Should grooms and brides invest in learning how to dance before wedding day? It's a longstanding tradition that they'll have the first dance. Most grooms and brides, however, will cringe at the thought of their closest friends and relatives gawking at them. Let's face it: unless you've taken lessons at some point in your life, or you've been told by (reliable) sources that you've got some serious moves, you probably can't dance.

You've seen it in movies. The lights go down, the band strikes the first chord, and the bride and groom slide effortlessly onto the dance floor. Smiling faces stare awestruck at the rampant beauty of it all. It looks so easy.

Back in the real world, chances are you can't dance, let alone move your hips in a coordinated manner. No, you're as awkward looking (and feeling) as you were when you had that first dance with a cute girl in high school. However, you and your bride may have the idea that you should learn to dance for your weddin g. Intimidated? Don't be. Says Nathan Hescock, owner of My Wedding Dance, a premier New York private dance studio that caters to grooms and brides: "At first, grooms can be a bit adverse to learning how to dance, let alone a dance at a wedding. But even the most flat-footed groom warms up."

The local route

The good news is that countless local dance halls and private instructors offer lessons throughout the year. Most of these do wedding packages as well, ensuring you always have a swing, fox trot or waltz in your tool bag should the need arise.

At a minimum, if you're going to have a traditional first dance, you'll want to have the foxtrot under control. The most basic of dance moves, it's also the easiest to learn. That said, the next step up is the waltz, which is significantly more difficult to perform and may take a lot of time to learn. If you've got a few months, that's no barrier. Then there's swing dancing; essentially cardiovascular activity for the athletically inclined. As the name suggests, swing involves lots of bride tossing. It's not really a great "first dance" step, but it sure is fun. Reminds Hescock, "Leaning to dance doesn't necessarily mean the Viennese waltz. It can also be something more contemporary." For the ultra-modern bride and groom, there is also the option of choreographing an entire dance for your wedding. This is becoming a popular option and is not only a more familiar form of dancing for most couples, but also hysterical fun for the guest audience.article continues...
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