Deborah Block Shares Her Secret to Helping Couples on Their Wedding Dance
Are you and your partner feeling nervous about your wedding dance? Don’t let the fear of making a fool of yourselves ruin your special day!
Wedding dances are an important and unforgettable moment of any wedding. The first dance between the newlyweds is a symbol of their love and commitment to each other, and it sets the tone for the rest of the night. It is a moment that will be remembered for years to come, and it is a special way for the couple to express their love and affection for each other in front of their friends and family.
In this episode, we will be discussing the significance of wedding dances with Deborah Block from The Wedding Dance Specialists. She will share her expertise on how she assists couples in creating memorable and intimate moments on the dance floor, without any awkwardness, and allowing them to have a great time in front of their family and friends.
Transcript
Gillian de Souza: Hi there, this is Gillian again with DC Weddings with Gillian. Good to have you again. Today, we are going to be with Deborah Joy Block of The Wedding Dance Specialists. She is going to share with us how she helps brides and grooms create those special moments on the dance floor that not only won’t be awkward, but that they actually can have the time of their life and have that intimate moment right in the midst of their special family and friends. It is a pleasure to welcome, Deborah Joy Block of The Wedding Dance Specialists.
Hello everyone! Welcome to DC Weddings with Gillian and I am here having the extreme pleasure of being here with Deborah Joy. And, Deborah Joy is with The Wedding Dance Specialists. I want to introduce her to you and all about what she does. The last time we were together was actually at a dance presentation that she did for one of the industry association events. It’s always fantastic when we see Deborah Joy and her husband, Brian. So, Deborah Joy, welcome!
Deborah Joy Block: Thank you so much Gillian for inviting me to your show.
Gillian de Souza: You are very welcome. Pleasure to have you here. So let’s start off. Tell us what do you do for your brides and grooms?
Deborah Joy Block: I am passionate about love and marriage. And, I believe that the first dance is the most sentimental and romantic aspect of the wedding planning process.
So, I love empowering my couples to gain confidence on the dance floor and to work as a team, displaying their partnership in the classes because it’s like premarital coaching. Then, they get to sparkle in the spotlight and just demonstrate their unity in front of everybody they love on their wedding day.
Gillian de Souza: That is so fantastic! I think it’s probably an aspect that people don’t think about until you express it like that and those special moments at their wedding. And, I imagine you probably even give them special moments before the wedding because they have to come and do they practice with you. Take me through a few months of “I’m getting married and I’ve come to Deborah Joy. I’m a little shy. I don’t know what to do.” What would you do with me?
Deborah Joy Block: I often talk with them personally on the phone if they have any initial questions. I also have value added resources that we provide upfront before they even come to the class, including dance tips and a wedding dance timeline.
Then, once they come to one of our professional studios in Alexandria or Falls Church, they can practice their dance with a crinoline, if they want to. We test out their dance shoes to make sure that they’re going to be stable and that they’re gonna be able to wear them for the entire night or discuss whether they want change shoes.
Then, we demonstrate the routine to their special song. And, they’re able to pick and choose their favorite moves and give us feedback. Then, we start one step at a time, like a jigsaw puzzle piece and we put all the jigsaw puzzle pieces together to create a beautiful fairytale dance.
Gillian de Souza: That is wonderful! Having done so many weddings, I can tell you the first dance is usually the highlight. And one doesn’t normally think about that. That is fantastic! So, what if I was shy? I mean, I see so many times people say, “I don’t wanna sit at a sweetheart table. I don’t wanna be the center of attention.” I have to say, “Guess what? You’re getting married. Everyone is coming to see you. You are the center of attention for those 4, 5, 6 hours.” So, how do you encourage people to get out there on the dance floor?
Deborah Joy Block: Unless you’re going to elope, you will be the center of attention for the whole day. And, most people are comfortable with that, can handle that, but frequently the groom and sometimes the bride will be nervous about dancing. Generally, the men in our culture don’t get exposed to dancing. Whereas ladies, when they’re growing up, get exposed to ballet, tap jazz, cheerleading poms.
But it’s still new for both of them because this is a social dance where you’re moving as a team together and partnering up. So, the groom is the leader on the dance floor and the bride is the follower. And, they have to get used to those roles because you can’t have two drivers in the car.
Fantastic! You’re seeing so many things that one never would have thought about. Once you say that, makes perfect sense. So, what’s a tip that you can give the brides and grooms listening, if they’re thinking about their first dance and what they would do. Something that you think that most people don’t typically think about.
Like you mentioned in your previous question about being nervous, I think they need to remember that the most important thing is that they found their soulmate and they’re going on this journey together to enhance their relationship. That the most important thing is to smile, kiss, if they want to, look deeply into each other’s eyes, focus on their connection, and just have the time of their life. It’s all about fun, and it’s all about love and being blissed out during that first dance.
Gillian de Souza: That is so wonderful, Deborah Joy. Because so many people say that they can’t remember moments in their wedding because they’re not present. This almost gets them to center themselves right at the very beginning so that they can actually enjoy the rest of the night, even to relax in each other’s arms.
If there’s so many metaphors for the rest of their life, in terms of this stepping out in public and doing something together for everyone to see. So, I love the way that you get them to do that. That’s wonderful!.
Deborah Joy Block: Yes, they are learning a life skill that they can use forever. Whether they go to other social events or just in the privacy of their own living room on a rainy night, they can light a candle, push the coffee table aside and dance romance.
Gillian de Souza: Yes! That is fantastic! Fabulous! Okay. So, tell us about your most memorable couple.
Deborah Joy Block: We had a lot of celebrity couples, which is a compliment and fun. The couples who have invited us to their wedding has been very touching, very sentimental. Then, I’m able to help them warm up if they want to in the bridal chamber. It’s just so meaningful that they want us to be part of their closest inner circle.
Gillian de Souza: Fantastic! So, Deborah Joy, we talked about nervous people and I know new people who are new to dancing are also nervous. Tell us how you help those people.
Deborah Joy Block: Yes, it’s completely normal to be nervous. It’s something new. It’s something that you’re exploring for the first time. I’ve been working with beginners for 25 years. The student doesn’t have to trust in their own expertise. They have to trust in mine to guide them and empower them. I do have a blog they could read about being nervous on the dance floor. I would suggest if they wanted to, that they could videotape themselves at home and put all the moves that they naturally know into that dance. And then, watch the video in its entirety and see what they think of the final product. If they feel like it looks anti-climactic and like the awkward high school proms way, then maybe they should consider lessons. I also feel like it’s difficult to learn on a video or YouTube or something like that. And, that it’s much easier to have it in person, contact and guidance.
Gillian de Souza: Fantastic! I would like to be a fly in the wall and do all those videos that couples take dancing of themselves. I am sure there will be some hilarious moments, and either they can do it or that they recognize that they need to come to you to be able to do this in front of their friends and family. That’s wonderful! More than everything that we’ve already heard. Why should they look to Deborah Joy and Brian for their wedding? What makes you so special that they should come to you?
Deborah Joy Block: We were the first ones to invent the concept of specializing in weddings. We’re also the national experts and the most recommended by the media, engaged couples, wedding professionals. We’ve worked with over 15,000 couples. We’re focused on the wedding day and the wedding dance and not long term commitments, like competitions or hobbyists or showcase performances. We’re focused on surviving and hopefully thriving during that special dance.
Gillian de Souza: Wonderful! I know you are making special memories for lots of couples and not just the bride and groom, the parents and the rest of their family and even the young people looking at this expression of love on the dance floor for their first dance. I know you’re influencing a lot of people with that. So, that is wonderful.
Deborah Joy Block: I really want them to know that I’m passionate about love. That finding your soulmate and your best friend is going to be one of the biggest blessings that could ever happen. And, I feel like this is the best wedding gift that I could give a couple because it’s an investment in their relationship and they’re growing and evolving together by learning this new skill and being able to step out of their comfort zone and end up with gorgeous pictures for their photo album and lovely video footage. Because those are the priceless memories they’re gonna take away from their wedding day. Everything else is consumed or evaporates on the wedding day. And, the vendors like the DJ plays your music, the baker bakes your cake, the caterer fixes your food, but they have to face the music and dance.
Gillian de Souza: Literally, that is wonderful! And, I know you are providing lots of people with this perfect opportunity to face that music. And, for so many people, it could be such a trepidation. So, you are doing such a great service. Now we’ve talked about your business and I’ve seen you and Brian’s first dance at your own wedding and that was lovely. Tell me something about you, personally. I see the joy of dancing in you. Whenever I see you perform and hearing you speak now about your clients and what you do for them, there is joy in love and so on. So, what do you do for fun and to get joy in your own life?
Deborah Joy Block: I love dancing with my husband at home. If it’s a rainy day or a snowy day, I love spending quality time with him like that. If I’m feeling down, he cheers me up with a dance. I love gardening. That’s really relaxing to get out in nature. I love traveling. I’ve been to 15 countries. I love spending quality time with all my wonderful friends and family.
Gillian de Souza: Fantastic! That is wonderful! My dear, we are almost to the end of our time. Is there anything you would like to tell the audience before we leave?
Deborah Joy Block: I hope that 2020 wasn’t too difficult for your business. I hope that you’re recovering and looking forward to 2022 then beyond. And, what’s important is for all of us to keep progressing in our businesses and to let love conquer all.
Gillian de Souza: That is a beautiful note to end on. I wish the same for you and your business, and all of your beautiful clients and the memories that you would help them make. So, we thank you for being here. I think the next time we get together, we have to do a little cha-cha-cha.
Deborah Joy Block: I would love that!
Gillian de Souza: We need to get out of the seat for the next one. So really give them a presentation. Deborah Joy of The Wedding Dance Specialists, it’s been a pleasure. There’s so much more I can ask you, but we are out of time. So, thank you so much for this evening and we’ll do it again.
Deborah Joy Block: See you on the dance floor!
Gillian de Souza: Indeed! Bye-bye, everybody!
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