Your first dance should be as unique as your bond
From a slow, intimate low-key flow around the floor, to a romantic, sweeping number complete with dips, to a fun, flirty and bouncy swing or even a medley, I’ve got you covered. Let’s figure out your vision of your perfect first dance and then make it as unique as you two. No matter whether you just want to feel comfortable and capable with basic moves and timing in a social dance approach or confident and show-stopping with complete choreography, I’ll help you both learn how to feel connected on the floor the whole time and above all, we’ll make sure you’re having a great time and enjoying the quality time together.
Don’t let the idea of learning to dance intimidate or overwhelm you and delay! You’re going to love it! Let’s start crafting your perfect first dance today. I’m here to help you from song selection all the way through to the nitty gritty details of capturing your perfect photos and moving with the dress. The more time you spend dancing, the better it will feel and the smoother it will go on your big day so don’t wait! Book your first private lesson and wedding consultation today for only $30 (regularly $120).
You’re getting married! Congrats!
Your wedding is your day. A day that the two of you will share uniquely as a couple. It should be what you want it to be.
Your first dance is the most symbolic representation of who you are as a couple.
It should be as unique as your bond.
It’s n
ot something you give to each other, it’s something you do together. A true sign of trust, team work, and friendship. One of the few moments on that day where you get to tune the world out, hear your special song together, and just be there in each other’s arms. It can be as simple as knowing how to move together in rhythm or it can bust out into a show stopping routine that thrills both you and your guests. But it should be whatever you want it to be.
And that’s where I come in.
My first question for you is what do you want?
That’s a big question so I like to take a little time to talk through options and preferences with wedding couples and see where your picture of your first dance starts. This picture can absolutely change throughout the process but I like to work with you to make sure I can help get both of you what you want. Creating your special dance is a fine balance of all the mission points below.
Mission One: COMFORT, CONFIDENCE & CONNECTION
Are you nervous about dancing? Or maybe just one of you is anxious about it? Maybe you’re mentally comfortable with it but why does it physically feel so awkward? My primary mission with any couple is to first teach you both how to feel more comfortable with dancing; to teach you some control and to give you the tools to actually enjoy dancing together and move in sync. The key to all of this is learning how to use your connection
Mission Three: SOCIAL, SHOWY, Something in between
Let’s figure out your style as a couple. Do you want an intimate, low-key social dance a step above a high-school sway? Do you want something social but with enough variety to be fun and exhilarating for both of you? Maybe a little challenge? Or maybe you want a fully choreographed routine full of shine and style and just a few over the top moments. Or, maybe you want THE dance from Dirty Dancing complete with lift. There is something for everyone and it’s my job to help you create it.
Mission Two: HAVE FUN, RELAX & ENJOY
Regardless of the intricacy of your dance, it is so important that you’re both enjoying dancing together. I believe learning needs to be fun for everyone because when the mind and body are relaxed, we absorb far more information than when we’re nervous or stressed. So let’s take a breath and shake off the nerves and enjoy the smiles and laughs! It’s not a competition floor and I promise (most likely) that no one is holding up score cards at the end of your song. It’s your wedding dance- it has one primary purpose- for you to love dancing together.
Mission Four: FEEL GREAT
Regardless of your specific wedding dance, I want to make sure you both know how to actually dance together. Even if you learn choreography, it is important that you establish the ability to follow and lead the entire dance otherwise it will still look and feel like both of dancing separately…but in front of each other. Moving as one is where the magic of partner dance happens. Connection is what makes it look good but most importantly, makes you feel great doing it. And you should feel great dancing for a lifetime together.
The Song, The Dress, The Shoes, & The What Ifs
It all starts with a song. If you have one picked out, great. I’ll let you know which dance styles fit and you’ll choose what you like. Don’t have a clue? I can help you narrow down some options based on which styles you like the look of and your personal preferences. The song should be something that moves both of you every time you hear it and makes you excited to be dancing together. In order to not burn out on your song, we will often learn to a song with a similar beat and get more comfortable with your song closer to your wedding day.
I’ve been working with wedding couples a long time. And you guys usually have lots of questions on how the details of your day will work. I will happily talk to you about the logistics of your day- how will you move in your dress, if you’re worried about wardrobe malfunctions, will your shoes work for the dance, what do you tell the DJ, what do you tell the photographer, where do you go on the floor…and the list goes on. I’m here for you and have lots and lots of insight and helpful hints to make your dance go smoothly on your special day.
When Should We Start?
The easy answer is the sooner, the better. And it’s never too early. But here are some tips to consider when planning your lessons: When you’re faced with a definitive timeline, you should start at least 3 months in advance if the goal is comfort and a manageable social dance. Start sooner if you want a choreographed dance with some wow factor. If you’re really nervous about dancing in front of people, give yourself the gift of time and start well in advance (6 months or earlier) so that we have time to build up your confidence and battle those nerves on the dance floor. If you’re reading this and you’re like “oops, my wedding is in 4 weeks”- I can help give you a basis for what you’re doing so you’re not doing the high school sway.
My final piece of advice to wedding couples: learning under stress makes the whole process much more difficult so starting early to develop your connection and abilities in an enjoyable hobby-setting, without the stress of learning a routine with a nearby deadline, is the way to go. The brain and body will absorb more when it’s relaxed. The weeks leading up to the wedding can be the most stressful and busy, so build in a month of extra time. However you start, I’ll make sure you enjoy the experience and make it as stress-free as possible.
The Song, The Dress, The Shoes, & The What Ifs
It all starts with a song. If you have one picked out, great. I’ll let you know which dance styles fit and you’ll choose what you like. Don’t have a clue? I can help you narrow down some options based on which styles you like the look of and your personal preferences. The song should be something that moves both of you every time you hear it and makes you excited to be dancing together. In order to not burn out on your song, we will often learn to a song with a similar beat and get more comfortable with your song closer to your wedding day.
I’ve been working with wedding couples a long time. And you guys usually have lots of questions on how the details of your day will work. I will happily talk to you about the logistics of your day- how will you move in your dress, if you’re worried about wardrobe malfunctions, will your shoes work for the dance, what do you tell the DJ, what do you tell the photographer, where do you go on the floor…and the list goes on. I’m here for you and have lots and lots of insight and helpful hints to make your dance go smoothly on your special day.
When Should We Start?
The easy answer is the sooner, the better. And it’s never too early. But here are some tips to consider when planning your lessons: When you’re faced with a definitive timeline, you should start at least 3 months in advance if the goal is comfort and a manageable social dance. Start sooner if you want a choreographed dance with some wow factor. If you’re really nervous about dancing in front of people, give yourself the gift of time and start well in advance (6 months or earlier) so that we have time to build up your confidence and battle those nerves on the dance floor. If you’re reading this and you’re like “oops, my wedding is in 4 weeks”- I can help give you a basis for what you’re doing so you’re not doing the high school sway.
My final piece of advice to wedding couples: learning under stress makes the whole process much more difficult so starting early to develop your connection and abilities in an enjoyable hobby-setting, without the stress of learning a routine with a nearby deadline, is the way to go. The brain and body will absorb more when it’s relaxed. The weeks leading up to the wedding can be the most stressful and busy, so build in a month of extra time. However you start, I’ll make sure you enjoy the experience and make it as stress-free as possible.
Dancing at your wedding is just the start of dancing together for a lifetime.
So let’s get you off to a good start!
“Cori is wonderful! My fiancé have been taking lessons with her for a few months now and she is awesome. She makes the classes fun and entertaining, while also very productive. She has a great amount of insight for brides. If any other brides are like me and have no idea what they are doing regarding the whole weddings thing Cori knows so much more than dance! Definitely will not be disappointed!” Stephanie & Stephen
“Working with Cori has been a blast! Taking dance lessons was definitely one of our favorite parts of the wedding planning process. It was a time for my fiance and I to do something physically active and mentally challenging, and it was very much due to Cori's personality and teaching style. I have a musical theatre background so learning choreography is something I am fairly used to. My fiance, however, not so much. Cori did amazing job to make us both feel super comfortable and confident learning the choreography. The dance itself was challenging for me without being too much for him to handle. We both so looked forward to going to dance lessons throughout the process and would absolutely recommend any couple to work with Cori. You will be hooked!” Josalyn & Austin
“Cori is wonderful to work with and has been so accommodating to our busy schedules. We are definitely not natural dancers and she will get you feeling comfortable in no time. We are practicing our wedding first dance and we have noticed tremendous improvement in just the first few lessons. We have taken a few lessons previously and it just left me more unsure of myself. But Cori eases you into the basics and will not let you progress until the base is set. I think that's what is missing in more lessons and we can definitely tell. I can't wait to get on the dance floor at our wedding! Thank you, Cori!!” Chris & Jamie
“Cori is one of those individuals who knows how to put you immediately at ease, especially when you're nervous about your "first dance" for your upcoming wedding. Cori's studio is bright, clean, and welcoming. Not only is Cori an adept teacher who connects with each of her students immediately, using common knowledge and demonstrations to help contextualize the move or step, she is knowledgeable about all types of dance and music. Plus, she has a sense of humor and genuine joy as she teaches. I feel so fortunate that my fiancé and I chose to work with Cori to prepare for our first dance for our wedding. Cori's focus on connection between dance partners and fun made the two hour intensive lesson fly by! I would absolutely recommend that any couples who are nervous about their "first dance" seek out Cori. Her patience, sense of humor, and knowledge about what we needed (before we even knew how to voice what we were looking for) were truly invaluable. My fiancé and I can't wait for our next lesson with Cori. We definitely have much more confidence now and know that we'll be spinning around the dance floor in style when our April wedding rolls around.” Laura & Ken
“Cori is grand. My wife and I had a slightly crazy idea to learn a choreographed dance for our first dance at our wedding and happened upon Cori. As people who aren't the most graceful of dancers, we knew we were signing ourselves up for something way outside our comfort zone. But Cori made the whole process much more real and even fun for us! It ended up being one of the best things we've ever done together. Everyone who came to our wedding was impressed by the dance we performed and we couldn't have been happier with how it turned out. Cori's process is fun and not strict or intimidating at all. She crafts the lessons around whatever you are looking for, whether its technical or more feeling based or whatever. I doubt we would've been able to push through all the uncomfortable dance moments without her calm presence and for that we're super grateful. We'll always be able to look back now on our wedding dance and remember how surprised all our family/friends were at what we pulled off 🙂 - not to mention the videos! We are now thinking of continuing our dance education with some more social dance styles that we can use in future wedding settings or just to have fun with ourselves. Highly recommend her to anyone looking to make learning dance fun and enjoyable!” Jon & Odelia
“COME DANCE WITH CORI! Seriously, this girl is a super rockstar!! In an effort to spend a few extra special moments with his "baby girl," my dad signed us up for dance lessons for our father-daughter dance. What we thought would be a once-a-week get together full of awkward steps and failed dips turned into true dance lessons, where we transformed from wallflowers to dancing machines. Cori is kind, patient, easy to work with, and a great time. You can tell she is extremely well versed in her craft and has TONS of experience under her belt. She truly can take someone with two left feet (myself) and turn them into a dancer. Everyone at the wedding had a blast watching my dad and I do our dance...we helped set the mood for a good time and a great party! Thank you, Cori! We love you!” Amanda & her Dad Eric
“My wife and i got married last year and when we were getting ready for the wedding she mentioned she wanted to do a choreographed first dance. My wife wanted something traditional than break into a more fun song. I thought she was crazy...I have two left feet...how could I possibly make this look good. Well my wife Michelle found Cori. I can't say enough good things about her. She helped us through each step of the way all while making it fun. Cori was flexible with our busy schedules and always accommodated us. She has a gorgeous new studio for you to learn in. Cori helped me throughout both dances and made it to where I was confident and comfortable for the day of. All of our friends and family loved the dance and said how great we both looked. On top of that, Cori followed up with us after our wedding showing true genuine excitement on how our special day was and how the dance went. Thanks Cori, it meant a lot to both of us!!!” Chris & Michelle
“Cori is simply the greatest! My fiancé and I decided to find someone to help choreograph our first dance for our upcoming wedding and are extremely happy and grateful that we found Cori. Cori is very knowledgeable and so sweet, she has made this whole process a lot of fun. Cori has a true passion for dance and it definitely shows. Her teaching skills are on another level. She has also been extremely accommodating with our busy work schedules and we can't thank her enough for that. We have enjoyed learning from Cori so much and are planning on taking lessons after the wedding. She deserves more than 5 stars :)” Liz & Gokhan
“My wife and I were "beginners" at dancing to say the least. Basically I can barely keep a beat and have trouble walking never mind dancing, but.... Cori somehow taught us how to dance and it was one of the most fun and memorable things I have ever done with my wife. We started about 4 months before our wedding doing one class a week and before we knew it we looked like pros. Cori is an incredible teacher and very patient. Our first dance was a huge success and now that our wedding is over we will continue to take lessons from her! Highly recommended.” Nate & Bekah
“We're so glad we stumbled upon Cori's website while searching for wedding dance lessons! After our first trial lesson, we knew we wanted to work with Cori. She's an amazing teacher and so friendly and down to earth. We're very new at dance and enjoyed learning how to communicate and connect with one another on the dance floor. I travel a lot for work and Cori was flexible in scheduling and made sure we were able to get our lessons in before the big day. The lessons were fun and we loved working with Cori!” Hanh & Lyle
“Cori and Mari are the BEST! A few months prior to our wedding my husband and I were SO nervous because we sucked at dancing. I never would have thought that with only 8 lessons we would have learned Rumba and Cha-cha and our whole first dance routine! They made us feel so confident and we had so much fun with them! I wish we could have another wedding so we could learn another dance routine!! LOVE YOU GUYS!!! XoXo, Jamae and Tony” Tony & Jamae
“My wife and I were married on June 10, 2017. As preparation for the wedding, we decided to go with Cori to choreograph our first dance. Neither of us have had formal dance lessons, and Cori was awesome in teaching us everything from the basics, to an actual choreographed dance. We wanted to start with a slow dance and transition into something a little more upbeat, and Cori was able to mix the 2 songs together for us. When our actual wedding day came around, my wife and I were nervous, but confident in the lessons Cori taught us, and we definitely delivered. We received countless compliments on our dance, and it was all thanks to Cori. The 5 star reviews speak for themselves, Cori is amazing!” Nathan & Maricris
Like Love, Weddings are for Everyone.
You hear the sound of music, you hear your guests applauding and cheering; you feel excitement and joy and love and nerves… and then suddenly the room fades away as you feel your partner’s arms connect to yours and all you can feel is them. As you start to move to the sound of your song, you just enjoy your moment together there in the center of the floor. No matter the nerves. You’re there together and you’ve got this. Just you two. Moving together in Your Song, Your Dance, Your Moment.
It’s time to start figuring out what that moment looks like for you.
Book your first private lesson and wedding consultation today for only $30 (regularly $120).
Much like Love, Weddings are for everyone! Love wins at Cori-ography.
I am an LGBT Wedding Specialist and I believe in teaching gender neutral “follow and lead” parts, not just “bride and groom” parts. Love wins in my studio so let’s make your first dance perfect for you on your most wonderful day! Head to the Weddings page for lots of wonderful, general information on your first day and preparing for your special day. Get in touch and let’s start crafting your perfect first dance!
As a Hillcrest business, I also offer LGBT Community classes in the groups and semi-private classes because sometimes my friends in the community really enjoy learning alongside their friends in the community. Check out the Semi-Private and Group page for more info!
Please see the Wedding Page for lots of wonderful, general information on your first dance and special day!