30 » pink weddings magazine
First dance
sam had designed the first phrase of our
performance to start with a faux-dad-dance – the two
of us hanging off each other badly, to fill everyone
with that sense of dread we were so used to at
straight weddings – before we blew it out of the
water with some clearly choreographed moves.
at the very moment we broke into the dance
proper, it was as if the paparazzi had arrived. camera
flashes lit up the whole ballroom. every one of our 330
friends and family gasped, as neither of us is renowned
for being a great mover. every face we saw was smiling
and beaming back at us. as we’re not terribly gay gays,
this was the glamour and the glitz that set the bar for
our wedding. We added a gliter cannon in the final 30
seconds as a big finale, and literally laughed to the end.
Our steps weren’t perfect on the night, but that
matered for nought… it was all ours, and the reacton
from our loved ones will last a lifetme.
as we finished and stood back up from a
glitter-drenched close, every face was smiling –
except for three or four who were crying! as much
as a sense of fun, we’d tried to convey the sheer
beauty of the moment.
While the memory more than lives on, we actually
stll do some of the moves, even now. We grab each
other’s hand as we’re cooking dinner or brushing our
teeth, push one another away while keeping one hand
held, and spin. depending on the situaton we end it
with comedy jazz-hands or li our t-shirts and bump
bellies – always ending up laughing as hard as the first
day we met. it’s stll a special thing, unique to us.
TAKE TOTHE FLOOR…
‘Be as creative as you dare’ says
Samantha Jennings, choreographer
at national award winning first
dance company Beaus & Belles
WHEN MAURICE AND SACHA
CAME TO A ‘FIRST DANCE’
CONSULTATION, THEY WERE VERY
CLEAR ABOUT THEIR CHOICE OF
MUSIC
– Howie Day’s track
Collide
, which is certainly not a
traditional first dance track. The
song was fresh and
contemporary, not at all cheesy,
and importantly meant a great
deal to them both.
It was apparent to me that
the boys were after a more
artistic creation rather than a
clinch or shuffle on the dance
floor, and with my theatrical background I welcomed that idea with open
arms. So as we created the dance, I wanted there to be all the elements of
well thought out choreography and a great connection between them.
Often enough a dance tells a story, so I wanted to ensure that the
steps and gestures reflected the lyrics in the music. I suggested Maurice
as the dance lead, as he was naturally the taller of the pair, but we
laughed out loud in class as they had their own opinion on who was the
most dominant in the relationship.
There was a ‘ballroom dip’ to take into account, which was tricky
initially to pull off. At one rehearsal we all nearly ended up on the floor in
a heap, but we had a good giggle.
To help couples learn, I invent crazy names for choreography and
armography, such as the Russian Headlock. It certainly helps clients
remember the next move!
Three one-and-a-half hour sessions later, the couple were on their
way to having the finer details of the dance in place. Usually by the final
lesson dance notes are given to the couple and a video of their dance for
practice.
However, the surprises weren’t over. At the end of the third lesson,
Maurice and Sacha confessed to me that five seconds before the end of
their dance a firework would explode in their honour!
Maurice and Sacha were a most charming pair to work with, and I
would imagine the dance went down a storm. I’d encourage all engaged
couples to have a go – keep it simple and just gain confidence on the
dance floor, or be as creative as you dare.
Nationwide choreographers Beaus & Belles offer individual
professional dance tuition, including first dance, hen or stag dance party,
and entertainment for all special occasions. www.dances4u.co.uk
‘We actually still do
some of themoves,
even now. We grab
each other’s hand as
we’re cooking
dinner or brushing
our teeth, push one
another awaywhile
keeping one hand
held, and spin.’