Wedding dance songs - Ballroom
Many people already have a particular song in mind – a song or piece of music that they just know is “their song”. Some people haven’t found theirs just yet. If you are still looking for the song that you would like to dance to – I have come up with this list to make your life easier!
There are other dances in the International Ballroom category that are not covered in this section, such as the Tango, and the Quickstep. I have concentrated on the most commonly used dances in Wedding choreography..
I have grouped these songs together by dance style, and included a film clip of each dance so that you can see what they look like.
Waltz
Waltz is the original “dirty dancing”. In the earlier forms of European dance, if people ever touched, it was only at arm’s length! For a period Waltz was banned completely – which ironically only made it even more popular... Dancing in body contact at that time was positively scandalous!
It was only when people like Queen Victoria, (who was quite an accomplished ballroom dancer in her own right) championed dancing the Waltz publicly, that the formerly "European only" dance craze became popular in the English speaking world. Waltz became the "Wedding dance", as body contact was still considered to be "intimate" behaviour. Songs in Waltz time are invariably love songs, which lends itself to the mood of this dance...
Very basic Waltz in open hold can be learned in a relatively short time. Dancing in closed hold,(in body contact) with appropriate rise and fall, takes much more coaching, practice and time than most couples have to master it properly. Waltz is an easy dance to fudge – but is a hard dance to really do well.
This is what Modern Waltz looks like when it is danced in Dancesport competition....
Many people already have a particular song in mind – a song or piece of music that they just know is “their song”. Some people haven’t found theirs just yet. If you are still looking for the song that you would like to dance to – I have come up with this list to make your life easier!
There are other dances in the International Ballroom category that are not covered in this section, such as the Tango, and the Quickstep. I have concentrated on the most commonly used dances in Wedding choreography..
I have grouped these songs together by dance style, and included a film clip of each dance so that you can see what they look like.
Waltz
Waltz is the original “dirty dancing”. In the earlier forms of European dance, if people ever touched, it was only at arm’s length! For a period Waltz was banned completely – which ironically only made it even more popular... Dancing in body contact at that time was positively scandalous!
It was only when people like Queen Victoria, (who was quite an accomplished ballroom dancer in her own right) championed dancing the Waltz publicly, that the formerly "European only" dance craze became popular in the English speaking world. Waltz became the "Wedding dance", as body contact was still considered to be "intimate" behaviour. Songs in Waltz time are invariably love songs, which lends itself to the mood of this dance...
Very basic Waltz in open hold can be learned in a relatively short time. Dancing in closed hold,(in body contact) with appropriate rise and fall, takes much more coaching, practice and time than most couples have to master it properly. Waltz is an easy dance to fudge – but is a hard dance to really do well.
This is what Modern Waltz looks like when it is danced in Dancesport competition....
These are just some of the songs you might consider for your ‘Waltz’ wedding dance
The Most Beautiful Words - Della Reese
Can I Have This Dance For The Rest of My Life – Anne Murray
True Love - Bing Crosby & Grace Kelly
Come Away with Me - Norah Jones
Take It To The Limit - The Eagles
Fascination - Nat King Cole
When I Need You - Leo Sayer
Three Times a Lady - The Commodores / Lionel Ritchie
Enchantment - Chris Speeris
Viennese Waltz
Viennese Waltz is the most original form of the waltz, and was the starting form of Ballroom dancing as we know it. It became a craze in Europe in the early 19th century, starting in Austria, then spreading to Germany, and France. Composers such as Johann Strauss wrote music for this form of dance, and he is to Viennese Waltz what Glen Miller was to Big Band music in the mid 20th Century.
Viennese Waltz is not a “beginner” dance. It is beautiful, flowing and romantic. It also moves quickly, spins, is danced in body contact requiring technique, balance and practice, and travels, so it requires a large dance floor. It is virtually impossible to fudge, and hard to really master. However, if a teacher has experience in New Vogue (sequence dancing done to “Modern” music), the steps from that discipline can be easily adapted to Viennese Waltz music. Choreography can be designed to work on a smaller dance floor, while retaining the elegance and flow of the traditional Viennese Waltz.
This is what it looks like when it is done well.... by professionals!
Viennese Waltz is not a “beginner” dance. It is beautiful, flowing and romantic. It also moves quickly, spins, is danced in body contact requiring technique, balance and practice, and travels, so it requires a large dance floor. It is virtually impossible to fudge, and hard to really master. However, if a teacher has experience in New Vogue (sequence dancing done to “Modern” music), the steps from that discipline can be easily adapted to Viennese Waltz music. Choreography can be designed to work on a smaller dance floor, while retaining the elegance and flow of the traditional Viennese Waltz.
This is what it looks like when it is done well.... by professionals!
These are just some of the songs you might consider for your ‘Viennese Waltz’ wedding dance
You are the reason - Calum Scott & Leona Lewis
A Thousand Years - Christina Perri
You and Me - LifeHouse
Annie's Song - John Denver
That's Amore - Dean Martin
Or any of the Viennese waltzes by Johann Strauss II you would find in the classical section of a record store.
Foxtrot / Slow Rhythm
Foxtrot, and its basic or "social" form, Slow Rhythm, is one of the more popular dances done as wedding dances for two reasons – the basic form, in open hold, can be mastered in a relatively short time, and secondly – the timing of the dance lends itself to a lot of current, popular music, so it suits a lot of people’s “ couple” song. It can also be done on smaller dance floors, typical of a lot of reception venues.
What we know now as International style Foxtrot at one time was called “Slow Foxtrot”, with the quicker version of the dance, we now know as “ Quickstep” – a dance done to typically much faster music, and is rarely ever danced as a wedding dance due to the level of training needed.
This is what the Foxtrot looks like when danced by more experienced dancers...
What we know now as International style Foxtrot at one time was called “Slow Foxtrot”, with the quicker version of the dance, we now know as “ Quickstep” – a dance done to typically much faster music, and is rarely ever danced as a wedding dance due to the level of training needed.
This is what the Foxtrot looks like when danced by more experienced dancers...