In my (short so far) career as a dance instructor for Society Hill Dance Academy, and along my (longer) “career” as a dance-addict, I came across many soon-to-be-married couples that were struggling finding the right song for their first dance.
My advice: pick a song that’s meaningful to you and your story together. Don’t worry about the dance, that’s why you hire professionals to help you. We’ll always find the steps that work with the music. But if you’re really clueless, here’s the top 10 most popular wedding songs:
For the past few weeks, I went back to my old time favorite: Lindy Hop, with a 3-weeks course refresher on the Big Apple, with LaB, a very dynamic group of Lindy dancers.
Here’s what the Big Apple looks like and, if you speak Lindy, the description. For the Lindy virgins, I encourage you to come to Society Hill Dance Academy and try one of my Lindy 101 class.
According to Stuart from LaB: “Nationally, the Big Apple is done as a reproduction of one documented in the ‘Keep Punchin’ movie from 1939. This was Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers version with Frankie Manning and its really great!”
The Big Apple
Stomp kick switch cross jump turn
Brush push for 8
Cross left behind to snap for 8
Drunken sailor
Frog jumps
Apple jack + apple jack back to center
Look out far
Suzie Q 3 x8
Dusty rusty 4 forward 4 backward 4 left 4 right (opposite for leader on last 2)
Kick the baby 3 x 8
Flying Charleston x3
Frog jump right / left / back /back
Boogie front x2
Crazy legs x2
Frog jump right / left / left (right / left / right for leader)
Ride the pony
Walk walk (starts on 1)
Knee slap x2
Fall off the log end with partner arm in arm
Turn to one side 4 counts – turn to the other side 4 counts
Leader turn and finish side to side – jump around in circle
Bridge
Clap clap clap-clap clap wave x3
Shim-sham break (leader turning finish in one line facing audience)
Chichkeboomba right then Chichkeboomba left
Back with left foot
Knee up left then right moving forward
Kick change x3
Side step right – cross behind – jump side right knee up
Back step left – cross – ½ turn
Shrugs left x4
Shrugs right x2 end 2x feet open hip apart – bend forward butt out
Step back right left
Fall of the log right kick end w/ touch left foot
Frog jumps x4
Shorty George with slow walk on 7/8, 1/2, 3/4, then fast again and slow again on same timings, finish with 2 fast walk
Charleston starting with kick left foot
Around the world
Back step left, cross in front, end knee slap right
Back step right, ball change, cross in front, knee slap (x2 – each side)
Walk right, walk, down, up (left knee up)
Suzy Q
Flying Charleston (switch place with partner)
Suzy Q
Flying Charleston (switch place again)
