The wedding dancer

Prologue: This is a post I actually wrote a couple months ago after the wedding I wore Vera to. I've had it in the bank to pull out when needed. It's quite timely today as I again defended my title at another wedding this past weekend.
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I am she. Every wedding has one, and I wear that title with pride.

You know who I’m talking about, the girl that jumps up to the dance floor the second the music starts and the floor is open (after the whole first-dance-father/bride-mother/groom routine). The girl that doesn’t take a seat until the last song is played (and if you have a DJ, it will most likely be the 70s disco classic “Last Dance” followed by “Happy Trails”). Flying solo at the wedding? Not a problem for the wedding dancer. She’ll dance alone with herself to the slow songs, usually in a very dramatic and interpretive-type fashion.

A few weekends ago, I was at the gorgeous wedding for my dear and beautiful friend, it was no exception. This was the wedding where I got to be a classy bridesmaid… and I must admit that I think I showed nothing but class when I threw on my black Cons to hit the dance floor. Any experienced wedding dancer knows that heels, although cute and stylish, can be a showstopper. Not only did I get dozens of comments on how smart I was with my choice of dancing footwear (I mean how can you not pair Vera Wang with Chuck Taylor?), but I also had handfuls of people pull me aside and comment on my dancing ability.

All I can say is that I love to ham it up on the dance floor. I live for wedding receptions. I don’t fancy myself a particularly good dancer, just like I don’t think I’m a particularly good karaoke singer, I just throw my whole self into it, and it just so happens that my whole self comes with a heckuvalot of energy. But, dear readers, as an experienced wedding dancer, I can tell you that there is a winning formula for wedding dancing, and it doesn’t have anything to do with dancing, but all to do with the music.

There is a list of what I would call, wedding reception mainstays, that if you are hoping to turn your reception into a dance party, they are must plays. Some people have adverse reactions to certain songs, and that’s fine. The chicken dance, Macarena, Electric Slide do not need to be played if you don't want them. In fact, I’d say you don’t have to play ALL of the mainstay playlist, but the number of songs that are played from that list should be greater than the numbers that are nixed. It all depends upon the dance party you are hoping to host. Note to self: AC/DC “You Shook Me All Night” may be the exception to the rule—that one just screams dance party U.S.A. and should be played. And it’s not just about the list, but also the order in which those songs are played. This is very important. I have seen many a DJ clear a floor because they’ve ignored this oh-so-important rule. And when a floor is cleared, it is the wedding dancer’s responsibility to resuscitate the party.

On more than one occasion I’ve wondered how I can turn my wedding dancing abilities into a career, a sort of dance consultant for brides—oh, how I’d just love to have a business card with a title that read “The Wedding Dancer.” (Oh no! Would this mean I’d need to add another blog?) While I’m still working out that business plan in my head, I will offer you all one of my biggest pieces of advice—when selecting your music make sure you absolutely love your provider. If you have a DJ, make sure that DJ will stick to your plan—and won’t be some creepy dude from the Florida panhandle that will hit on your parents’ married friends. And if you have a band, make sure that you love that band and—depending upon the type of dance party you want—that the band understands the importance of wedding reception mainstays (i.e., this band should be so fantastic that they can cover many types of music and songs from all eras… if it’s a wedding that I’m going to be at, make sure they are prepped to play plenty of 70s and 80s).

If you are planning a wedding (or any other occasion that you’d like to liven up with a dance party that people will not soon forget), and you want me to let you in on the formula, let me know. And if you really want to make sure that you have the mother of all dance parties, be sure you have a wedding dancer on the invite list.