By VANESSA McCRAY
vmccray@record-eagle.com
TRAVERSE CITY — Many brides and grooms are forgoing the prom-style step and sway for a choreographed, or at least more adept, wedding dance.
Local wedding professionals, from a disc jockey to a wedding planner to a dance instructor, observed the trend, which seems to be sweeping the nation like an elegant waltz or well-stepped foxtrot.
"A lot of bride and grooms have taken dance lessons," said Ryan Schrock, of the Interlochen-based Best in Class DJs.
Schrock witnessed many first dances during his 15 years spinning tunes at wedding receptions. More couples are choreographing elaborate numbers, sometimes involving the entire wedding party.
"I think a lot of it's due to the shows that you see on television that promote couple dancing," said Traci LeBlanc, a ballroom dance instructor who offers wedding dance lessons through The Dance Center in Traverse City.
TV shows like "Dancing with the Stars" and wedding YouTube videos get some of the credit for the trend. Not looking silly or rhythm-challenged is also a bonus, especially for anxious grooms.
"It's not Emily Post's dance anymore," said Crista Tharp, a wedding planner in Kokomo, Ind. "Some are doing rap, hip-hop, break dancing in little snippets. Most grooms would probably nix the dance, but they're not given that option."
For those who can't dance — but will be singled out by cameras and watching guests — setting a goal is a good place to begin, dance instructors suggested. Do you just want to survive with a few basic steps, or are you going all-in with dance sequences put together with help from an instructor?
LeBlanc, the Traverse City dance teacher, said three to five private lessons will do the trick for couples who "just want to get by." She also will choreograph a more "spectacular" routine, but the couple should plan for at least 10 lessons to nail the steps. The foxtrot and waltz are traditional picks; she also choreographed a big swing number for one couple.
A bridal package of three private lessons costs $160. The lessons may be attended by just the bride and groom or the entire wedding party.
"I recommend they don't do it the weekend before the wedding," LeBlanc said.
Groom-to-be Jerry Karran, 28, a video editor in New York City, decided on regular lessons at a dance studio ahead of his wedding in July with 400 invited guests.
"I'm very nervous," he said. "I'm not nervous about anything else concerning the wedding but that. I can't dance, like, at all. Everybody's looking at you. I don't want to look stupid messing up, or stepping on her toes or something."
Local wedding planner Tricia Frey, who co-owns Events by the Bay, said some of the couples she's worked with have taken dance lessons.
"I can recall couples saying that 'neither of us can really dance to save our souls,'" Frey said.
Taking dance lessons not only enhanced a "special moment," but working as a team taught them another kind of lesson, Frey said.
"This (was) one more wonderful level of getting to know each other in a different way," she said.
James Joseph, who wrote the book "Every Man's Survival Guide to Ballroom Dancing" said taking lessons is fine if couples have the time, money and inclination. For those in survival mode, try embellishing the basic side step with a simple change of footwork, a slow rotation or some underarm turns.
Change steps when the music changes, from verse to chorus, for instance, to avoid getting lost. Making four or five changes, with a dip in the middle and at the end, can look more difficult than it really is.
Practicing in wedding clothes, including shoes, also helps lessen anxiety, said Joseph, who lives in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Videotape a practice session to see what needs work and practice often.
When in doubt, dance with gusto. A couple who takes to the floor with confidence and a sense of humor will get the guests on their side. Schrock, the DJ from Interlochen, recalled a bride and groom who danced to a sweet tune, but arranged for him to use his scratch pad and cut to "U Can't Touch This" by MC Hammer. The couple feigned surprise when the rap song began to play, but quickly launched into a choreograph routine that had the audience going wild.
"The crowd just dropped out of their chairs. They were laughing so hard," Schrock remembered.
Often, a couple planning a big dance number will perform it at the start of the reception upon their introduction instead of saving it for after dinner, he said. That way, if they're nervous, they get it over with and it sets the tone for a fun party.
The new husband and wife aren't the only wedding participants who may be jittery about dancing. In 2006, at age 62, TV personality Jerry Springer brought tears to the set of "Dancing with the Stars" with an on-air kiss for his daughter Katie after a waltz he learned so he could dance at her wedding that December.
"I've never really danced," Springer, now 66, said in an interview. "So the night of the wedding, it's time for the big father-daughter dance. In the middle of it, Katie looks up at me and says, 'Dad, nobody can see our feet.' They were covered by her big gown. My advice to dads unsure if they can dance for their daughter's wedding is to make sure they have a big gown. Then you can get by doing anything."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
