I did a pirouette this past Christmas when JB’s mother presented us with dancing lessons. There is something enchanting and timeless about watching couples waltz together. Before opening our gift, I viewed ballroom dancing as an elegant treasure of the past.

I never imagined that my spear fishing, hunter hubby-to-be would choose to rumba with me in a classroom setting (and enjoy it)! From the bias perspective of the bride, I believe we stole the floor and may have a future on Dancing with the Stars- but first, allow us to master our slow dance.

So far we have attended two, thirty-minute sessions with the energetic team at Savannah Ballroom Dance Studio. Meet our peppy personal instructors: JaeLynn Fulks and Gabriel Alexander.

The dream team.

When we entered the studio, the team at Savannah Ballroom instantaneously calmed our nerves by playing “Stand by Me,” which was the song that solidified our proposal.

12/8/13: At that moment, I had no idea we would be dancing to this song at our wedding!

For our first lesson we focused on learning the box step, a routine which appears effortless after memorizing the mechanics. Since I come from a ballerina background, I entered the studio with camera-ready confidence. Although the posture of a ballerina does mirror that of a ballroom dancer, the steps, rhythm and mindset are considerably different. The first half of our lesson was spent missing the floor and instead, stepping on each other’s toes. I definitely regret wearing my snakeskin heels. Luckily our instructors are painfully patient and love to laugh just as much as they love to dance. It’s also probable that they’ve seen worse…

When all else fails…just laugh.

This past Friday we waltzed into our second class with increased confidence. During the week we had practiced our steps in the hallway of our apartment, on the sidewalks of Savannah’s whimsical streets and of course, in our heads.

For our second class I showed up in far more casual attire. Although I believed yoga pants would be most fitting for moving with freedom, my instructor handed me a floor length skirt that felt less like a breeze and more like a bag of sand. The purpose was to simulate the weight of my wedding dress. In reality, my gown has incredible volume and intricate details, which will make it challenging for JB to latch on and lead with ease. I was thankful to dance with the imagination of wearing my own dress.

“Remember, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but backwards and in high heels.” ~Faith Whittlesey

After two entertaining classes, the need to extend our package proved obvious. Hopefully, the additional classes will allow us to master our first dance. Here’s the good news: our instructors believe that we will waltz with wonder on the big day. As a bridal blogger, I highly recommend the Savannah Ballroom Dance Studio for couples at any and every dance level.

Brides- rumba while remembering: the lady always leads with her right foot, because she is always right (sorry, JB).

~Thank you Mama Peterman for encouraging me to dance with my star!~