OUR WEDDING DANCE BLOG

August 31, 2009

Monday Mail Makes Me Smile

Filed under: Testimonials,Wedding/Reception Venues — Tags: , , , , , , — admin @ 1:12 pm

Opening your email box can be a bit daunting on a Monday morning…

But not this morning!

I had a wonderful testimonial and some fabulous pictures from one of my wedding couples who got married May 2nd 2009 and held their reception at the Center Club in Costa Mesa.

Jessica and Vlad decided that they wanted some romantic moves to their gorgeous Romanian waltz song that was 4 1/2 minutes long.  They settled on some simple twirls, shadow work and a figure that moved them across the floor with style.  We learned a dip and as I could see from the wonderful photos they were all smiles as Jessica followed and Vlad led with a flourish!

Here are her kind words and pictures below for you to look at…

Jess and Vlad Wedding Dance

Hi Jillian,

I’ve been meaning to write to you and tell you how our Wedding Dance turned out… everyone loved it!!

While it wasn’t perfect, and Vlad stepped on my dress a few times, everyone was hooting and hollaring at the fact that we had this cool dance that we were doing.  We did all the moves and ended with our dip. 

I’ve attached my Wedding Album photos in the link below.  You’ll recognize some of the moves in our Dance Photos!!  Thanks again for teaching us such a great routine!  I hope that all is well with you!!

Cheers!  Jess and Vlad

Gail Chatelain Photographer

Jess and Vlad in cool dance figure for their first dance!Jessica and Vlad First Dance

August 30, 2009

Irvine’s Great Park Great Place To Swing It!

Filed under: Dancing,Places to Go Dancing — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 11:13 am

Maybe it’s a “busman’s holiday” but I love to put on my leopard flats and head on out for a night of dancing.

And what could be more fun than to do that just five minutes from where I live in Irvine.

Irvine’s Great Park located on the site of the old El Toro Marine Base (think enormous orange balloon off of Sand Canyon and the 5 freeway) has had a summer of entertainment that keeps even my experienced feet dancing.  

Called Flights & Sounds, the Great Park offers Friday night dances and Saturday night concerts for free with $8/car parking from August 1st through September 26th 2009.

Their musical selections feature something for everyone: from Irish fiddling to Creole Jazz to Afro-Latin rhythms to Swing, Country, Hawaiian, European techno, Reggae, classic R&B, Salsa, accordians, Persion fusion and Bollywood disco.

I can’t decide if I want to get out my belly dancing skirt or my cowboy hat!!

Click here to see their web site for more information.

But last night I really couldn’t resist the place and about 7:45pm joined a long line of cars inching slowing into the Park to see none other than the Big Bad Voodoo Daddys live in concert under the stars. 

Ok, I should have gotten in the line-up a little earlier…  we snaked on into the Great Park for about twenty minutes and then hopped into a shuttle toe-tapping our feet all the way to the old hanger with runway lights still a-blinking in the ground and  the enormous balloon going up and down on its cable in the hot night sky. 

Dressed in their signature zoot suits the Big Bad Voodoo Daddys gave a short but fantastic show with some of the old favorites and a few of their new tunes just out on CD.  Afterward they milled about signing autographs and all the kids dressed in costume got some great pictures.

So who says you can’t “swing it” just about anywhere?

And as long as we’re talking swing – last Friday night the Great Park featured an awesome swing dance party with Pete Jacobs and his Wartime Radio Revue complete with a trio of Andrew sisters-like singers!  I must admit to swinging up a storm at that one too!

Now I just have to throw out there that either of these groups would be awesome at your wedding… 

Ok, we can dream, can’t we???

August 23, 2009

Descanso Gardens is Afternoon Delight

Filed under: Wedding/Reception Venues — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 7:40 pm

After teaching dance and web designing the next place you’ll find me is in my garden. 

My golden moss-covered fountain tinkles away providing a cool respite for the bright yellow and black finches and orange and green hummingbirds that visit for the garden goodies. This time of year, I’ve got stephanotis and pink and white bouganvilla overflowing my balcony as well as gardenias, tuberroses, night blooming jasmine, picate and plumeria providing a riot of fragrance from dawn to dusk.

But on a recent half day off I ventured beyond my own small parcel of paradise out to Descanso Gardens in La Canada/Flintridge with my prince charming to stroll along the shady paths, listen to the gurgle of streams and every so often spy a chestnut colored squirrel digging up his stash of nuts.

Even in 86 degree heat and 70 percent humidity I could see that this is a great place for a wedding and/or wedding reception.  Check out their web site here for details on the particulars.

Glowing in the receding sun, the Garden’s personnel were setting up for a sunset wedding reception in the International Rosarium and did it look idyllic. 

Enormous arbors of roses spanned the grounds, a filigreed black gazebo stood atop the knoll and a giant Italian fountain spewed water into the air.  Koi ponds with white, yellow and purple water lilies the size of dinner plates basked in the sun and birds and butterflies flitted everywhere.

I’d heard of the Descanso Gardens’ show-stopping displays of camelias and lilacs during the cooler months but did not know you can rent out the Boddy House (pronounced “BOH-dee”), a gorgeous Regency style home completed in 1938, where from the terrace you can see the San Gabriel Mountains rising majestically through the clouds. 

I must admit to a small dance in the Japanese Garden where they filmed part of Memoirs Of A Geisha and also checked out their Cafe where they have delightful delicacies to tantalize any palate.

Truly an afternoon delight…

August 15, 2009

Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel

Filed under: Types of Wedding Dances — Tags: , , , , , , — admin @ 5:56 pm

Hustle, Swing, Tango, “So You Think You Can Dance” and “Charlie’s Angels” moves all rolled into one incredible first dance for this adventuresome couple!

Now I’m not saying that every couple’s first dance has to be such a dance but if you are thinking of taking it to the limit and wondering if you can do it even though you’re not really a “Dancing With The Stars” type – go ahead, try it.

We started with some cute “Saturday Night Fever” dance steps (think John Travolta and the famous point - ”exits and mouse holes”) and then moved on to some wild tango with twirls and kicks.  

Next was a great couple move adapted from “So You Think You Can Dance” and then a couple of Cameron’s moves from her crazy dance in the “Charlie’s Angels” movie.  

The bride and groom kissed during the “your kiss” lyric in the song and worked with the words and tempo in fun hustle formations.  Next they swung each other round in a circle after some adorable Swing cuddles, pretzels and switching places.  

Finally the bride twirled round the groom and they leaned and dipped and the groom carried the bride off the floor for their high energy end.

So remember whatever your dream first dance is… dream it! 

Even if you really “don’t dance” you can do something that looks and feels fun and exciting like what you’re dreaming about. 

Let your imagination take flight and who knows you may come up with a first dance that’ll keep everyone talking all the way through the last dance of the night!

August 13, 2009

Father/Daughter Dancing

Filed under: Father Daughter Dance — Tags: , , , , , , , , — admin @ 8:39 am

Father/Daughter dances run the gamut from frisky foxtrots to wistful waltzes to sassy swings and really anything in between goes!

I remember one dad who was so incredibly in love with his little girl (she was the youngest daughter) he grew misty-eyed every time he took her in his arms for their waltz.

Another dad and daughter combo had such a rapport they were almost like soccer team buddies and their dance – of course, was a wild whippersnapping swing.

I like to council my father/daughter dynamic duos to choose a song that says to them both,

“This is our relationship and this is our idea of a great time!”

Some of my father/daughter couples aren’t able to make it in to see me together so  I get a fair number of dads either singularly or with their spouses or significant others.

This is fun too and I’m sure the bride is totally surprised when her dad shows up knowing how to lead and has a few tricks in his bag to show her off with on the dance floor!

One dad I remember came in for five lessons with me before he flew out on the big bird for his daughter’s mega-wedding over seas.  We worked on leading techniques and simple foxtrot steps that he could gently guide her through even if she had no idea of the footwork!

The whole point is to make dad feel confident and bride look radiant.

Another dad was an out-of-state fireman and he flew in and took lessons with his daughter right before the big day.  What a joy it was to watch them catch up on news and fun repartee every time they got together for dancing lessons.  Dad kept saying he had twelve left feet and daughter kept saying, well then, she was going to step on each one of them!

Here are some sample Father/Daughter song choices my couples have used for you to take a look at.  Remember dad gets right of song refusal but the bride, I think somehow, will always win him over with her pretty smile and “that look” in her eyes he remembers oh-too-well.

“I Loved Her First”  Heartland

“Sunrise, Sunset”  Fiddler on the Roof

“Butterfly Kisses”  Bob Carlisle

“Have I Told You Lately”  Rod Stewart

“What A Wonderful World”  Louis Armstrong

“Isn’t She Lovely”  Stevie Wonder

“My Father’s Eyes”  Amy Grant

“You’re My Hero”  Teresa James

“My Girl”  The Temptations

August 10, 2009

Mom & Dad Dance

Filed under: Moms & Dads — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 11:51 am

Are you a Mom or Dad who would like to learn how to dance for your daughter’s or son’s wedding?

It’s not uncommon for me to get phone calls and emails from Moms and Dads saying they want to look good at the wedding they’ll be attending or planning since everyone will know them and be watching them to see how they look!

No pressure, right??

You’re only planning or working on the biggest event ever with your daughter or son… and the last thing you need to be worrying about is dancing lessons…

Well, I tell my Moms and Dads to think of it as one hour a week where they don’t have to think about the planning.  The only things they have to concentrate on are following or leading, a handful of steps and a few technique points.

And it works!

I have a fantastic Mom and Dad right now who are learning Foxtrot and Jitterbug.  I think it’s a bit of a surprise for their guests so I’ll keep their names a secret for now.

Suffice it to say, she’s having a blast getting her husband of many years to finally Jitterbug with her and he’s enjoying “Master and Commander” status as leader and getting tons of brownie points he can pretty much use for the rest of his life!

Their Foxtrot is coming right along with him making gorgeous heel leads and using his leading arm to communicate to her – something she tells me they have never done while dancing together – and she’s following like a dream and gliding across the floor like Cinderella at her very own ball!

I love to see the look of relief as a Mom and Dad realize that they can dance together and that they look good doing it!  Often they haven’t tried dancing together in years or they do try to dance together and it is difficult and not that much fun.

With just five hours of instruction before the big event, Moms and Dads can learn following and leading skills and have at least five to ten steps to show off on the dance floor.

So treat yourself to some “you” time in the midst of the all the pre-wedding excitement. 

You’ll be glad you did – both to preserve your sanity and also your status as the “party giver extraordinaire”.

August 6, 2009

Second Time for First Dance?

Filed under: 2nd Time Around,Types of Wedding Dances — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 1:25 pm

So you’ve been married before? 

You had the mega wedding and now you know all the mistakes and pitfalls to avoid. 

Probably 45% of my couples over the years were on their second time around and loving it!

“This time I’m going to wear better shoes”.

“I won’t worry so much”.

“We’ll have a smaller guest list”.

“And a first dance.”

If you’re getting married for the second time why not go for that first dance?    Now you’re older and wiser and wouldn’t it be great to do something to sort of show off to the guests that says we’re a couple who just dances?

Email me with your song thoughts and I can help you come up with some wonderful foxtrot, swing, rumba, waltz or even a little hustle or salsa! 

Right now I’ve got a wonderful couple using a Frank Sinatra song I don’t get very often…

“Then Suddenly Love”, Recorded June 17, 1964, Los Angeles.

I never caught stardust that fell from the skies.
I never saw moonlight in anyone’s eyes,
Then suddenly love kicks in the window,
Love knocks down the door.
Love, it sat down and told me,
Lover, what are you waiting for?

I never heard bluebirds, the songs that they sing,
I never get crazy, not even in spring,
Then suddenly love struck me like lightning,
Love it blew up a storm,
Love suddenly grabbed me, and ooh, was it cozy and warm
‘Cause I found you, now I no longer just exist,
Ooh, what a change, it started from the time we kissed,
(And now we hear bluebirds), they hear bluebirds,
(We’re learning that tune) they like that tune,
(And even yon moonlight) all that pretty moonlight

(Comes down about you) Hotdog, them love, it’s still on a heaven,
Love, it gave me a shove,
[Ding dong Ding], I’m a-hearing those [church bells ring]
‘Cause suddenly [love, love, love, love, love. love, love]

And make that second time around a perfect excuse for a great first dance… :-)

August 4, 2009

You I Have Loved All Along

Filed under: Testimonials,Types of Wedding Dances — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 12:31 pm

Testimonials are so wonderful!  You’ve just got to hear what one of my very recently married brides (July 25th 2009) had to say about her fantastic first dance.

BTW,  she and her adorable groom, Jeremy, danced to the waltz You I Have Loved All Along.  We incorporated their standard waltz figures from their days in UCI’s DanceSport into an American waltz routine a la Sean and Mark’s Dancing With The Stars winning routine to the same song!

What a show!  Spin turns, heel turns, flip flops, paddy cakes, pivots, A-lines, shadow turns, tango cortes and tango flicks adapted to the waltz and a stunning conclusion with switching places, lean, twirls, dips, and the groom down on one knee with the bride backbending over his leg!

Hi Jillian,

Yes, the entire dance was recorded.  We haven’t seen it yet, but are anxious to see how it turned out.  We had to adjust a couple things because of the weight and length of my dress, but it turned out fantastic.  Everyone was jaw-dropping impressed and we got a standing ovation.  Thanks again for all your help in making our first dance so stunning and memorable. ~Dianne

Click below to see Sean and Mark’s routine on the Ellen DeGeneres show that we based our work off of and also to hear the song!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiM-12Q_hlc&feature=related

August 3, 2009

Doga Vals

Filed under: Dancing,Types of Wedding Dances — Tags: , , , , , , , — admin @ 12:54 pm

Well what a weekend it was.  More wonderful couples, more humidity and more great dancing!  But here’s a real highlight. 

One of my bride and groom couples is from Latvia and Russia originally and they are dancing to the most beautiful waltz I think I’ve ever heard in my life and I have heard a lot of waltzes in my time! 

It is by renown Moldavian composer Eugen Doga and my bride fell in love with it when she saw the movie, My Sweet and Tender Beast, 1978, in Russian.  If you’d like to learn more about Eugen here is his Romanian Wikipedia entry translated into  English:

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ro&u=http://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugen_Doga&ei=p0J3Sv-XF5SmMfmPif8H&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=3&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Deugen%2Bdoga%2Bwikipedia%26hl%3Den

I believe it may be called the Love Vals but I’m not sure.  You can see a clip from the movie on YouTube here:    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_S7Yc503Oo

It starts out soft and low and then builds to an incredible crescendo and then goes back into a sweetness and finally ends with a whirlwind and an exclamation.

Such fun and challenge for my adventuresome and absolutely adorable couple.  I would say their names but I believe their dance is a surprise so you’ll have to just imagine a gorgeous, long haired reddish brunette with  brown eyes and her very tall and gallant blond knight whirling about the dance floor.

We used a bit of the movie’s choreography where the actress is dancing with her arm around her new husband’s neck holding her train, but then relied heavily on Viennese Waltz classic moves like presses, switching places, and of course face to face and back to back and sweeping runs, twirls and shadow moves.

All very exciting and as the bride exclaimed quite breathlessly after an hour of run-throughs yesterday, “This is quite a workout!”.  And, I might add, all danced in four inch heels!

Their last lesson is this Wednesday and I can’t wait to see it all come together.  What passion!  What a song!  What a first dance!

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