WEDDING GOSSIP California Bride 2 12492 views

Leigh is five planning weeks away from her big Scottish day, all organised from across the pond in California. A keen fan of Strictly Come Dancing, dance lessons are strictly on the agenda.

«After months of watching Strictly Come Dancing, it only seemed natural that our first dance would be the perfect opportunity to live out my dream. We would be floating effortlessly around the dance floor followed by rapturous applause by our astounded guests. My beloved had a different vision. He was not keen on the idea of prancing about like a prize idiot followed by the uproarious laughter of his friends.

But all that was to change after attending a friend’s wedding a few months ago. As we watched the embarrassed couple cling to each other awkwardly for what seemed like an eternity, my hubby-to-be leaned over and said that actually we should take dancing lessons. He would later claim that his enthusiasm was due to overindulgence at the free bar. But the words had been said and there was no going back - I booked five private lessons.

Thanks to ‘Strictly’ (or ‘Dancing with the Stars’ as it’s known Stateside) dance classes are booming. However, our own previous experience of a Tango class run by a woman in a rather disturbing leotard, had left us apprehensive. How relieved we were to find our leotard-less dance instructor was fantastic. After listening to our chosen song and declaring it to be a waltz, she had us stepping our way around the dance floor with ease (well, almost!) in no time. What surprised us most was how much we enjoyed the classes, they were fun, great exercise and actually very romantic. I was genuinely sad at the end of our last class this week.»

Leigh's Tip
While taking private classes isn’t exactly cheap, it’s worth the expense and is guaranteed to score straight tens with your guests! If you’re interested in taking ballroom dancing classes, why not check out the BBC ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ page for a list of schools in your area at bbc.co.uk.

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Photo © iStockphoto, Kempinski Bentley