Choreographed First Dance... and the dress!

[Amanda.Rx]

OK, ladies!

FI and I have minimal ballroom experience (IE: know the basics of a few dances) so we picked a song (World on a String by Michael Buble) and thought we could do the Rumba to it. So, we go to our first dance lesson to brush up, and the instructor tells us that it''s a Swing/Fox Trot. So, he asks a bunch of questions about dress length/size, hair up/down, heels, etc. etc. and then starts choreographing. At first, we weren''t expecting to choreograph, but actually fell in love with the idea (as a "surprise" first dance) and we think it will be really fun.

The only problem- with THOUGHT we were going to do a rumba (which I could do in my gown), but the swing- I''m just not sure how restricted I''ll be and I won''t be able to practice in my gown (b/c FI doesn''t want to see it).

I''m thinking about ordering one of those $99 gowns online from David''s Bridal just for the dance. Would anyone else do this for the sake of 1 dance, or do you think I should just make do with the more minimal movements?

Here''s my unaltered gown, for reference. I''m getting a bustle, but I still don''t know how bulky the bustle will be, with turns & all.

 

[Amanda.Rx]

Here''s the link to the song:

World on a String: Michael Buble

 

[laughwithme]

I

your dress!

 

[Luckyeshe]

You look amazing in your dress!!!

 

[Amanda.Rx]

Thanks for the compliments- I actually got the dress back in May & posted photos around that time. I''ll be posting pictures of my final fitting soon (going on Monday)!

My reason for the post was to ask about getting a 2nd dress for the dance

... to see if any of you gals would do it.

 

[FrekeChild]

Do you have any old Prom dresses lying around somewhere? Or something like that?

 

[monkeyprincess]

My thought on this is that your first dance will be one of the times that your dress is most on display. It seems like it would be a shame for you to not be in your wedding gown at that moment. You only wear the gown once after all. It doesn't appear that the dress would restrict your movement that much, but I guess I can't know for sure having not seen the dance or had the dress on.

ETA: Dancing is not that important to me, and we're not having a traditional dance. I'm not even entirely sure we'll do a first dance. So that might be why I feel the way I do about you changing into a different dress.

 

[joelly]

Love that sparkly dress!!!!

 

[vc10um]

I think whether or not a second dress is worth it depends a lot on how much time you''ll have to make the switch, how your hair and jewelry work with both dresses (or if you plan on switching that up, too), and if you plan on switching BACK to your full gown after the first dance.

I think you can do PLENTY of traditional Foxtrot moves in that dress. I think ladyciel and her hubby did a choreographed Foxtrot with plenty of pizazz, and she did it all in a dress that I think would be more restrictive than that. Swing might not be as do-able, but if you focus on Foxtrot, I think that would be great.

 

[Miss Sparkly]

It's a nice steady tempo, love it! Lindy swing would look AMAZING and you dress might give you the advantage of faking complicated steps

Here's Sinatra singing the song

http://64.15.120.233/watch?v=OtKk8rdVWvk&feature=related

ETA: I just danced it out on my livingroom floor - hubby thinks I'm nuts

- you really can make it look great with some simple Lindy moves. Is there any way that you could schedule a lesson with just you and the teacher where you could wear your dress?

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

Date: 3/6/2010 8:03:09 PM
Author: Sparkly Blonde

ETA: I just danced it out on my livingroom floor - hubby thinks I''m nuts

- you really can make it look great with some simple Lindy moves. Is there any way that you could schedule a lesson with just you and the teacher where you could wear your dress?

I think this is a great idea! Having a quick practice in your own dress will allow you to see if you can dance in it or not!

 

[honey22]

Date: 3/6/2010 8:34:39 PM
Author: hawaiianorangetree

Date: 3/6/2010 8:03:09 PM

Author: Sparkly Blonde


ETA: I just danced it out on my livingroom floor - hubby thinks I''m nuts

- you really can make it look great with some simple Lindy moves. Is there any way that you could schedule a lesson with just you and the teacher where you could wear your dress?

I think this is a great idea! Having a quick practice in your own dress will allow you to see if you can dance in it or not!

Ditto - great idea!

I would think you would be fine anyway. My friend had a ballgown type dress and she and he hubby did a rather energetic cha cha (he''s a champion dancer), swung her around the floor like no tomorow and she was fine! You will be ok.

 

[doodle]

Date: 3/6/2010 8:03:09 PM
Author: Sparkly Blonde
It''s a nice steady tempo, love it! Lindy swing would look AMAZING and you dress might give you the advantage of faking complicated steps

Here''s Sinatra singing the song

http://64.15.120.233/watch?v=OtKk8rdVWvk&feature=related


ETA: I just danced it out on my livingroom floor - hubby thinks I''m nuts

- you really can make it look great with some simple Lindy moves. Is there any way that you could schedule a lesson with just you and the teacher where you could wear your dress?

My thoughts exactly; or, if the teacher won''t do a 1-on-1, drag a friend along instead of your FI one day.

 

[charbie]

Are you going to have crinoline?
You won''t be able to do full out moves in it. If you have choreographed moves that involved picking the dress up and such...hmmm, not gonna be too easy. How heavy is your dress? Id say practice with your dress first, give it a chance, but my dress had a large bustle plus a large layer of crinoline, and it was hot and heavy. I loved it, and later in the night when I just didn''t care anymore I was moving and shakin, but a swing dance in it??? Heck no. Also, hw high are your shoes? I had really high shoes, so make sure you can do the dance in your shoes. My dress needed the high shoes, and once I took them off to dance and wore my flip flops, it was easy to trip.

 

[Amanda.Rx]

Thanks for the advice, ladies!

FI suggested that if I wanted to do a lesson in my dress, he would pay for it (for just me and my instructor). I may try it, but the more I think about it, I think we''ll be OK with the dress. I keep going over the moves, and none of them seem too crazy. We not doing anything "up in the air".

Freke: I do have an old "ballgown" that I could practice in. It''s not nearly as heavy as my gown, but it could give FI an idea of his range of motion.
Monkey: I think you''re right! I hate to NOT showcase it
vc10um: Good things to consider! I hadn''t thought of those!
Sparkly Blonde: ha ha! I''m glad you had fun dancing! And yes, I may try dancing with my instructor only!
Charbie: I have no idea what''s underneath it (ha ha- I''m not fabric savvy) but it is a heavy dress!

The shoes are 4 inch pumps, but they''re actually really comfortable. I did my first hour lesson in them and had no complaints. It does make it a little bit harder to move, but maybe that dress will cover up some of my ugly steps- ha ha!

Here''s the shoes:

 

[Amanda.Rx]

Crud... photo didn''t work:

Here''s the link:

SHOE

 

[purselover]

I would definitely buy a fun cocktail dress for the dance. I''m into wardrobe changes though!

 

[mayachel]

It seems to me like you have plenty of dance room in that dress. You can always modify the steps in terms of keeping them underneath your body a bit more. I vote down buying a different dress. If you were all of a sudden going to break out a tango or wanted to do more acrobatic type movements I''d say consider it. But with a rhumba you should be fine. Just make sure there is a strong bustle!