Welcome to my weekly ‘First Dance Song Review’, where every Tuesday I breakdown a first dance song for one bride, in my wedding planning facebook group.
This week’s song review is for Lauren, who will be dancing with her husband to Leather And Lace, by Stevie Nicks and Don Henley.
In this review, I will be giving my recommendation for how to set up dance moves in a way that makes sense for the music. It will give our couple a clear vision for their first dance, so they feel prepared for the spotlight.
And, because I believe every special first dance begins with a clear vision, I have something special for you at the end of this post that I think you’re going to love.
Alright, let’s dive in to Leather And Lace, for Lauren.
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This Week’s Song Review
Lyrics That I Love
First of all Lauren, let me just note some of the lyrics that I instantly fell in love with when listening to your song. Here they are…
“I carry this feeling when you walked into my house, that you won’t be walking out the door.”
“Give to me your leather. Take from me my lace.”
“You in the moonlight with your sleepy eyes. Could you ever love a man like me?
“And, you were right, when I walked into your house, I knew I’d never want to leave.”
Alright, let’s move on to the beginning of your dance.
When To Begin Your First Dance
So, in the beginning of your song Lauren, there is a nice introduction of music before the lyrics begin.
This is a perfect amount of time for you and your husband to start walking onto the floor for the entrance of your first dance.
Then, once you have arrived to the center of the dance floor, and the lyrics begin, I would recommend starting to dance.
This will happen around the twelve second mark (0:12), when Stevie Nicks sings “Is love so fragile”
And, that is it for the beginning of your dance, nice and simple. Next up is your highlight moves.
Special Moments To Highlight
As your dancing, there are a few special moments during your song that you may want to highlight.
These are the moments of your song that really stick out for me...
The first moment to highlight is between the time frame of one minute fifteen seconds, and one minute forty three seconds (1:15 - 1:43). This time frame begins with the lyrics “Lovers forever face to face”, and it ends with “take from me my lace.”
The second moment to highlight is the exact same chorus as the first,. It repeats the same lyrics over again, which happens between the time frame of two minutes forty seven seconds, and three minutes forty seconds (2:47 - 3:40).
Notice how the energy shifts during these two parts of the song.
During these moments, I would recommend changing things up a bit. For instance, if you’ve been dancing in one spot, you might want to start moving around the dance floor. Or, maybe you would like to throw in a few twirls, as well.
By changing up your dance, you will help accent the more energetic moments of your song, and add interest to the dance floor.
Now, for the end of your dance.
When To End Your First Dance
As your song is coming to an end, it’s time to wrap things up on the dance floor.
Notice the nice natural ending of your song, where the music fades out, around the three minute forty one second mark (3:41). This is great, because it gives you a clear signal that the end of your song is near.
The part when the lyrics start to repeat softly, “take from me my lace” is a beautiful moment to do a dip finale, to end your dance.
Conclusion
Alright, let’s do a quick recap...
When To Enter The Dance Floor
You will be entering the dance floor right in the beginning, when the instrumental music begins.
[0:00 - 0:11] Instrumental Music
When To Start Your Dance
You will be starting your dance when the lyrics begin, at the twelve second mark.
[0:12] “Is love so fragile. And the heart so hollow. Shatter with words. Impossible to follow”
Highlight Moments
You will be breaking out your best moves when the chorus kicks in at the one minute fifteen second mark, and the two minute forty seven second mark.
[1:15 - 1:43] “Lovers forever face to face. My city, your mountains. Stay with me stay. I need you to love me, I need you today. Give to me your leather. Take from me my lace.”
[2:47 - 3:40] “Lovers forever face to face. My city, your mountains. Stay with me stay. I need you to love me. I need you today. Give to me your leather. Take from me my lace.” Chorus repeats a second time…
When To End Your Dance
And finally, you’ll be wrapping up your dance with a dip finale, when the lyrics begin to fade, at three minutes forty one seconds.
[3:41] “Take from me my lace. Take from me my lace”
And there it is, how to dance to your first dance song, using our example song ‘Leather And Lace’ by Stevie Nick and Don Henley.
Thank you for following along, and be sure to check back for weekly wedding dance tips to help you experience magic on the reception dance floor.
