A party host recently admitted to me that her greatest fear was that her event guests would refuse to dance. The event was bringing together individuals from many different backgrounds and she feared that she would end up with a “middle-school dance situation”; one group on one side of the dance floor and another on the other side, with no interaction at all.
How can you guarantee that guests will be out of their seats and dancing at your wedding, gala or holiday party? Here are the 5 steps you need to follow:
Examine Your Guest List
Like every form of entertainment, the music needs to match its audience for the event to be a success. Examine your guest list and think long and hard before making a commitment to any type of act. A few things to consider:
- Age: This seems obvious but knowing exactly what type of entertainment will appeal to which age group can be difficult. In the case of a very mixed-age crowd, aim to please the youngsters while throwing in a few slow songs for the older generation.
- Background: While leaning on stereotypes is dangerous and often disastrous, it is fair to assume that if your guests are, for example, of a Caribbean background, you may want to include a bit of Caribbean music in the setlist.
- Social Class: Another very touchy subject, but you can’t expect individuals outside of the highest classes to have been trained in dances like the Waltz and Foxtrot or have an appreciation for that type of music. Plan accordingly.
Spend Money on Music
As our Director Emeritus Herbert Rose always says, if there is one place that you do not want to cut corners, it’s music. Quite frankly, you get what you pay for. Experienced professionals have a way of reading the crowd that most acts just don’t have, and for that they come at a premium.
Whatever you do, do not try to save money when it comes to booking a band or DJ. You may be thinking, “My iPod could do the job just as well”, but that is simply not true and falling into that trap will ruin your event. If you want your guests to be dancing all night, you’re going to have to pay for it.
Go for Few Dance Classics
Do you hate the Macarena? Do you think Cotten-Eyed-Joe, the Chicken Dance and the YMCA should be left in the embarrassing wedding videos of the past? Well, if you want to get your guests dancing, it’s time to learn to love these dance classics:
- Most guests already know the dance: The learning curve is non-existent, and if a few guests don’t already know the dances they are easy to pick up.
- These classic dances are good for groups: There’s no pairing off, everyone can dance together. No reason to fear being rejected by a potential dance partner.
- Everyone looks silly: One of the top reasons that people don’t dance at events is the fear of looking silly. Who looks silly doing the Macarena? Everyone. When everyone looks silly, no one does.
Seat Couples with Couples (and Singles with Singles)
We’ve all been there at one time or another. A single guy or gal surrounded by couples. Not only is it awkward, it can also feel a little bit lonely. Worse, when everyone pairs off to dance you’re left on your own and charged with the sometimes impossible task of approaching other awkward singles across the room. Don’t do that to your guests!
If assigned seating is an option for your event, do your best to sit couples with other couples and singles with other singles. That way, when the music hits, the singles will be better able to pair off without feeling like the third wheel. Actually getting a single attendee to ask someone else to dance is another matter altogether, but at least you’ve set them up for success.
Dance!
Even if you’ve done everything right, you still need someone to get the party started, and that someone might be you! Dance like no one’s watching. Don’t worry about being silly, or even on the beat. Then grab a friend and get them dancing too. One of the hardest things to do at an event is be the first person on the dance floor. Take one for the team and your guests will be happy to follow along.
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