25 Nov Couple of the month: Jason & Jamie
In this article cycle, we will post interviews with some of our wedding couples to help you better understand the preparation process as well as what to expect from the dance on the big day. You can see the dance video at the end of the article!
Dance style: Rumba
Amount of Lessons: 10 H
Song: Death Cab for Cutie – I Will Follow You into
the Dark
Photo: Olive Eye Photography (www.oliveeyephotography.com)
1. How did you pick a song for your first dance?
We wanted something that was meaningful to both of us and to our relationship. We had both liked the song I Will Follow You Into the Dark individually, and then it would come up on shuffle while we were driving places together and started to feel more and more like our song.
2. What was the most important requirement for your wedding dance?
We really didn’t want to look like amateurs (even though that’s what we are) stumbling through moves. We were hoping to appear confident. Also, we really wanted to do a dramatic dip at one specific part in the song!
3. How many months in advance did you start? Did you have a dance experience before?
About 3 months. We did 10 one-hour lessons and basically went once a week until the wedding. We had no dance experience when we started.
4. What was the biggest challenge for you preparing the dance and how did you overcome it?
Jamie: I kept trying to lead. Basically, as Jason got more confident and used to the moves, I was able to let go, stop thinking, and start to follow.
Jason: I knew just enough about music that I was getting confused about how the timing of the steps synced to the song. I had to trust that Alyona knew what she was doing to make it look good as a dance and stop thinking so technically.
5. Did you feel comfortable on the dance floor on the day of the wedding?
Yes, and our biggest accomplishment by far was getting to that space of comfort! We made a small mistake in the very beginning of the dance, just because of nerves, but we didn’t freak out. Being able to keep going after the mistake (thank you Alyona for stressing how important that is!) made the rest of the dance feel smooth and natural.
6. Tell our future couples what to expect from the wedding dance on the day of!
It is incredibly nerve-wracking to get up and do a dance in front of everyone, especially if you have no experience performing in front of an audience. Yes, it will only be in front of people who love you, but it’s still scary! As long as you actually put in the work and practice the dance, the nerves fade away and the feeling takes over. At least that’s how it was for us.
7. How did you feel after the performance on the day of?
So proud! We were proud we learned something together and got to show it off.
8. What advice can you give to the couples?
Try to concentrate fully on your partner. Besides the fact that it’s your first dance as a married couple and you don’t want to miss the moment, focusing on your partner helps tune out the audience and let the muscle memory of the dance kick in.
9. Are you going to dance after the wedding? 🙂
Yes! We’ve already talked about how it would be fun to try more challenging dance types. Also, going to a dance lesson together once a week or every other week is just a really nice thing to do as a couple.
You can see their dance below:
Book your dance lesson here.