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Choosing that "Perfect Song"

You might think that choosing the song for your first dance is easy... the song that was playing the first time you kissed, the song who's lyrics say just how you feel...well it's not that easy if you want your first Wedding Dance to be a snazzy, choreographed number that you'd be proud to look at again and again.

If you are planning to do a special dance to your wedding song you need to put more thought into your choice. In particular, you must pay attention to the tempo of the song. The tempo is the speed of the beat of the music. For example, "At Last" by Etta James is a beautiful song with a lovely sentiment but the tempo is so slow that you can't do much more than sway from side to side. On the other hand, Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are" seems like a slow ballad but it is quite peppy. My advise is to listen to a lot of music - old and new - and you and you're partner might be surprised at how many songs can tell your story and be upbeat at the same time.

For a choreographed "First Dance" you can expect to learn how to:

1. Walk onto the dance floor gracefully.

2. Some patterns to move you around the room (including some pretty turns.)

3. A fancy posed ending.

Depending on your skill level and how intricate you want your dance to be, this should take 4-8 private lessons.

To most of the music you choose you will be dancing a Foxtrot which has 4/4 timing. This means you would count your music and dance steps 1-2-3-4, 5-6-7-8. The other common choice is a Waltz which is danced to 3/4 timing. There you would count your music and dance steps 1-2-3, 4-5-6. That being said, there is no reason you could not dance a fun Swing or a romantic Rumba as your first dance. Remember - this is YOUR wedding.

To follow is a short list of Wedding Dance Songs. You'll notice that some are old time favorites and some are surprising choices. This list is designed to get you thinking. There are many links on the Internet that will give you even more ideas. Your dance instructor is also a great resource.