Take The Floor

Banbury Can Dance and Strictly Banbury

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry) — Mon, 14 May 2012 21:46:00 +0000

It was a really busy day yesterday at The Mill Centre in Banbury. Firstly the kids I teach at local school Bishop Carpenter (AKA the 'BC Crew') had made it to yesterdays final of Banbury Can Dance. They did amazingly well - especially as they were up against kids who have been dancing for years whilst most of my lot had only been dancing a few months. It was a mixture of all styles of dance - theirs was a street dance routine. They scored 9 across the board from the judges!

Later that night it was the final of Strictly Banbury of which I was a judge. The couples had to perform a Rumba, a Quickstep and a Free style routine. It was a combination of local celebrities paired up with experienced dancers, and it was fantastic what they had managed to achieve in a few weeks. The freestyles were wondrously creative including Charleston, American Smooth, Blues Brother jivers and the winners ... cha cha cha-ing footie players!

It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening and so nice when everyone including the audience took to the floor to dance at the end. It was great to see how much difference the knowledge of a few steps to use on the dance floor makes to the enjoyment of dancing in a social occasion. I hope my wedding couples keep their steps in the bag for such occasions!

Strictly Banbury 2012!

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry) — Mon, 07 May 2012 10:09:00 +0000

I am delighted to have been asked to be a Judge on this year's Strictly Banbury 2012 competition! It looks to be a great show with the couples performing Quickstep, Rumba and Freestyle.

The Banbury Guardian stated last week:-

"BANBURY’S Strictly fans have created a rush on the box office in anticipation of 2012’s sparkling show, for there is not a seat to be had for the Banbury Guardian’s hit annual spectacular.
The ballroom dancing extravaganza was declared a sellout over a week ago as supporters of this prestigious charity event snapped up all seats at the Mill Theatre, Banbury on May 12-13.
Run in collaboration with Step by Step Dance School, Strictly Banbury 2012 features a dozen local celebrities paired with experienced tutors.
The couples will be judged on all three dances by a panel of ballroom experts and the audience will choose the winning couple from the six pairs whose scores get them through to the dance off, where they perform their favourite routine of the evening.
As well as the dance challenge, Saturday will feature an amazing demonstration of ballroom and Latin dancing by Britain’s number three Latin dance couple, David Roberts and Andrea Law."

It looks like fantastic fun and I can't wait to see all the local celebraties strutting their stuff!

Here's a shot of the couples in rehearsal!

Kim and Nick's awesome First Dance Mix

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry) — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 21:40:00 +0000

Here is Kim and Nick's mix of loads of fun songs for their wedding dance! The started with a classic Celine Dion ballad then broke out into a mixture of great party dances!
What is amazing is that we only had one rehearsal for their dance of only just over 1 hour! I mixed the track for them with the songs requested by the bride - she wanted a crowd pleaser and certainly the songs and dance certainly did that! They did amazingly well and I am so proud of them both!

Track mixing

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 06:41:00 +0000

We have more and more couples deciding to use more than one track in their first dance. Some want a slow song leading into something more up tempo, and some want a whole medley of songs mixed together. Some couples simply want their song cut a little shorter too to a manageable 3 minutes or so.
This is why we are happy to now offer track mixing! Our rates are very reasonable - just ask us for a quote for your song. An average 2 - 3 song mix would be £20 - £30 but we've recently had a bride asking for a 20 song mix which wasn't much more.
Our mixer uses up to the minute software and is a professional musician.
So now you don't have to decide between music styles - use them all in a perfect 3 minute mix.

Personalised wedding activity books and children's goodie bags!

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 13:32:00 +0000

After a recent request from a bride we are very pleased to work in conjunction with our sister company Come To My Party (children's entertainment for parties and events) and introduce our personalised wedding activity books and goodie bags!

Each wedding activity book states the date (and venue if required) of your wedding plus bride and groom's names. Each activity is wedding themed (dot to dot, colouring, interactive games, word searchs, puzzles and lots more. There is something for everyone from age 2 to the young at heart! Most of the inside pages can also be personalised and there are a total of 16 fun packed pages.

Our goodie bags are tastefully decorated and bear the child's name - they often end up being a child's hand bag for the rest of the day!
Contents include plasticine; pens / crayons for the activity book; 2 toys including a wooden toy and age / gender appropriate toy; bubbles and sweets.

We can either deliver the bags to you fully prepared on your last dance rehearsal, or arrange for postage.

Full goodie bags are £5 per child, or £2.50 per child for just the book and pens.

Nail The First Dance At Your Wedding - A recent interview for 'You And Your Wedding' Magazine.

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 23:06:00 +0000

I thought I'd re-blog a recent interview I did for top wedding magazine You and Your Wedding.

Liz and Kevin dance to Rule The World by Take That.

For most of us, dancing in public is something we only do after one too many cocktails in the middle of a dark, overcrowded dance floor. So it’s no wonder the nerves start to kick in at the mention of the first wedding dance – with all eyes on you and the groom. Want to wow your guests with more than just a clumsy jig? Read on…

What's the big trend at the moment – Strictly Come Ballroom or Dirty Dancing-style show dances?
For a wedding first dance, the classic ballroom dances are always popular. We don’t have to stick to the rules quite as strongly as Strictly though! I mix in a few traditional steps with a few fancy and fun ones, and adapt some of the stricter ballroom timings and rules to suit the couple and the song. Actually, the couples that do want a more showy dance seem to be going all out lately and involving the bridesmaids, ushers and even mum and dad for a full on performance!

Which is the simplest ballroom dance to master?
I would say learning the waltz is the most straightforward ballroom dance. It is comprised of a basic box step where the feet make a box or square shape on the ground in six steps. Once a couple has mastered this, there is a lot we can do with it to easily fill a song without learning lots of complicated moves.

Would we be better learning a Latin dance like Salsa or Samba?
As a rule I generally find the bride picks up salsa steps a lot easier than the groom. Perhaps because a lot of exercise classes the bride may have attended in the past use similar steps. If the couple is up for it though and prepared to use a lot of hip action, this can be a great style to go for and a real crowd pleaser!

Is it easier to choose our favourite piece of music and get it choreographed for us?
I would definitely choose the right song for you, rather than try and think what anyone else would like. Any song can be danced to, although admittedly some are harder to dance to than others. I find the hardest songs are the really slow ones – especially if a couple is inexperienced with timing. Couples need to use a lot of restraint – quite difficult when excited and nervous on the day. Saying that, couples seem to always pull it off beautifully on the day.

We'd like to do a simple waltz to something contemporary. Can you suggest some tracks?
There are some really cool waltzes out there. A favourite of mine is ‘Valentine Moon’ by Sam Brown. Other great modern choices include ‘Crown of Love’ by Arcade Fire; ‘Come away with me’ by Norah Jones, ‘If you don’t know me by now’ by Simply Red, ‘Kiss from a Rose’ by Seal, plus lots more.

How many lessons would we need to nail something?
It depends on what you want. To do justice to a full song most couples would need around four or five hours. One or two hours however, will give you a good grounding of steps and give you the confidence to dance comfortably together on the night. Couples wanting bigger numbers, i.e. two songs linked together, or involving other members of the wedding party would probably need a little more. As the lessons are one-to-one and tailored specifically to each couples’ requirements, each hour is worth around 10 of what you take away from a group class environment.

How long should we aim for the routine to last?
Three minutes is ideal. It is the length of the average song. I would suggest if you are linking a couple of songs, to shorten them to combine not much more than three minutes also. It is long enough to seem like a complete part of the evening, however short enough to captivate everyone’s attention throughout.

How long before the wedding should we start practising?
I would aim to have your last session around three weeks before the wedding. That way it isn’t so far in advance that you have forgotten it by the time the big day arrives, however you have still enough time to practice, or to squeeze in another session if necessary.

Above all, the main thing is to enjoy your dance! Many couples tell me afterwards what an enjoyable part of the wedding preparations it has been and something they really worked on together. When dancing as a couple you interact both mentally and physically. What better introduction to a marriage than that!?

Susannah and Bjorn's first dance - Pictures!

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 09:30:00 +0000

Thought I'd post these awesome pictures of Susannah and Bjorn's first dance! They really are so stunning! Do check out the video here too!

Susannah and Bjorn's first dance

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 08:46:00 +0000

I was delighted this morning to receive this video of a wedding dance of a couple I did for a couple last summer. Bjorn and Susannah were great fun to work with and wanted lots of dramatic moves and lifts which looked amazing! It made a nice mix with some more classic steps.
They had 2 and a half sessions. Two in their home and the other final rehearsal the day before the wedding when the marque and dance floor were set up which was great for them to be able to practice in the space.
Here is their dance to Michael Buble's 'Feeling Good'. They did so well and I am really proud of them and with them both a very happy marriage.

Everyone can dance – says the master of street dance (and me!)

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:25:00 +0000

One of my favourite TV programmes at the moment is Ashley Banjo’s Secret Street Crew (which is on Sky 1 on Sunday evenings). Ashley’s mission is to prove that he can get the most unlikely of dancers (so far including a group of darts players and fantasy role play geeks) to get poppin’, locking and body shakin’ like the best of them! All the rehearsals are done in secret so that their friends and families get a real surprise when it comes to the performance.
Why I probably connect with this programme is that it reminds me of many of the wedding dances and hen party dances that I have choreographed where groups of friends (generally non-dancers) learn an incredible routine to surprise and wow the wedding guests on the big day. The response from loved ones is always phenomenal and of course, well deserved.
What this tv programme and my personal experiences prove is that Ashley is right and that everyone can dance. No matter what their background, personality or experience, with a bit of practice and determination, everyone can release their inner dancer (and most importantly, have fun in the process!)
So, if you’re thinking of doing a surprise group wedding dance or getting a group of hens together to learn a routine on your hen do, take inspiration from Banjo’s darts players and geeks and you can impress your family and friends too!

Designer Wedding Show at Mallory Court Hotel, Leamington Spa. 6th November.

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 10:49:00 +0000

Come along and say hello today at the Mallory Court Hotel's Designer Wedding Show! We will be here all day from 11 - 4pm.

Wedding Fair at Brampton Heath Golf Centre near Northampton on 2nd October 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 16:04:00 +0000

Come along and meet us on Sunday 2nd October 2011 at Brampton Heath Golf Centre We can put your mind at ease that learning to dance isn't as frightening as you think it will be and that it can be a really fun part of your wedding preprations.

Let us help you make your First Dance a magical and memorable one.

Wanted!! Couple for a free wedding dance lesson!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 19:54:00 +0000

I am hoping to put together a promotional video for You Tube and need a couple willing to be filmed both during a session and on their wedding day of their dance. In return they will receive at least 2 hours worth of private tuition for their first dance. Couples can be of any standard and need not have any previous dance experience, however they should be either local to or willing to travel to Banbury, Oxfordshire. As we are hoping to get the video done soon we are ideally looking for couples getting married this year. See the website www.takethefloor.co.uk or get in touch at info@takethefloor.co.uk

Great first dance shots

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 17:30:00 +0000

There are so many fantastic first wedding dance photos out there I thought I would put together some of my favourites!

My first favourites are of a couple in Oxford who had wedding dance lessons with me earlier this year Catherine and Chris. They did a fantastic jive and I particularly love the lift shot! We had such fun wedding rock-and-roll style!

I recently came across this picture which really seems to capture the joy the bride and groom were having during their dance! Just shows how you can go wild during your dance if you want!

Claire and Terry had a lovely traditional waltz to Moon River but couldn't help spicing it up with a few lifts. I particularly like the aerial shot

Photo by Eliza Claire

Speaking of aerial shots - this one is awesome!

MegPhoto.com

I can`t resist the show-off bride and groom shots! Here are some of my favourites........

Photo by Danielle Finley Photography

Photo by Anahi Navarro Photography

And finally the perfect romantic shot - what it is all about!

Photo by Jasmine Star

Amazing 40% off wedding dance lessons offer!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 09:51:00 +0000

Amazing 40% off wedding dance lessons for couples within 5 miles of Banbury!! This offer is valid for THIS WEEK ONLY! See our website http://www.takethefloor.co.uk to see all about us, videos and photos of dances and much more.

Contact us by the end of Sunday to claim this fantastic offer!

Ryan and Gemmas First Waltz

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry) — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 20:05:00 +0000

Routine learned in only two hours!

It was such fun working with this lovely couple. They wanted to go for a traditional waltz but to a quite modern song, and Gemma had fallen in love with the great Sam Brown song Valentine Moon. It is a great song!

I started by teaching them the basic box step (see earlier post here on how to do this.) Once they had got the hang of that we started to play around with it and have some fun with the steps. We kept the first verse quite on the spot, then as they had space to work with at the venue, we began to use the floor for the second verse.

By the chorus the confidence was there so we tried some more fancy steps. After a slightly hesitant start they both were up for anything and really picking the steps up quickly.

I was really proud of them for what they achieved in just one session of 2 hours! Check out the video at the end of their rehearsal and also the beautiful picture of their first dance on the big day!

Congratulations Ryan and Gemma. xx

Shoes Shoes Shoes!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 13:28:00 +0000

Heels, Flats and More for your wedding and first dance!

So you have found the dress of your dreams! You feel like a princess, but there is one thing every princess needs - her glass slippers!

There are wedding shoes for every bride these days from kitten heels to killer heels and ballet pumps to basketball pumps! Even Wedding Wellies are seen in outdoorsy weddings (see below left by Weddington Boots) - they would be great for a wedding barn-dance!

Brides are not always going for traditional white either with an array of colours peeking out of the skirts sweeping the floor.
A unusual or statement shoe choice is a great way to add flair and quirkyness to the bridal ensemble without compromising on the traditional white dress. These Vivianne Westwood numbers (below centre) have a real flair whilst still being essentially bridal shoes - they even have the something blue!

Comfort must not be overlooked however in the dream for the perfect look. You are going to be in these shoes all day and the you dont want to be hobbling with blisters by the time you get to your first dance! A good rule of thumb is to go with a level of heel you often wear. If you never wear heels then a stiletto is not going to make you comfortable on your day however amazing it makes your legs look - a sprained ankle and a limp will not look so good! If you are not a heels girl there are still some beautiful options - I love these tiny heels (above right) by Irregular Choice.

A small platform is actually quite a sensible choice. It gives height and a great heel whilst raising the toe to keep a smaller difference in height ratio between toe and heel. There are some fab bridal designs including these crystal encrusted ones (below left) by Crystal Couture. Be careful of killer heels for killing your new hubby's toes though whilst dancing!

A classic bridal shoe however, and probably my favourite, is the ballroom style shoe. There are some great designs and colours out there but they are designed for maximum movement and comfort as well as a flattering but manageable heel. They will stay on too with decent strap designs - no flinging the slingback across the dance floor! I love these Mimi shoes by Rachel Simpson (below right). Available in pink too!

Overall, here are my pros and cons for both heels and flats:-

Heels - Pros
Brides look taller and more elegant
They lengthen the leg
They compliment most dress styles
They give the feel of special occasion!

Heels - Cons
If you are not used to wearing them they can be very uncomfortable.
If there is any outside activity ie photos the heel could sink into the grass making it awkward to walk.
Treading on the groom's toes during first dance could be painful!
Heels could catch on the dress and rip it.

Flats - Pros
No worrying about sinking into the grass outside.
A lot more comfortable.
You can dance all night!

Flats - ConsThey can make legs look shorter and thicker.
They are sometimes harder to find than heels.
They are not quite as effective in photographs.

A Bit Of Both!

This does seem like the ideal solution - to change half way through from heels into flats. 75% of the brides I have asked have said they intend to change them at some point in the day. Do bear in mind though the length of your dress. If it has been fitted to touch the ground in heels you my be tripping over it in flats.

One last thing to remember is to practice your First Dance in your shoes! Whether the actual shoes (there is no actual rule about the groom not seeing the shoes before the day, although many would count shoes as part of the dress), or a similar style shoe and heel. It does help the groom to practice in his shoes too. Plus the added bonus of a little breaking in of the footwear to try and avoid new shoe blisters on the big day.

I love the quirkyness of these shoes!

Capturing the perfect First Dance Photo

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 10:00:00 +0000

The post today is from Wedding Photographer Lesley Pattinson of Memories Thru a Lens. She takes beautiful shots and has very kindly shared her secrets of photographing the perfect First Dance shot with us. You can see more of her work or book her for your special day at www.memoriesthrualens.com.

"This photograph was taken at a wedding reception in a marquee near Thame, Oxfordshire.
The documentary wedding photo was taken with my Canon 5D and my 70-200mm lens.
This image was taken at 200th sec @ f5 ISO 320. I have used flash in this image.

The first dance is an important moment for lots of bride and grooms and it can provide some great photos that help tell the story of your wedding day.

It was a sunny summer day when this image was taken, but being inside a marquee meant it wasn’t all that bright… for my camera anyway.

So as I had been photographing inside the marquee during the reception and speeches I had already decided to up my ISO to 320, this helped lighten the shot to ensure the people in the background of the image could be seen.

My next decision was to set my shutter speed to 200th sec, this is because with the bride and groom dancing I needed a fast shutter speed to freeze them, this ensured I did not get movement blur.
I wanted a little depth of field in this shot, I wanted the focus to be on the brides face and although I wanted the guests behind her to be part of the shot they where the secondary subject, so I opted for f5.
With both the shutter speed, aperture and ISO I had chosen the image was still a little dark. I did not want to increase the ISO so I decided to use flash. I didn’t want the flash to be too harsh so luckily being in a big white marquee I had a lot of places to bounce off. I dialed the flash down by one and then bounced it off the ceiling of the marquee this gave me just the right amount of soft light.

I love the happiness in this image, it captures the true essence of a wedding reception. Everyone is merry and celebratory, including the bride and groom and that is what I wanted to capture in this particular documentary wedding photograph."

Videos of Sally’s Hen Dancing Party

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry) — Sun, 29 May 2011 13:07:00 +0000

Following on from the post and photos of Sally’s Hen Dance Party here are the videos! I thought instead of just showing you the final result I’d pop in some videos of the process of the girls learning the dance!

After our warm up the girls started learning the first few steps.

We then had a try with the music...

Here is the finished routine! Well done Girls - it looks fab!!

See the photos here!

Sally’s Hen Night Dance Party

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry) — Fri, 27 May 2011 08:33:00 +0000

Sally has always cut a mean figure on the dance floor so the hens decided that our hen dancing party would be perfect for her.

We began with a warm up to a bit of Gaga. A lot of the hens really didnt know what to expect but they soon got in the groove of things. After a few warm up moves we tried a few dance steps and although some of the girls were a bit unsure of their dance skills I think they surprised themselves with what they could do!

Then it was time to crack on with the routine! After much previous deliberation the hens decided that Groove Is In The Heart by Deelite would be a perfect choice for a song.

I like to mix in some fun patterns as well as moves in a routine and so everyone got into positions (with Sally the hen at the front of course) and the hens danced their hears out for the next 45 minutes.

Break time! We broke open the bubbly and began to accessorise! The girls had lots of laughs trying on all the bits and bobs. I always enjoy the diversity of styles everyone comes up with when they dress up!

It was then time for the final performance! I was so impressed by how much everyone had learned in an couple of hours and how well they worked as a team. Well done girls!!

All in all it was a great fun evening and start to the big hen weekend!

See the Videos here!!

Bridesmaids and Ushers Wedding Dance

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry) — Thu, 26 May 2011 11:53:00 +0000

The Video!

Last week I posted about the Bridesmaids and Ushers surprise wedding dance for the bride and groom (here). I promised a video and it arrived yesterday so here it is! I'm so so proud of them all! It looks like the guests absolutely loved it too!!

It was a great fun project and I really enjoyed meeting and working with all the guys and girls.

Picking your First Song for a Wedding First Dance

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry) — Sun, 22 May 2011 06:40:00 +0000

Picking the right first song for your wedding is a difficult decision. For some couples it is an obvious personal song – the first song you ever danced to for example, or the song that was playing when he proposed. For others it is a lot harder choice when no song immediately leaps to mind. An other factor that sometimes enters the mix is whether you use the track of the song or have the band play it, and whether the band are prepared to learn the song or if you have to use something from their repertoire.

The most important factor to consider is what the song means to you. Don’t think too much about what anyone else will like – it is your important song and should reflect your preferences. Saying that it is best not to choose anything offensive or with risqué lyrics!
On the subject of lyrics it is important to really listen to what the artist is saying. Some songs seem on the surface to be really suitable until you really listen to them. An example of this would be the song ‘Making Whoopee’ which I heard sung at a wedding recently. The start of the song is great “Another bride, another groom another lucky honeymoon”, however by the second verse “she feels neglected and he’s suspected of making whoopee”! Not really that suitable in the end!
Tempo is another thing to consider. Although many couples think a slow song is an easy choice, a very slow song can be difficult to keep in time to the music with if neither partner has any previous dance of musical experience . A classic slow song can be beautiful though and there are some lovely choices out there.

Something a little more uptempo is another choice – a jive, cha cha or latin feel perhaps, or maybe just something you can groove to. I recently worked with a couple who chose Groove Is In The Heart which we had a lot of fun with.
Another option is to go all out with a really unusual choice. Recently 2 separate couples have used the song ‘All I want is You’ by Barry Louis Polisar from the film Juno. It is a really quirky country 2 step feel but really does have lovely lyrics. I have also recently done Chris Brown’s ‘Forever’ and even ‘Ice Ice Baby’!!

A lot more couples a starting to mix songs together. This works really well when a couple want a classic slow dance but also want to go a bit wild too!
I’ve listed a few recent songs and popular choices, however it really is a personal decision. I hope this helps you find the right song for you!

Classic Slow Songs
Rule the World - Take That
Have I Told You Lately That I Love You
From This Moment On - Shania Twain
Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol
You're in My Heart - Rod Stewart
What a difference a day makes - Various
All the Time In The World - Louis Armstrong
Feel My Love - Adele
As the World Falls Down - David Bowie
Greatest Day - Take That
I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston
Thank-you for Loving Me - Bon Jovi
I Just Called to Say I Love You - Stevie Wonder
One Day Like This – Elbow

Up beat - Cha-chas Quicksteps etc.
I'm your Man - Wham
Stand By Me - Ben E. King
You and Me Song - Wannadies
Groove is in the Heart - Deee Lite
My First My Last My Everything - Barry White
For Once in My Life - Stevie Wonder
Everything - Michael Buble
Wouldn't it be Nice - Beach Boys
Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher - Jackie Wilson
Can't Take My Eyes off of You - Andy Williams

Waltzes
See my previous post on waltzes here

Website Revamp!

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry) — Wed, 18 May 2011 20:33:00 +0000

Bit of a short post today as I have been at the laptop ALL DAY working on a complete overhall of my website. Nothing really drastic but just trying to clean up a few bits and make it a nicer place to visit. Consequently my kitchen is not a nicer place to visit and so away to the washing up I must now go before a few hours sleep (please teething baby!?). Actually I'm lucky I have baby or laptop at all as we are down to the spare power cord after the little terror sucked it earlier and the power is no more. Happily baby is fine!

Anyway, do take a look at the (nearly finished) new site and let me know what you think!

www.takethefloor.co.uk

Wedding First Dance..... by the bridesmaids and ushers!

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry) — Mon, 16 May 2011 06:12:00 +0000

Warning: wedding dance lessons may become addictive!!!

This time last year I worked with a really lovely couple C and P for their wedding dance. Their first song was Everything by Michael Buble. We had a really fun time with the lessons and I'm told the dance went really well. But it didn't end there.....

A few months later I had a call from P wanting a surprise routine for a friend's wedding. This turned into 18 of the ushers and stags performing a River Dance the likes of which you've never seen!! More to come on this another time!

Then, a month or so ago C emailed asking if I was up for choreographing a surprise routine for her sisters wedding! This time it would be involving the 10 bridesmaids and ushers! Well of course I was up for it! They chose 3 songs that we linked together - around a minute of each so a quite reasonable 3 minutes in total. We were to have 3 rehearsals, however only 4 girls and 1 boy could come to the first, 1 girl and all the boys to the second, then hopefully everyone together for the last rehearsal the day before the wedding! Everyone was coming from all over, with a few coming from London and one girl from as far as County Durham! Everyone really made the effort to get to the lessons but it was quite a mission for C organising everyone.

In rehearsal

When the girls and one very brave guy turned up for the first rehearsal they were right up for the challenge though! Our first song was Wannabe by the Spice Girls. I started with the girls who got into the swing of things really easily, then I couldn't resist putting my one boy on the spot for some hips and 'zig a zig ah' action! A great sport - he gave his all!

What stars!

The next song was Take That 'Relight My Fire'. I wanted to do partner work for that song as I felt with 5 guys and girls it would be lovely to see them dancing together in hold. This was going to be tricky until the last rehearsal though until we has everyone together, so we outlined the steps then moved on to the last song.

With Beyonce's 'All The Single Ladies' (guess who chose the songs - the girls or guys!?) it was never going to be anything but camp and I wasn't about to let the guys off the hook! To give them their due when it came to the guys' rehearsal they were right up for it! (Perhaps worryingly so!)
Two separate lessons with pretty much half the 'cast' for each and we had a good outline of how it would go. All we had to do was put it together in the final rehearsal when we had everyone together.

The final performance!

The day of our last lesson the day before the wedding came, however I had a personal minor disaster - my other half had a crisis at work and had to work late. This meant I was suddenly without childcare. Eventually I found a good friend's hubby to step in to look after my toddler, but my baby had been proving very clingy and too high maintainence to burden on anyone but family. The only thing to do was to take him along! I warned everyone who all seemed fine with it so along he came! Actually the clingyness is partially my own doing as I use a sling to carry him on my back a lot of the time and he likes the closeness. Consequently when we arrived at the studio I just popped him on my back and danced around as normal! Pretty much what I do when choreographing routines in my kitchen really! Everyone thought it was a funny sight but he loved the music. After a while he sat and watched and was a very appreciative audience!

The other problem that cropped up was unsurprisingly a traffic jam on the M25. What was surprising was that it only affected one guy and by a massive stroke of luck a regular 'swing' dancer, Although it wasn't ideal, I wasn't too worried about him fitting in with the rest as he was a pretty confident dancer - particularly in partner work.

Put a ring on it!

By the end of the final practice everyone looked so great - I was so proud of them! A couple of the guys really surprises themselves with what they could do!

A week on from the wedding last week I received an email from C. Apparently the dance went down a storm! I love the photos - everyone looks like they're having such fun!
And as for C and P - they're trying to find another excuse for a wedding dance! I hope so - they have the most fun projects!

Watch the video here!!!

First Dance Lesson: How to do the Waltz

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry) — Fri, 13 May 2011 16:55:00 +0000

The waltz actually caused a bit of a scandal when it was first danced! Dancing for the nobility at the time (late 1700s) was done in an ‘open’ fashion ie the couples did not embrace. ‘Closed’ dances were danced at the time only by peasants and were considered lewd! The waltz even forbidden for a time in some countries until it was permitted under strict guidelines:-

1.    "Both men and women must be dressed decently for the waltz."

2.    "No man might dance in breeches and doublet without a coat."

3.    "Women and girls must not be thrown about."

The waltz is now one of the most popular ballroom dances today and is an excellent choice for a wedding first dance. It is danced to ¾ time with the emphasis on the first beat – 1 2 3, 1 2 3, etc.

So how do you do a waltz!?
The most basic of steps in a waltz is the box step. Just as the name suggests, the feet make a box or square pattern on the floor.
A box step can be divided into two parts - a forward half box and a backward half box. Each half box has three steps - a step forward or backward, a step to the side, and a step to close the feet together.

The man starts with the left foot and executes a forward half box, followed by a backward half box. The lady performs the opposite – she starts with the right foot and executes a backward half box, followed by a forward half box.

Man: Start with your feet in the 5 6 position on the diagram.
1.    Step forward with the left foot
2.    Right foot step sideways to the right
3.    Bring your left foot next to your right foot
4.    Step back with the right foot
5.    Step back sideways with the left foot
6.    Bring your right foot next to your left foot

Lady: Start with your feet in the 5 6 position on the diagram facing the man.
1.    Step back with the right foot
2.    Left foot step sideways to the left
3.    Bring your right foot next to your left foot
4.    Step forward with the left foot
5.    Step forward sideways with the right foot
6.    Bring your left foot next to your right foot

Some song suggestions for a waltz for a first wedding dance would be…

Valentine Moon – Sam Brown
Moon River – various
Come away with me – Norah Jones
If you don’t know me by now – Simply Red
Three Times a Lady - The Commodores
You Light Up My Life - Debbie Boone
Kiss from a Rose – Seal
Edelweiss – various
Hello Young Lovers – various
So This is Love – Disney
Can I have this dance – from High School Musical
The Blue Danube – instrumental
Que Sera sera
Piano man – Billy Joel
Gymnopedie – Eric Satie
Amazing Grace
Around the World
Cherie I Love You – Nat King Cole
Could I have this dance – Anne Murray
All Kinds Of Everything
Crown of Love - Arcade Fire

See here for more great first song ideas!

Interview: Nikki - Take The Floor's teacher for the Yorkshire area gives us her top tips for wedding dances.

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry) — Wed, 11 May 2011 10:33:00 +0000

Wedding dances in Yorkshire
It’s been a busy month for Take The Floor wedding dances in Yorkshire as the wedding season starts to kick in. We’ve had couples wanting to learn slow, intimate dances, couples learning more up tempo numbers to get the party going and couples incorporating ushers and bridesmaids into their first dance to make a real wedding dance extravaganza!   Here are some top tips for Yorkshire couples who want to make their first dance extra special:

Top tips for Yorkshire wedding dances:

1)   Pick a good song – Ideally choose a song that means something to you both but that also has a good, regular beat so that you can easily dance to it.

2)   Start your wedding dance lessons early but not too early – It’s good to have your last wedding dance lesson about 2 - 3 weeks before your wedding. That way it's near enough to remember it well but far enough away so that an extra session or half session can be squeezed in if necessary.

3)   Practice, Practice, Practice - is very important between your wedding dance lessons to help you feel relaxed and comfortable on your big day. It doesn’t have to be formal practice – just a quick run through while the kettle’s boiling, or just practising the parts of the dance you find trickier.

4)   Create lasting memories – Ask your wedding dance teacher for some moves that will make memorable photos – perhaps some lifts, dips turns, anything that makes you both look amazing for that special photo for your mantelpiece!

5)   Have fun – often find that wedding dance lessons can be a relief from the other stresses of wedding planning and are surprised how much they enjoy them. Wedding dance lessons give you time together as a couple but also help you to enjoy your big day so much more and give you the confidence to go out and wow your wedding guests.