‘Traveling’ dances such as Foxtrot, Tango and Waltz require a larger floor, whereas ‘spot’ dances like Rumba and Swing can be danced comfortably in a very small space. Arrange for the MC or DJ to announce that guests should remain along the perimeter to respect your dancing space, maximize everyone’s visibility and allow the photographer and videographer adequate angles for good footage. Below are some dance floor tips:
1. If the site has a wooden or marble floor, make sure to leave a minimum of 10×10 section for dancing. If the reception site is carpeted, usually a portable floor is available for rent.
2. Avoid encouraging guests to toss petals, rice, bird seed or confetti on the dance floor as they can make the floor slippery when dancing. If you want to include this for dramatic effect, orchestrate it as a grand finale gesture and then have the floor swept before further dancing occurs.
3. Make sure that the dance surface is swept and completely dry.
4. Ensure that you have adequate space to dance before approaching the floor for your first dance. Request that the DJ or band director announce, “Please gather along the edge of the dance floor for the couple’s first dance.” Another solution is to pre-arrange for the entire wedding party to subtly hint to your guests where to stand by positioning themselves along each side of the perimeter of the dance floor outlining where the guests should fill in the space. Since many people do not really dance, the assumption is that you don’t need any room and the well wishing guests will sometimes crowd around you. Aside from feeling a bit claustrophobic, not enough dancing space can also compromise the quality of your video and photography footage.