If your wedding is coming up in October, November or December now is the time to consider your first dance!

Will it be slow and romantic or upbeat and swingy?  Will your dance have  lots of movement  to show off a big dance floor or are you working with a small square or runway floor and need something compact?

Don’t have a song yet?

Well, let me tell you what some of my couples are using right now so you can get those creative juices flowing!

Click on the (Lyrics) link to see the wonderful words to these great first dance songs and see if they don’t just describe your relationship perfectly!

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First Dance Songs!

“Wrapped Up In You” by Garth Brooks (Lyrics)

“Someone Like You” by Van Morrison (Lyrics)

“Yellow” by Coldplay (Lyrics)

“Better Together” by Jack Johnson (Lyrics)

“When The Stars Go Blue” by Tim McGraw (Lyrics)

“I Knew I Loved You Before I Met You” by Savage Garden (Lyrics)

“These Are The Days” by Van Morrison (Lyrics)

“L-O-V-E” by Frank Sinatra (Lyrics)

“I’ve Got You Under My Skin” by Michael Buble (Lyrics)

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Whatever song you choose you’ll want to get started soon on learning how to lead (gentlemen) and how to follow (ladies).

I write everything down at the end of each lesson so you have something to practice with at home and you’re always welcome to bring your phone or camera and we can video some steps too!

Remember the further away from the big day you start the more the dancing steps and technique have a chance to get into your muscle memory.

After all don’t you want to be gazing into each others eyes rather than trying to remember what comes next in your dance

For more song suggestions visit my Music page at:

http://www.OurWeddingDance.com/wedding-music.htm

And… you can always text me at 949.400.7347 and ask me what type of dance would go well with the song or songs you’re thinking of using!

Happy September,

Jillian

OurWeddingDance.com

BallroomDanceWithJillian.com

ArgentineTangoWeddingDance.com

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EMAIL:  Jillian@OurWeddingDance.com

Read on for some new ideas:

1)  “Reasons to Love You” by Meiko

Super romantic and a great sound!

Click on the URL below to hear Meiko’s haunting and romantic voice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0mc1rQG7Uc

Lyrics:

“Give me a reason to fall in love
Take my hand and let’s dance
Give me a reason to make me smile
Cause I think I forgot how

I wanna fall asleep with you tonight
I wanna know that I am safe when you hold me tight
I wanna feel like I wanna feel forever
Girls need attention, and boys need us
So let’s make everybody glad
That they have each other in each others arms
Oh let’s make everybody glad

I want you

I wanna dream away with you tonight
We can go anywhere you would like
I wanna feel how I wanna feel forever

(Instrumental)

I want you”

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2) “All About Lovin’ You” by Bon Jovi

One word – “love”!

Click on the URL below for a great song and video with a wonderful ending!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb1oFIqBVzA

Lyrics:

“Looking at the pages of my life
Faded memories of me and you
Mistakes you know I’ve made a few
I took some shots and fell from time to time
Baby, you were there to pull me through
We’ve been around the block a time or two
I’m gonna lay it on the line
Ask me how we’ve come this far
The answer’s written in my eyes

Chorus:
Every time I look at you, baby, I see something new
That takes me higher than before and makes me want you more
I don’t wanna sleep tonight, dreamin’s just a waste of time
When I look at what my life’s been comin’ to
I’m all about lovin’ you

I’ve lived, I’ve loved, I’ve lost, I’ve paid some dues, baby
We’ve been to hell and back again
Through it all you’re always my best friend
For all the words I didn’t say and all the things I didn’t do
Tonight I’m gonna find a way

Chorus:
Every time I look at you, baby, I see something new
That takes me higher than before and makes me want you more
I don’t wanna sleep tonight, dreamin’s just a waste of time
When I look at what my life’s been comin’ to
I’m all about lovin’ you

You can take this world away
You’re everything I am
Just read the lines upon my face
I’m all about lovin’ you

Guitar Solo

Chorus:
Every time I look at you, baby, I see something new
That takes me higher than before and makes me want you more
I don’t wanna sleep tonight, dreamin’s just a waste of time
When I look at what my life’s been comin’ to
I’m all about lovin’ you

All about lovin’ you”

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3)  “Radio Love” by Edward Maya & Vika Jigulina

A real change of pace!

Click on the URL below for the YouTube video  – beautiful!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-Z3YrHJ1sU

Lyrics:

“When you gonna stop breaking my heart
I don’t wanna be another one
Paying for the things I never done
Don’t let go, don’t let go to my love

I hate to see you cry, your smile is a beautiful lie.
I hate to see you cry, my love is dying inside.
I can fix all those lies, oh, baby, baby, I run, but I’m running to you
You won’t see me cry, I’m hiding inside
My heart is in pain, but I’m smiling for you.

Can I get to your soul ? Can you get to my thoughts ?
Can you promise we won’t let go ?
All the things that I need, all the things that you need
You can make it feel so real.
‘Cause you can’t deny, you’ve blown my mind
When I touch your body, I feel I’m losing control
‘Cause you can’t deny, you’ve blown my mind
When I see you baby, I just don’t wanna let go

When you gonna stop breaking my heart
I don’t wanna be another one …

I hate to see you cry, your smile is a beautiful lie.
I hate to see you cry, my love is dying inside.
I can fix all those lies, oh, baby, baby, I run, but I’m running to you
You won’t see me cry, I’m hiding inside
My heart is in pain, but I’m smiling for you.
Oh, baby, I’ll try to make the things right
I need you more than air, when I’m not with you
Please, don’t ask me why, just kiss me this time
My only dream is about you and I.”

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Make an appointment today to come in and start dancing to your dream song!

Happy Spring, Jillian

Jillian@OurWeddingDance.com

949 400 7347 – message and text

http://www.OurWeddingDance.com

http://www.BallroomDanceWithJillian.com

http://www.ArgentineTangoWeddingDance.com

Our Wedding Dance for 1st Dance Help Fast!

According to UrbanDicitonary.com this is “a bride that remains, calm, cool and collected during her entire wedding experience”.

Wow, what a concept!

So how can a bride possibly hope to do this?

Well, a step in the right direction could be to take that first dance off your “stress list” and put it on your “chill list”!

If you can take a few lessons in first dance technique and figures you’re well on your way to feeling super chill during that could be stressful two and a half to three or so minutes of solo time on the dance floor.

A little planning beforehand and some practice with the love of your life could make the wedding dance one of your happiest moments remembered from your reception.

Just learning a few proper leading and following techniques could mean the difference between a bridechilla and well whatever…

Even two or three steps nestled in both your heads can do a lot to eliminate that, “Wow, everyone’s watching and what are we doing here!” feeling that can creep into even the most romantic unpracticed first dances.

Call me today at 949.400.7347 or email me at Jillian@OurWeddingDance.com to start moving toward a more relaxed and comfortable feeling on the dance floor.

As well as being a ballroom dance instructor and choreographer, I’ve taught acting and directed numerous plays and will make sure you have lots of fun with each other during your first dance no matter if your song is sentimental, romantic, flirty, sexy or just plain good times!

OurWeddingDance

ArgentineTangoWeddingDance

BallroomDanceWithJillian

Be A "Bridechilla"!

Well, it was a crazy Halloween weekend what with my wonderful students giving a fantastic tango complete with chair and rose and fedora at their Dia de los Muertos party on Saturday and 430 trick or treaters on Sunday night!

And earlier this month I received an adorable video from Aaron and Kate who got married on October 9th and looked so pretty dancing to Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling In Love”.

They took their time with their lessons and spread them out over the months before their wedding.  And Aaron even learned a night club two step to do with his Mom.  Now that’s dedication to dancing!

He said he was nervous but I think he performed quite well under pressure and Kate looked dreamy in her gorgeous gown. 

Here’s his testimonial…

Aaron

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So grab your fiance and let’s get started on those early 2011 wedding dances!

Remember wedding dance gift certificates make great gifts for the holidays.

Click here to learn more about gift certificates.

Jillian of Our Wedding Dance

949.400.7347

Happy Thanksgiving!

I can’t tell you how much I look forward to hearing news about “the big day”.  I get so excited being included in all the wedding plans that when it comes time to say good bye and send my incredible couples on to wedding bliss I do feel a bit misty eyed. 

Hearing the stories and seeing their smiling and happy faces is just a perfect end to a great time spent teaching dance to my wonderful wedding couples.

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Hi Jillian,

I know it has been a very long time since we last saw you, and even some time since our wedding, but I have been meaning to write you and send pictures. . .  and I am just now getting around to doing it!

Thank you so much for all your help, it was really so fun working with you and it was perfect to have a simple (yet choreographed) dance to do at our wedding despite our nerves!

Beautiful Cuddle

Actually, Chris did great and didn’t seem nervous at all, but I was – thank goodness he was leading!!

The dance went so well, although it did fly by!

I don’t think we missed a step.

The day was beautiful and our dance must have inspired all our guests because the DJ later told us that our guests did the most dancing he has ever seen at an afternoon (lunch) reception!

We all had a wonderful time and got some great pictures of the dancing.

Check out Mom of the Bride - so excited!

Thank you again for making it all so easy and just being a fun person to hang out with/learn from.

We wish you the best and will contact you if we ever need a brush up lesson!

Sincerely, Caitlin and Chris

(Photographs by Josh Aull.)

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Remember call now or email Jillian for Fall and Winter weddings!

Reserve your favorite day and time today to look great on the day of your dreams…

Jillian@OurWeddingDance.com

949.400.7347

OurWeddingDance.com

ArgentineTangoWeddingDance.com

BallroomDanceWithJillian.com

Jillian & apples at Riley's Farm

We had a fantastic wedding and were so pleased with our dance lessons.  Todd and I were actually receiving applause each time we did a twirl…. good stuff!!  We practiced everyday after we last saw you and did pretty well, except for one slip on the dress.  But I don’t think anyone really noticed.

Our photographer surprised us and one of his assistants was taking video so he put together this little montage in a link below.  The second half of the video is pretty much of us dancing.  He didn’t get all of our smooth moves but they got a good essence of the dance.  And Todd and I decided to practice before the grand entrance so they got some great shots of the dance under the sun set.

So no photos yet of the dress but I think you will get a good idea of you watch the second half (it is only 3 minutes long).

St. Regis Dana Point Wedding from Jordan Hoffmann on Vimeo.

Thanks again for all of your help and we wish you the best of luck!

Warm Regards,
Alyssa

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Happy end of Summer, Jillian

OurWeddingDance.com

949.400.7347

Butterfly in my Garden!

When your guests watch your first dance do you think they’re looking at your feet?

Probably not.

The bride’s feet are most likely hidden by her dress and the groom’s feet may possibly be as well.

Your guests’ gazes are on your radiant faces and your dancing frame, that is your arms connected to each other hand to hand on one side and the groom’s right hand upon the back of the bride on the other.

The frame can make or break a dancing couple.

A “noodle” frame can make the dancing couple look soft and squishy and make the lead and follow very difficult to give and take.

A “rigid” frame can make the bride and groom look stiff and awkward and may even actually hurt the bride to take the lead, especially if her dashing groom is a strong armed one!

So what’s the best frame for dancing?

The leader should always frame up or down to the height of the follower.

I like to start my couples off by having the bride put her arms out to her sides, horizontally from her waist so the groom can see what looks good with her shoulders.

Especially if the groom is six feet three and bride is four feet five I want to make sure that their dancing frame is angled to her height not his.  After all she would look rather silly dancing her arms way up to him for their first dance!

Having established her correct frame height, then we move on to the bride’s three connection points and I focus on  impressing upon them the necessity for an “energy transference” toward each other at all times.  No one person should pull away or just plain “not be available” to the other in the frame.

Once we have the frame we move side to side and forward and back in it.

We walk in it.

We sway in it.

We get used to it.

People don’t really dance like this anymore so it can take a little getting used to the frame once you’re in it.

My grooms sometimes say it is hard to keep holding up their arms.  This might mean the bride is being “heavy” and using her groom’s arms as an arm “easy chair”.

My brides sometimes say that they feel like they’re “in the harness” of the frame and can’t move easily within it.  This might mean that the groom is holding her too stiffly and not letting the lead be communicated easily through his arms and his connection points.

During our first lesson we work hard to alleviate any stress in the dancing couple’s frame and make it a positive part of the dancing.  Since the frame connection is the pretty part and, I think, the romantic part it is vitally important that it work for us in the first dance.

Be it a foxtrot frame, a rumba frame or a swing frame – the couple’s dancing frame is an integral part of the mechanics and beauty of their wedding dance.

And as Audrey said, “The best thing to hold onto in life is each other” – we may as well do it right for the dance!

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It’s wedding season so email to Jillian@OurWeddingDance.com or call Jillian at 949.400.7347 today and reserve your favorite day and time for lessons now!

Happy almost Summer!

Dance With Jillian

Sandra and Mike were just such a couple.

Read on to find out about their dream first dance.

They loved the song You’re Timeless to Me from the musical Hairspray and decided to adapt the lyrics of it to their relationship and the year 2010, record themselves singing it and come to me to choreograph and block moves and dancing to this almost five minute ditty.

Click here to see this fabulously funny rendition of it on YouTube from the movie with Christopher Walken and John Travolta.

Well, needless to say, after about ten or so rehearsals and a heap of practicing they were absolutely show-stopping!

They mimed movement to the lyrics of their song and in the middle of it danced a full foxtrot, tango AND waltz with zesty abandon.

They said they nailed it and I believe it from all the fun and hard work we put into the practicing.

Here’s their testimonial and a partial video of their amazing 2nd first dance! on their happiest day ever.

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Jillian!

We had to get back to you to tell you how our dances [they also did a regular first dance to At Last - can you believe it?] went on Saturday!

WE NAILED IT!

We did not mess up at all!  They were beautiful!  What a surprise the second dance was to our guests!  They were in awe!  We can’t wait to see it on video!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

It was all because of you we did so well to entertain our guests.  I wish you could have been there!  Rose was great getting that chair on the dance floor for Mike and then removing it.

People were in shock that the CD was us singing!  Once we find out how to send you some pics our friends took of us dancing we will send them!  The nun surprise was fantastic!

It was the perfect wedding!

It was a dream wedding.

Thank you so very much!  Hope to see you soon!

Sandra and Mike

Sandra & Mike

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Happy Almost June!

Call Jillian at 949.400.7347 for 1st Dance Lessons

Visit Our Wedding Dance for more information.

Never fear… you can do something simple and pretty even if you just plain have no time left.

In fact, I probably get at least five phone calls a week from brides or grooms getting married in under two weeks.

Of course, it would be preferable to have a month or two before the big day to get the first dance in your muscle memory, but what if you just want to have a bit of help with some turns and simply keep off of each others feet while dancing!

I’ve worked with students right before the big day very successfully and given them something quick and easy to work with for their big moment all alone on the dance floor.

One of my recent couples said they certainly felt better after their time with me than before and although they wished they’d had more time to work on their dance they felt a glow of confidence that would take them through it with flair and fun.

So if you’re debating about whether to go ahead and do just one lesson for your first dance even though you’re in the eleventh hour of preparations why not go for it?

I think you’ll be glad you did and who knows maybe you’ll take a few lessons after the honeymoon to wow your friends at their weddings with your lead and follow and fancy footwork.

Remember dancing lasts your whole life long… burns calories… and let’s face it guys, is a real pleaser for most of the gals out there!

Call Jillian at 949.400.7347 or email her at Jillian@OurWeddingDance.com and squeeze  a first dance lesson into that to-do list today!

Jillian of Our Wedding Dance!

From denim inspired wedding gowns in blues and dainty laces that lace up the back and cut up the leg to adorable table decorations with cowboy hats and boots doubling as flower containers… the big sky is the limit and the grass can be greener.

Blue and browns with touches of white and yellow seem to be the most common color schemes.  Bachelor buttons and daisies can keep the costs down and the whimsey up.  While you peruse cute cake toppers with horses and hitching posts and fun silver ring bearer horseshoes with white satin ribbons.

Accessories for a Western Wedding

Favor Ideas for a Cowboy Wedding

The bride can wear white in a western type period gown or go for something completely different with touches or whole parts of the gown in denim blue.  Why not add some fringed white cowboy boots or cream or off-white granny style boots with pretty lace inserts?  Top it off with a white or off white satin cowboy hat covered in lace, roses and tulle and you’re sure to feel romantic and country cool all at the same time!

Western Wedding Wear

Cultured Cowboy Wedding Dresses

Western Wedding Hat

White Cowboy Boots Granny Style Boots

(I love this denim halter for bridesmaids dresses in the Western themed wedding!)

Of course the variety for grooms is endless and who doesn’t enjoy duding up their best dude in the duds of a cool, clean cowboy?  There are period style vests and ties and natty jackets with and without fringe as well as boots in all sizes, shapes, colors and textures.  It’s a field day for the fellas and they’re sure to make a splash when they ride in off the range in today’s dashing designs.

Gentlemen’s Emporium

The Old Frontier Clothing Company

And last, but certainly not least, there are mother lodes of wonderful Country songs old and new from waltzes to 2-steps that will keep your first dance and your father daughter dance in the Western theme.  Below are a few of my favorites:

First Dance Country Songs:

I Love The Way You Love Me by Faith Hill

Could I Have This Dance by Anne Murray

From This Moment by Shania Twain

The Wedding Song (Girl Forever) by Marty Falle

Fishin’ In The Dark by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

(Lyrics for Fishin’ In The Dark)

Father Daughter Dance Country Songs:

I Loved Her First by Heartland

My Little Girl by Steve Kirwan

Stealing Cinderella by Chuck Wick

I Hope You Dance by Lee Ann Womack

Daddy’s Little Girl by Kippi Brannon

Happy Trails to you Western wedding fans…

Jillian

OurWeddingDance.com

949 400 7347

* Remember I put these links to other web sites up for your reference and don’t endorse any one in particular.  I’ll let you do the research and remember always get your orders in writing and you can use my handy guideline, “If it smells fishy, it usually is”.