Wedding Dance Rules for Men:

The thought of having to dance at a wedding can strike fear into the hearts of many men. We hear over and over again from our clients that dancing is their number one fear when it comes to attending weddings and social events. (It is not uncommon for women to feel this way too!) This is a very common fear and as a result, many blogs and online forums attempt to address this concern about dancing. Through a great article on Huffington post, we recently came across a reference to a popular post on the site Reddit. On Reddit, a user asks the community in the title of his post,  “What are some basic dancing rules for men?” The user, jorgefgza, continues by saying, “I really like dancing, but I’m not good at it, and I have to go to this wedding reception… I don’t have any coordination, so I’d like to keep things simple…How can I avoid making a fool of myself?” Reddit users responded with some great advice for dancing-shy men. We’ve listed some of our favorite responses below including one of our own!

“The day I realized I actually look more awkward and foolish refusing to dance rather than just blending in with the crowd was a life changer. I used to get nervous days before an event like a wedding where I knew I was going to encounter this situation. I’m still not a great dancer, I stay in my zone and know my limits, but I have a much better time now.”

– thedude831

“…Dancing isn’t about who has the most refined moves or even the best style. It’s about who’s truly enjoying themselves!”

– NubcakeMeng

“Shift your weight from foot to foot, stay on the balls of your feet. You can twirl her by leading her hand above her head, her spin will follow the direction her hand goes. If you lead across her body as you take her hand over her head it should be fairly obvious what you want her to do. Works in pretty much every dance.”

– 1mdelightful

“Do you have time to take some classes? Any dance you learn (salsa, ballroom, swing, etc.) will help with any type of couple dancing. Understand the beat of the music, and step on the beats. Keep a strong “frame,” [keep] your arms firm (not ridiculously rigid, though). No need for big steps (both vertically and horizontally). A really simple dance to start with is just to step and shift your weight from left to right with the dance. Maybe add a slight rotation as you go along.”

– imabastard

“Have the courage to play the fool. When we dance, we risk looking foolish and we put ourselves out there for others to mock. Making yourself vulnerable in this way builds trust and social bonding.”

– kteague

“Take some dance classes. Not always because you will necessarily do a “formal dance” (like the swing, salsa, waltz, etc.) but because by taking dance classes you will learn how to move your body which will help you gain confidence when you need to “freestyle.” Also, a good instructor will be able to give you some easy club dance moves.”

-bellaballroom