Sara & Ben’s First Dance | I Guess I’m In Love

Posted on March 1, 2023 by catsballroom

Sara and Ben’s first dance was not meant to happen, and yet…

…it turned out beautifully. You see, when Sara asked Ben if he would dance with her at their wedding, he said no. And he continued to say no until she finally wore him down and he agreed to 30 seconds. Well Sara took that victory and ran with it, and next thing Ben knew, he was taking dance lessons! To say there was a little resistance to start is a gross understatement.

Despite that, once we began he did quite well, and although he liked to play the curmudgeon, I think he almost started to enjoy himself. Even if he didn’t, I know it was worth it to see her so happy. There’s a part in the middle of the choreography when they separate briefly, and the deeply loving look he always gave her as he returned said a lot more than his grumbling ever could.

Bloopers

Good or Bad I Know It’s Worth It

All Is Well In The End

Thanks to the dream team!

Venue: Cedar Hall

Photographer: Kevin Barre

DJ: Deep Blu

Dress: Eleven Bridal (Nashville)

Three easy ways to find out how we can help you with your first dance.

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Try a free lesson to see if you like it. We know your will 😉

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Chesney & Stephen’s First Dance | Tennessee Whiskey

Posted on May 25, 2022 by catsballroom

So beautiful together.

Creating Chesney and Stephen’s first dance was a lot of fun because they somehow managed to be both playful and focused. So how lucky were we that we also got to choreograph their ceremony exit, mother-son dance, and fathers-daughter dance. That’s right, fathers. Chesney honored all three of her father figures with a dance, and it was awesome.

Always having fun.

Listen to her heart.

The three amigos.

Putting this lift in Chesney & Stephen’s first dance really wowed the crowd!

Perfection at the Pink Palace.

The perfect balance of fun and hard work.

Fun with Dads.

Don’t forget Mom.

Chesney & Stephen’s sassy first dance.

(Please excuse the choppy video – we got so excited watching it that we forgot to pay attention to the camera!)

Exiting with style.

Thanks to the dream team!

Venue: The Pink Palace Museum

Photographer: Katrina Yarbrough

DJ: Deep Blu Entertainment

Day of Coordinator: Michael Doyle of Lynn Doyle Flowers

Three easy ways to find out how we can help you with your first dance.

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Try a free lesson to see if you like it. We know your will 😉

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Carla & Loray’s First Dance | Here and Now

Posted on March 25, 2022August 8, 2022 by catsballroom

Imagine a gorgeous couple gliding and twirling through pink-tinged fog to the romantic sound of Luther Vandross. Yeah, Carla and Loray’s first dance was dreamy.

I promise to love faithfully

They even look good practicing!

This couple had a lot of pluses starting out. They’re both really sweet, both have lilting Caribbean accents (love that), and are both in the military. Why should that last part matter? In my experience military couples are super easy to work with. They pay attention, take instruction incredibly well, and don’t seem to know the word can’t. Plus, they practice!

Carla & Loray’s First Dance Was Pure Romance

The key to progressing quickly (and having fun doing it) is to learn from your mistakes, but to not take them too seriously. Laughter loosens the mind. Extra props to Loray for being the first person I’ve ever seen get the suave over the head move on the first try!

Laughing and learning together

Smooth Move

Like dancing on a cloud

Thanks to the dream team!

Venue: Imperial Design Hall

Photographer: Hundreds of Moments

Videographer: Luminary Wedding Videos

DJ: DJ Johnny of Blue Chip Entertainment

Dress: The Dressing Room Celebration

Three easy ways to find out how we can help you with your first dance.

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Try a free lesson to see if you like it. We know your will 😉

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Abbey & Phillip’s First Dance | I Don’t Dance

Posted on October 15, 2021October 15, 2021 by catsballroom

I’d do anything with you anywhere

Busy, busy, busy. This couple could never seem to find time to practice, which meant their choreography took a little longer than usual. They were faithful with their lessons though, so in the end Abbey and Phillip’s first dance came together and was a big hit.

Prince charming needs to be wound up!

Abbey & Phillip’s first dance had lots of hand changes.

So smooth.

Fun – like them!

First dance tada!

West coast swing isn’t the first dance that comes to mind for a wedding, but its playful feel fit Abbey and Phillip perfectly. And the part where she winds up her prince charming to animate him? Priceless.

Even though the song says, “I can’t dance”, this beautiful bride and handsome groom swirling and twirling together under a canopy of twinkling lights told a different story.

Thanks to the dream team!

Venue: Dixon Gallery & Gardens

Photographer: Jo Darling Photography

Wedding Planner: Betts Made

Three easy ways to find out how we can help you with your first dance.

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Try a free lesson to see if you like it. We know your will 😉

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Haley & Nathan’s First Dance | Fall On Me

Posted on June 30, 2021 by catsballroom

… With Open Arms

High school sweethearts who met in marching band – it doesn’t get any cuter than that. Add in Haley’s near obsession with Christina Aguillera (read dramatic song choice), and I knew Haley and Nathan’s first dance would be a lot of fun to choreograph.

Haley’s gown was beautiful and suited her perfectly. She did assume it would be bustled though, and only found out the day before that it wouldn’t be, but I think the improvised ribbon bracelet looked lovely as they danced.

As you can see from these clips, we were starting to get some pretty smooth dancing. And then Covid!

Unfortunately, we weren’t able to meet for the last several months before the wedding, but to their credit, these two did great. They even brought Haley’s dad to tears.

Thanks to the dream team for Haley & Nathan’s First Dance!

Venue: Southern Grace Weddings & Events

Photographer: Danielle Lozeau Photography

DJ: 2typesofpassion

Dress: The Barefoot Bride

Three easy ways to find out how we can help you with your first dance.

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Try a free lesson to see if you like it. We know your will 😉

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Colleen & John’s First Dance | Sway

Posted on March 27, 2021March 28, 2021 by catsballroom

Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore, hold me close, sway me more.

The story of Colleen and John’s first dance is a study in flexibility and positive attitude. They had been taking lessons from us for quite awhile before we started working on anything for the wedding. She was bitten by the dance bug in college, and he was happy to join in her hobby. We worked a lot on the waltz because they’re a couple of old souls and the classic elegance of it appealed to them both. But then – Covid. The big wedding at the Pink Palace they had planned became a small wedding in a friend’s backyard, their dance floor became a deck, and their waltz became … a rumba.

Look at that laser focus!

Rumba may not have been the dance they’d been dreaming of, but they really threw themselves into it, even upping the bar by working on Latin hip action. [Note: The long hill between the law school and Fourth Bluff Park is the perfect place to learn it, but boy is it busy when the weather is nice!]

When it came time to begin choreography, we had another snag to unravel. Although Zoom had been working fine for regular lessons, we wanted to be more interactive for something as special as a first dance. Colleen and John weren’t quite ready to resume lessons in the studio, so what to do? Our solution was to meet in person on the plaza in front of the Brooks Museum. Seems crazy, but it was actually a lot of fun.

Do it again!

Because that’s how you get better.

As you can see, despite all the changes and challenges, their first dance turned out great. In fact, they were so well prepared that even when Colleen’s dress tried to swallow John’s legs, they were able to laugh it off and get right back on track.

Beautiful!

Thanks to the dream team for Colleen & John’s first dance!

Photographer: Ashley Benham Photography

Wedding Planner: Infinity Events

Three easy ways to find out how we can help you with your first dance.

Visit our Lessons page.

Try a free lesson to see if you like it. We know your will 😉

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Kari & Camron’s First Dance | Lover

Posted on November 25, 2020 by catsballroom

And there’s a dazzling haze, a mysterious way about you, dear…

A peaceful moment.

This couple really gets around (in a good way, of course). She’s from Kansas and he’s from Nevada, they met in Baltimore, and got married in California. Whew! It’s a wonder they ever found each other, so I guess it was meant to be. And lucky for us they live in Memphis, and we got the privilege of working on Kari & Camron’s first dance.

I love the attitude in this shot!

It’s my contention that the human brain doesn’t process opposites well. Notice how they struggled at first with swiveling in different directions. It’s like that for almost everyone. But then something just clicks, and it all falls into place.

Kari & Camron Prepare For Their First Dance

We inserted a move that we usually just call the wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, and Kari cracked up and said, “I can’t do that in front of my dad!” She did it, but it’s pretty quick, so see if you can spot it.

Kari & Camron’s First Dance

Thanks to the dream team for Kari & Camron’s First Dance!

Venue: The Resort at Squaw Creek (Olympic Valley, CA)

Photographer: Mandy Ford Photography

Videographer: Lake Full of Pictures

Wedding Planner: Jenn Lazon

Three easy ways to find out how we can help you with your first dance.

Visit our Lessons page.

Try a free lesson to see if you like it. We know your will 😉

Schedule Your Consultation

Sarah & Jason’s First Dance | I Choose You

Posted on November 4, 2020November 4, 2020 by catsballroom

It’s the biggest decision I’m about to get right…

Could you find a more beautiful location?

We loved working on Sarah & Jason’s first dance. There is nothing flashy about this couple, but boy is there a lot of substance. Among other things they’re both whip smart, adventurous, and philanthropic. Their rustic wedding at a ranch in Colorado suited them perfectly, and their first dance to I Choose You showed off their athleticism and charm. My only teeny tiny regret? That no one would see Sarah’s crazy beautiful legs under the wedding gown!

Sarah & Jason’s first dance had to have a lift!

Small details can make a huge difference in how a dance looks and feels. Notice how often a seemingly small adjustment changed everything. And since they both took direction wonderfully, their improvement was usually rapid.

Hands on feedback!

Sarah and Jason also ticked all the boxes for a great first dance – start early, practice often, cooperate – and it shows in how polished they look.

[Apologies for the poor quality video, but you can still see how great they did.]

Thanks to the dream team!

Photographer: Taylor Jones Photography

Wedding Planner: Cynthia Zipperly

Band: Raising Cain

[Note: Although they did play for the first dance, due to technical issues the audio in the video isn’t them.]

Three easy ways to find out how we can help you with your first dance.

Visit our Lessons page.

Try a free lesson to see if you like it. We know your will 😉

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Hayley & Max’s First Dance to No Place

Posted on August 18, 2020August 18, 2020 by catsballroom

Wherever you are baby, that’s where I want to be.

So darn cute!

I know they got tired of hearing me say it, but this couple is just so adorable! You can see just by looking at them that they’re sweet and bubbly, so we tried to make Hayley & Max’s first dance just as fun as they are. A mashup of bachata and push-pull swing with a sprinkling of quirky lines did the trick.

Hayley & Max’s First Dance

They looked so gorgeous (but still cute) in gown and tux. Plus she gets extra credit for being able to dance in that dress!

Look at that smile!

You can tell they put in the work by how happy and relaxed they looked while dancing. The biggest difference between a good first dance and a great first dance is practice.

Having fun while preparing for their first dance.

Even when they’re concentrating on picking up the steps, you can see how much fun they’re having, and how much they enjoy working on it together.

It’s all starting to come together.

I included this video of one of the practices after the choreography was complete so that you could see the whole first dance. Notice that we have Hayley wearing a practice skirt so they both can get used to the feel of fabric swishing around their legs.

Hayley & Max’s First Dance

Seeing them happily dancing together while hearing Max speak his vows brings a tear to my eye every time (sniff), but as you can see from these clips, their first dance turned out beautifully.

So, is it what your expected?

I love how Max admits that he expected lessons to be a big waste of time, and then quickly came to enjoy them. They both ended up looking forward to dancing as a way to blow off some steam when wedding planning was too overwhelming.

Thanks to the dream team!

Venue: Speed Art Museum (Louisville, KY)

Photographer: Bella Grace Studios

Videographer: Films by Tatiana

Wedding Planner: A Thorough Fare

Three easy ways to find out how we can help you with your first dance.

Visit our Lessons page.

Try a free lesson to see if you like it. We know your will 😉

Schedule Your Consultation

Mamie & Kyle’s First Dance | Beyond

Posted on July 6, 2020January 20, 2022 by catsballroom

Might just be my everything.

Somehow this pair manages to be both elegant and laid back, which made them super fun to work with. Of course, Mamie and Kyle’s first dance turned out beautifully, but what I really love is that you can see how much fun they’re having while they do it.