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!

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