- Choose a great song. There is nothing more powerful than music that means something to you. Choose a song that has a special meaning to you and your future spouse and let the audience melt away. Imagine it is just the two of you dancing alone in your living room.
- Choose a dance to suit your style. If slow dancing is not your thing, consider a faster or more structured dance such as the tango. The choice of dance really is up to you and what you are comfortable with. Although learning some new moves may be more time consuming than simple doing the slow shuffle, you may find that focusing on the steps will keep anxious thoughts at bay.
- Find a good instructor. If your anxiety about the first dance stems more from having two left feet than simply worrying what others think, consider taking some lessons prior to the big day. Taking lessons will give you more confidence as well as more options. Your instructor can determine what style of dance best suits you and work from there.
- Practice, practice, practice! Like any type of performance, there is no substitute for practice. If you won't be taking structured dance lessons, be sure that you and your future spouse practice the dance on at least five separate occasions. Even if you don't feel that you need to practice your footwork, having gone through the motions several times before the real thing will help to calm anxiety about dancing in front of your guests.
- Breathe. Leading up to the first dance and when you step out on the floor, remember to practice deep breathing. There is no substitute for taking long slow breaths from your diaphragm in terms of relaxation.
Source: Pash Weddings. Nervous About Your First Dance. Accessed October 20, 2008.
