CHECKLIST

"BEFORE THE FIRST

DANCE"
&
DANCE STREAK
COUNTER

ESSENTIAL GUIDE FOR ANYONE

PREPARING FOR THEIR FIRST DANCE
 GETTING STARTED IS OFTEN THE HARDEST PART,
BUT ONCE YOU TAKE THE FIRST STEP,
IT GETS EASIER...

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YOU'VE ALREADY TAKEN THAT FIRST STEP!

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ISBN 978-83-953906-9-2

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the improper use of the information contained in the publication.

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 THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING OUR COURSE.
BELOW, YOU WILL FIND:

Guidelines for learning and tips to remember during exercises.

A checklist of things to prepare and remember before your first dance.
A checklist for "right before entering the dance floor.”

TIPS WHILE LEARNING TO DANCE:

( WORTH READING BEFORE EVERY TRAINING)

1. Be patient with yourself and your partner.

2. Avoid repeating and reinforcing mistakes.
3. Start by mastering the movements slowly then gradually increase the pace.
4. Remember to breathe during the dance.
5. Choose one side of your room as the front of the choreography.
6. Practice in small fragments and gradually combine them into a whole.
7. Don't look down at your feet (try to feel your partner's position rather than
ilooking at the feet).
8. Keep your posture straight.
9. Don't get discouraged; you'll become more confident over time.
10. Remember that you can always pause and rewind a particular part of the
ivideo.
11. When taking breaks during your practice, write down the minute of
iinstruction where you left off.

12. If you prefer not to perform the lift, use the "instead of lifts" add-on.
13. If you want to try different lifts, use the "lift alternatives" add-on.
14. If you've chosen the waltz and want to polish your waltz technique even
iiiiiifurther, look for "waltz technique - additional exercises" on our website.

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 CHECKLIST
BEFORE THE FIRST DANCE:
(ELABORATION OF THESE POINTS IS ON THE NEXT PAGE)

1. Learn your chosen choreography well in advance, preferably not at the last
iminute.
2. Practice the choreography until you can perform it correctly, three times in a
irow.
3. Test the choreography while wearing your wedding attire or attire as close to
iit as possible.
4. Rehearse the routine in your wedding shoes.
5. Conduct a general rehearsal at the actual venue. Perform the dance three
itimes in a row without errors during this rehearsal.
6. Provide the music to the orchestra or DJ.
7. Determine the exact moment to play and mute the music.
8. Determine the moment to launch additional effects (smoke, confetti, fountains
iof sparks).
9. Have a "Plan B" in case of any mistakes.
10. Keep smiling and don't forget to have fun.
11. Remember to breathe during the dance.
12. Avoid looking down at your feet. Maintain eye contact with your partner, not
ithe audience.
13. Concentrate on each other rather than the spectators.
14. Acknowledge that some level of nervousness is normal, as it can motivate your
iperformance.
15. During your performance, avoid attempting to dance better, stronger, or more
iintensely than during practice. "Better is the enemy of good" and can lead to
imistakes.
16. Practice as you will perform. Perform as you have practiced.

RIGHT BEFORE ENTERING THE DANCE FLOOR:

(PRINT THIS PART AND READ IT RIGHT BEFORE THE FIRST DANCE)

1. Smile.
2. Breathe.
3. Don't look down at your feet.
4. Look at your partner.
5. Enjoy the moment.
6. Remember that stress is OK; it mobilizes your body to perform.
7. Don't try to dance better than in rehearsals.

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 BEFORE THE FIRST DANCE:

1. Learn your chosen choreography well in advance, preferably not at the

last minute.

Our brain encodes practiced movements not during the actual practice but
during the first phase of deep rest after practice (during sleep or deep
relaxation). This means that learning is much more effective when spaced out
over time, with multiple opportunities for rest after training. That's why we always
emphasize not leaving your learning to the last minute. However, if you have
limited time, don't get discouraged. After each training session, make sure to
incorporate a phase of relaxation, such as 15-20 minutes of lying down with
closed eyes and deep breathing. We understand this may sound exotic, but it
truly works.

2. Practice the choreography until you can perform it flawlessly three times
in a row.

When you can perform the routine at the tempo of the music three times in a row
without making mistakes, it means you have mastered the routine well. The key
here is "in a row." If you make a mistake in any of the attempts, you should start
counting from the beginning again.

3. Test the choreography while wearing your wedding attire or attire as close
to it as possible.

Of course, the idea here is to check how your attire affects the range of your
movements and steps. For gentlemen, it's important to see how high they can
raise their arms in the jacket and get used to that range. It's also a good idea to
check whether the pants are too tight, especially when performing a squat
before lifting your partner.

For ladies, the model, shape, and volume of your dress will influence the speed,
length of your steps, and the space for your partner's steps. It's a good idea to
see in advance how all these factors affect your choreography so that nothing
surprises you. Most brides don't want their grooms to see their wedding dress
before the big day. In such a situation, try to find a dress, skirt, or clothing that
closely resembles the shape and size of your wedding dress. If your dress has a
hoop skirt, inquire about the possibility of borrowing a hoop from a bridal salon.
In a "Do It Yourself" version, you can tie a hula hoop to your waist with some
strings to simulate a hoop.
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 BEFORE THE FIRST DANCE:

4. Test the routine in your wedding shoes.

Just as in the previous point, the idea is not to be taken by surprise. Dancing in
wedding shoes can make a significant difference for both the bride and the
groom. For brides, it will affect your balance and the length of your steps. For
grooms, you will need to get used to the height of your partner, while she is
wearing the heels. It will influence how high you need to lift your hands while
leading the rotations.

To avoid damaging your wedding shoes, you can use painter's tape (the kind
used for masking off areas when painting). This tape has a weak adhesive that
shouldn't damage your shoes while protecting them from scratches during
rehearsals. Of course, you should test a small piece of tape first to make sure its
adhesive doesn't affect your shoes.

You can also practice in shoes that are similar to your wedding shoes, especially
regarding the height of the heel. However, during the dress rehearsal, it's a
good idea to test the actual shoes to see how well they grip the dance floor
you'll be using on your wedding day. If it's very slippery, you can apply special
non-slip sole stickers.

5. Conduct a general rehearsal at the actual wedding venue. Dance 3 times

in a row without making a mistake during this rehearsal.

A general rehearsal at the wedding venue allows you to become familiar with
the size and slipperiness of the dance floor, as well as the correct dance
directions for that specific room. Conducting such a rehearsal will help reduce
stress and make you feel more at ease. During the rehearsal, establish the exact
positions from which you'll begin the dance and determine which side of the
venue will serve as the front of the choreography.

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 BEFORE THE FIRST DANCE:

6. Provide the music to the orchestra or DJ.

Send the correct version of the song to the person responsible for playing your
music during the First Dance.

7. Determine the exact moment for starting and fading the music.

It's crucial to establish the exact moment for starting the music. The person
responsible for this needs to know precisely when to press "PLAY." This decision
should be made considering whether it should start when you're at the edge of
the dance floor, in the center of the dance floor, or at another predetermined
position.
Additionally, determine whether the music should be faded out after your First
Dance, and if so, at what moment. Alternatively, you may decide to keep the
music playing after your dance and invite the guests to join you on the dance
floor and start the party.

8. Determine the moment to launch additional effects (smoke, confetti,

fountains of sparks).

If you want to use additional effects, specify exactly how they work and when to
activate them. Timing the confetti explosion or sparkler fountains with a specific
moment in your choreography, such as a dip or lift, can add a special touch to
your dance.

9. Establish a "Plan B," meaning what to do in case of a mistake.

Above all, during your practice and rehearsals, get used to the idea that if a
small mistake occurs, you don't have to stop the dance. Try to develop a habit of
continuing the routine. If the mistake is minor, and you keep smiling and don't
pause, there's a good chance that no one will even notice.
If the mistake is more significant, you can take a short pause, look into each
other's eyes, and continue the routine from the nearest part you remember. And
if you decide that you want to start the entire dance from the beginning,
remember that you have that option as well. It's your day and your First Dance!
During rehearsals, you'll likely discover which approach works best for you. The
key is to choose your strategy and stick with it.

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 BEFORE THE FIRST DANCE:

10. Keep smiling and don't forget to have fun!

Avoid counting steps under your breath; instead, look deeply into each other's
eyes and share a smile. Beautiful photos guaranteed!

11. Remember to breathe during the dance.

During moments of concentration and stress, we tend to hold our breath. Even
during practice and rehearsals, try to remind yourselves to breathe as often as
possible. Breathing reduces stress and promotes relaxation, improving the
fluidity of your movements.

12. Don't look down at your feet. Look at your partner.

From the very beginning, maintain good posture and make it a habit not to look
down at your feet. It's better to focus on feeling your partner's position through
your contact or frame. Over time, you'll realize that there's a smaller chance of
stepping on your partner if you concentrate on the correct position of your body
and your connection with the other person rather than looking at your feet.

13. Focus on yourselves and your partner, not the audience.

We usually recommend that you don't make eye contact with the audience
excessively, because it's easy to get distracted that way. You will get the most
beautiful effect when you focus as much as possible on each other and on
experiencing the moment.

14. Remember that stress is OK, it's mobilizing your body for action.

Don't be afraid of stress. If you feel an increased heart rate and faster
breathing, consider it as your body's way of mobilizing you for action, providing
you with additional energy. Instead of using the word "stress," you can also refer
to this state as excitement. The key is to breathe and manage that extra energy,
as we'll discuss in the following points.

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 BEFORE THE FIRST DANCE:

15. During your performance, don't try to dance better, stronger, or more
intensely than during rehearsals. "Better is the enemy of good" and can lead
to mistakes.

This is a very important point. Remember that on the day of the performance,
you'll already be filled with excitement and adrenaline, which can lead to a
tendency to speed up and put more force and energy into your movements.
Therefore, it's essential not to try to dance better, stronger, or more intensely
than during rehearsals. On the contrary, apply the the strength of calmness and
dance as closely as possible to what you've practiced. Attempting to "dance
more" can only surprise your partner and lead to mistakes.

16. Practice as you will perform. Perform as you have practiced.

This point complements the previous one, and the goal is to practice with such
precision and commitment as if it was already the performance and to perform
with the same calmness and composure as if it was a rehearsal. The goal is to
keep the speed, strength, and quality of our movements as identical as possible
during the rehearsals and the actual performance. Remember that this also
applies to how you enter and exit the dance floor. Don't skip these elements
during your practice. Even the smallest details and seemingly obvious things
should be physically rehearsed in advance. Any unpracticed element can catch
you off guard.

THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING OUR COURSE.

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR DANCE JOURNEY!

We hope that our tips will help you prepare for your Special First Dance!
We're keeping our fingers crossed and we wish you the best of luck!
Paulina & Paweł

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 DANCE STREAK COUNTER
Form a habit by practicing every day! After each practice, mark the next square
and see how long of a streak you can dance your way through.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Keep dancing,
you're shining!

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Great ! Don’t stop ! Bravo! Dance like
nobody's watching!

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
You're rocking those Amazing progress,
moves! keep it up!

31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
Dance on, superstars!

41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
Outstanding! You're a dance
sensations!

HAVE YOU RUN OUT OF SPACE TO MARK YOUR PROGRESS?

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