The Dubai Wedding First Dance Cheat Sheet
20 things couples wish someone had told them. From Amalia Baroyan, Latin and ballroom teacher in Dubai
Want help with your own first dance? Meet me at the bottom โย
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๐ Shoes & Dressย
๐ Shoes & Dressย
๐๏ธ Heels + sand = stuck
Thin heels sink on the beach. Dance in flats or wedges, and test them on real sand first.
๐ Marble is slippery
Hotel floors look stunning and grip badly. A plaster stuck on each sole adds grip.
๐ Bustle before you dance
A train you can step on will wreck a turn. Ask for a bustle and practise with it up.
๐ Break in your shoes at home
Wear them around the house for a week. New soles plus nerves is a risky mix.
๐ Your Dubai Venueย
๐ Your Dubai Venueย
โฐ The 10 PM question
Some outdoor venues lower the music around 10 or 11 PM. Hotels often go to midnight. Ask yours, and dance early.
โต On a yacht? Think small
Decks are tight and they move. Keep steps compact and feet wide.
๐ช Guests on every side
Round tables surround the floor. Plan your dance to face everyone, not just the camera.
๐ก๏ธ Outdoors means cool season
November to March is prime. From May, most couples move indoors.
๐ฅ Zaffe first?
A drum entrance can run 5 to 10 minutes. Plan how you'll go from high energy to your slow dance.
๐ต Songsย
๐ต Songsย
โฑ๏ธ 3 minutes is plenty
Most pros recommend 2.5 to 3 minutes. Dancing with the Stars routines are often shorter! Ask your DJ for an edit.
๐ป "Perfect" is a waltz
It counts in threes, like "A Thousand Years." Perfect for a classic twirl.
๐ซ Read the full lyrics
"Every Breath You Take" is about obsession. "I Will Always Love You" is a goodbye song. Check before you commit.
๐ Want to stand out?
"Perfect" was the most requested song in over 29,000 UK wedding enquiries. Pick something rarer to surprise your guests.
๐ผ A love song from 1784
The melody of "Can't Help Falling in Love" comes from a French love song written in 1784.
๐คซ Nobody Tells You Thisย
๐คซ Nobody Tells You Thisย
๐ฑ Viral dances are often pros
Many "couple" videos online are professional dancers. Borrow the feeling, not the lifts.
๐ฅ Rehearse for the camera
Your videographer films from one spot. Tell them your best angle and send them your song edit.
๐
Forgot a step?
Keep moving, smile, hold each other. Guests remember a moment, not the choreography.
โ๏ธ Getting Married Abroad?ย
โ๏ธ Getting Married Abroad?ย
๐๏ธ Learn in Dubai, dance anywhere
Finish your routine a few weeks before your flight. Film your last run-through.
๐ง Send your edit ahead
Email the band or DJ abroad your exact song version and your start cue.
๐ฟ Ask for a floor photo
Grass, stone and terraces change everything. Know what you'll dance on.
๐ Who wrote this?ย
๐ Who wrote this?ย
I'm Amalia Baroyan, a Latin and ballroom teacher in Dubai and I have been teaching since 2006. I'm a 4 time Top Teacher Award winner at the Crown Cup and a certified dance judge, and I appeared on Dancing with the Stars. I coach every wedding couple personally, in Al Quoz and Dubai Marina. Let's chat! (Link below.)
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