WEDDING DANCE LESSON FAQs

Starting several months before the wedding gives you time to learn without pressure, practice between lessons, and let the movement become comfortable. A longer timeline is especially helpful for customized choreography or multiple dances.

For best results, plan the last lesson the week before your wedding and count backwards with a lesson either every week or every two weeks to tell you approximately when to start. For a 5-lesson package, we would want to start approximately 2-3 months before the wedding. It’s always best to reach out on the earlier side. Sometimes students or teachers have to work around vacation time, illness, or things that come up. It’s best to have a little bit of cushion whenever possible in your timeline.

If your wedding is coming up quickly, contact us anyway. A focused plan and a lesson or two can still make a meaningful difference.

Pay-as-you-go lessons are $100 per 45-minute lesson, so you can schedule two, three, four, or another number that fits your needs you can also use these as add-ons to a package, for example, maybe you want 6 lessons instead of 5. A 5-lesson package is $475. The 11-lesson package is $1,000, which means you pay for 10 lessons and receive one free. Rates are based on lessons with one instructor. Ask about two-instructor coaching if you would like both Amanda and Corey involved.

That depends on your timeline, experience, song, goals, and how elaborate you want the dance to be. Some couples want a few pay-as-you-go lessons for confidence, while others choose a package for personalized choreography, more detailed technique, multiple dances, or additional rehearsal time. Send us an inquiry with information about your wedding date and what you are looking for – do you want to survive your dance, do you want something simple yet elegant, or do you want to be a YouTube sensation? Tell us and we can recommend the right plan for you.

No. Most of our wedding students begin with little or no dance experience. Lessons are adapted to your comfort, abilities, music, and goals. If one or both partners already dance, we can build on that experience.

No. We can create anything from a lead and follow dance with a choreographed entrance and ending to a flashier fully choreographed routine. Many couples choose something in between, with comfortable lead-and-follow dancing plus a few memorable highlights and turns.

Yes. We can help you consider the song’s meaning, tempo, length, mood, and feel. We can also explain which dance styles may work well with your music, floor, attire, experience, and preferred wedding-day atmosphere.

Of course. Couples who purchase a larger package, including the 11-lesson package, may share some of those lessons with family members if they wish. Parent-dance participants, family members, or the wedding party can also schedule separate pay-as-you-go lessons. We can coordinate through the couple or, with permission, communicate directly with the additional participants.

Yes. We have worked with many same-sex couples and are proudly LGBTQIA+ friendly. We teach the partnership in the way that feels most natural and comfortable for you, without assuming that a particular person must dance a particular role.

Bring your song on a phone or another device that can connect to our Bluetooth speaker. If you have your wedding shoes, wear or bring them. If not, choose shoes with a similar heel height and sole material, because rubber and leather soles move differently. Practicing in the actual shoes helps break them in and lets you understand how dancing in them will feel.

It is also helpful to bring an approximate dance-floor size and a basic idea of what will happen immediately before and after your dance. Even an estimate based on what you remember about the venue is useful.

Contact us as soon as possible. We will focus on the highest-impact skills for the time available, such as timing, comfort, connection, an entrance, an ending, and a few reliable movements. A shorter timeline may mean choosing a simpler plan, but we can still help you feel more prepared.

Yes. We can help prepare parent dances, wedding-party dances, entrances, surprise performances, family moments, or social dancing for the reception. We can also create a performance, provide hired dancers, lead guest dancing, or supply dance hosts who encourage participation and dance with guests.

We accept cash, Venmo, and Zelle payments.

Most first dances are approximately two to three minutes long. Anything longer than three and a half minutes can begin to feel lengthy, so you may decide to shorten the music or have it fade out before the song ends.

We can assist with editing your music for an additional fee, although we often recommend asking your DJ whether music editing is included in their services. If you use an edited version, please send or bring that version so we can practice to the exact music you will use at the wedding. It is fine if the edit is not ready for your first lesson or two, but for a five-lesson package, we recommend having it by lesson three or four so we can finalize and practice your ending.

No. You are welcome to begin with several song possibilities. We can help you consider the meaning, tempo, length, mood, and which dance styles work well with each option. Some songs that sound simple can be more challenging to dance to than expected, so it can be helpful to stay flexible until you have tried moving to your choices.

It might. Gowns, trains, fitted clothing, sleeves, shoes, and other attire can affect movement, balance, arm positions, turns, and what feels safe. Certain movements may also be less flattering or practical in a particular outfit. We generally avoid floor tricks in a white gown and adapt the choreography so it looks becoming, feels comfortable, and protects the clothing.

You do not need to wear your actual wedding clothes to lessons, and many couples prefer not to wear them before the wedding. It can be helpful, however, to practice in something similar during a later lesson.

If one person will be wearing a long gown that hides their feet, practicing in a long skirt or another garment that recreates that limited visibility can help both partners adjust. We also recommend practicing in the wedding shoes, or shoes with a similar heel height and sole material, before the event.

We require at least 24 hours’ notice when canceling or rescheduling a lesson. With less than 24 hours’ notice, you are responsible for 50% of the scheduled lesson fee. For a standard $100 lesson, that amount is $50. We thank you in advance for your understanding of this policy. It is meant to protect the instructor’s time and income, as well as making sure we don’t incur costs and floor rental fees for no-shows. We do often have to reserve space at our studios and we have to pay floor rental fees to the studios if we are not able to cancel with enough advance notice.

Standard private lessons are 45 minutes. Double lessons can be arranged, and longer lessons may also be prorated. For example, a 60-minute lesson can be priced proportionally from the $100 pay-as-you-go rate.

Most lessons are held at The Promenade Dance Studio in Windsor Mill. We may also be able to arrange rented studio space in Catonsville, Silver Spring, Bethesda, Alexandria, or another requested location, depending on availability and logistics.

Consistency is more valuable than one unusually long practice. We would rather see you practice for about 15 minutes three days a week than practice for 60 minutes once and do nothing for the rest of the week. Short, regular sessions help the movement become more comfortable and easier to remember.

Yes. We offer gift certificates for wedding dance lessons. Contact us with the lesson amount or package you would like to give, and we can help you arrange it.

We can often arrange concentrated lessons or double lessons while the family member is in town. Depending on scheduling, we may also be able to arrange a lesson shortly before the wedding. Zoom or other online video lessons may be another option. All arrangements are subject to instructor and studio availability, so please tell us about the situation as early as possible.