Expert: Eden Atencio - 12/28/2009

Question
My fiance and I are interested in learning a waltz for our first dance at our wedding, but we live in a small town and there are no classes available. Can you recommend any online instructional sites that are well done and fairly easy to follow? Also, we want to use a non-traditional song but I'm not sure how to listen for the beats to determine what works for a waltz. Two songs I like are Stolen by Dashboard Confessional and Your Guardian Angel by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, would either of these be any good? Thanks :)

Answer
Hi Melissa-

First off, congrats on choosing a waltz as your first dance! I find the waltz so lovely and romantic, yet few people choose it for their wedding.

YouTube is a great resource. There are short instructional clips that provide you links to the teachers' sites where full instructional DVDs can be purchased. Watch some clips, pick your favorite teachers, and purchase a beginning waltz DVD. I like this couple, they are very thorough:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hD60Do42FY

You've chosen lovely songs, but unfortunately neither will work as a waltz. A waltz song has a specific rhythm,"one two three, one two three" etc. "Waltz of the Flowers" from the Nutcracker is a great example that really emphasizes the rhythm. Some of my favorite contemporary waltz songs are Open Arms by Journey, Weary Blues and Between the Bars by Madeleine Peyroux, Ice Cream by Sarah McLachlan, and Kiss From A Rose by Seal. Here are some examples of professional waltzes to practice with and give you the feel while you choose your own song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3CyNlGfl0E%26feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUeBaKJwK0w%26feature=related

Good luck to you!

Eden