Erin and Tom's First Dance 'Proclaimers - Walk 500 Miles' Surrey wedding dance lessons

Erin and Tom were so so nervous about dancing in front of their friends and family that they decided a very short and sweet dance intro into Walk 500 Miles wouldn't be too daunting and it would get people up on the dance floorm which they tell me IT REALLY DID!
They didn't want it to be complicated, they wanted it it short simple and a few turns to give Erin beautiful dress the limelight it deserved. Erin and Tom just had one 2hr lesson.

Well done and congrats to both. xxx

I'M BACK! After having a baby I'm back teaching first dances in London and Surrey

Hi all,

I had a little girl back in 2015 so I had a break from teaching but I'm now back and taking on new couples for 2016 - 2017 onwards. So If you'd like to get in touch for lessons please don't hesitate! Lessons can be arranged in your home or in astudio in Stockwell London or if in Surrey then Carshalton.
Hxx

NO BOOKINGS AFTER APRIL 2015

So I have good news and bad news. The good news is that I'm pregnant and I'll be expecting my second baby in June this year. The bad news is that I wont be able to take on any more couples after April 2015. If your looking for lessons before this date then do contact me and I'll do my very best to get you booked in. Thanks! Hx

CRISA & GARETH'S FIRST DANCE 'FLORENCE & MACHINE NEVER LET ME GO'. LONDON WEDDING.

Crisa and Gareth chose 'Florence and the Machine, Never Let Me Go' as their first dance song, a song which I had never heard before but loved. Here are the pics and as you can see they did so well! Check out the dip at the end! Wow!! Much lower than practised and it paid off - this takes guts and thighs of steal. Congrats to both Crisa and Gareth, both a delight to teach.

BELINDA & ED'S FIRST DANCE - ACDC - SHOOK ME ALL NIGHT LONG

Here are Belinda and Ed having an awesome time dancing to ACDC on their big day. They wanted something really fun yet relaxed. No one was expecting a big routine and it kicked off the dancing. Both Belinda and Ed were new to dance never having lessons before. They had X2 2hrs lessons and a 1hr lesson nearer their big day. Well done and hUGE congratulations.

Click to watch:

https://vimeo.com/190311210

FULLY BOOKED TILL LATE AUG 2014

Hi all,
Thank you for visiting my wedding dance blog. I am now fully booked till Aug 2014. If your wedding is later than this and you would like lessons, get in touch and I'll try and get you booked in.

MY OWN FIRST DANCE VIDEO. The Amadeus London.

OK, so finally I've got around to posting my own first dance video. I had the pressure of delivering a big first dance seeing as this is what I do...so considering the amount of champagne consumed, the DJ turning the volume up late, a few steps wrong here and there... I think we did a pretty good job. Our guests LOVED it, it started the night off and I was so proud of my husband James who had never danced before in his life. I had the best night of my life that evening. If you get married, do a dance! Big, small, OTT, natural, whatever you want it starts the party! Note: This was a long routine and I wouldn't suggest to anyone this length unless you are slightly mad like us.

DANCE VIDEO. Laura & Elliott. Brixton London. 'You make my dreams come true - Hall and Oats'

Click to watch:
https://vimeo.com/190298447
Laura and Elliot wanted a fun routine to make their friends and family laugh, smile and to start the party. Such a gorgeous couple and a joy to teach. They had home tuition in Brixton were they learnt their dance. Here is just a snippet of their routine. They were real pros and just carried on when the Pageboy wanted in on the action. Watch the vid.

FIRST DANCE SONGS. What to dance to? Wedding dance song inspirations...

Don't know what song to pick for your first dance? Here are some suggestions

Lots of my couples come to me wanting a dance routine but ask if I have any first dance song suggestions, so below for a list of all the songs my couples have asked to give you some inspiration:

You Make My Dreams Come True by Hall and Oats
Feeling Good by Muse
Better When We're Together by Jack Johnson
I'm Yours by Jason Moraz
Home by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Heroes
At Last by Etta James
Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol
Diamonds by Ben Howard
Simply the Best by Tina Turner
Marry You by Bruno Mars
You've Got The Love by Florence and The Machine
Ho Hey by The Lumineers


Book your first dance lessons now. Beal.hannah@gmail.com
Www.firstdances.blogspot.co.uk
Hannahemilybeal.co.uk

First dance lessons London and Surrey. Book your 2014 wedding dance lessons now!

Hi all,

Wedding dance lessons are getting booked up for this year already so if you want lessons contact me ASAP.
I have my studio booked in Stockwell / Clapham for every other weekend till Aug. Remember home tuition also available. I teach most places, Clapham, Balham, Victoria, Brixton, Clapham South, Tooting, Clapham North, Clapham Junction, Battersea, Pimlico, Vauxhall, Carshalton, Sutton, Epsom, Cheam, Banstead, Surrey, Westminster and many more places. See all my past couples photos and videos www.firstdances.blogspot.co.uk thanks! Hannah Emily Beal

Susannah and Woody's First Dance to Florence and the Machine 'You Got The Love'.

Below are photos of Susannah and Woody dancing their first dance. They had their lessons in their home in Clapham Junction. They were a lovely couple to teach. They told me that because they were new to dance they just wanted to dance the first 1.30mins then get their family and friends onto the dance floor. By doing this they concentrated on a small part, therefore getting it right!!. This is something I often recommend to beginners. It was a good routine (if I say so myself!!) and they totally pulled it off with their guests loving it. Well done!

VIDEO of Dimitrios & Katerina's first dance. London lessons. Watch Now!

Here is the video of Dimitrio's and Katerina's big day. At around 50 seconds it features their dance. They were good fun to teach, Dimitrios especially was determined to get the dance moves, he practiced and it totally paid off. They had their lessons in their home in London Victoria.
http://vimeo.com/75205208

MY OWN FIRST DANCE PICTURES! BEYOND BEYOND WEDDING PICS TOO...

So here they are, our first dance photos as promised. As I am a first dance teacher I had the pressure of delivering a big dance...and thats what we did! A slow number, Serge Gainsbourg 'Je'Taime' cut into (with a whip away of my skirt to reveal silver leggings!!!) the freaky fast and fun 'Super Freak' by Rick James. The crowd frickin loved it and the dance floor overflowed afterwards. Everyone talked about the dance and still talk about it. It was the cherry on the cake to an amazing day. I will upload a video once I have cut it down! The photographs of our big day were also published on the wedding site Beyond Beyond - check them out! http://beyondbeyond.co.uk/blog/hannah-james/

FULLY BOOKED TILL AUG 5TH 2013. FIRST DANCES.

Hi all, I am not taking any more bookings until Aug 5th. Its a busy time of year! Plus I'm getting married myself on July 13th 2013, very excited,  so watch this space for photos of my own first dance...no pressure! Please send through any enquiries if your getting married later this year or next and I'll get back to you. Hx

FULLY BOOKED FOR APRIL & MAY 3013

Hello! It has been a very busy wedding season and I am not taking on as many couples as I was previously, why? See below!
Because of this my weekend and weeknight teaching sessions are now fully booked for April and May.  I only have about 2 slots free in May remaining. So, if you are getting married soon and you need lessons then contact me ASAP as spaces are running out.
Enjoy reading the rest of my blog.

I'M BACK TEACHING DANCE!

So, here is my bundle of joy. George finally arrived 10 days late at 10 pounds! I am totally in love with my baby boy. I am now recovered, back teaching and already fully booked for February + nearly all of March.
Get in contact ASAP if your wedding is earlier on in the year, as I am getting booked up quickly. Hope to hear from you soon!
beal.hannah@gmail.com

Clare and James. Wedding Dance. Fulham London.

 Clare & James were a real pleasure to teach. They came to me with a very unusual song which gave me a challenge ('You're the Top' from Anything Goes) and they were very new to dance. 

The improvement from their first lesson to their last was so noticeable and really impressive. Their song naturally led me to create a routine that was pretty out there! More theatrical than anything with movements matching the lyrics (which I loved choreographing) but during the lessons we decided to relax the theatrical side slightly and focus on some more footwork and nice turns, which worked really well. Clare sent me all the pictures from their big day which were captured by talented photographer Benjamin Walker and it looks like they had the most amazing time ever.

I wish Clare and James the happiest life together.

x

LOUISE & RHYS FIRST DANCE BATTERSEA LONDON

 Louise and Rhys were such a lovely couple to teach. We did most of their dance lessons (around 3hrs in total) in their garden in Wandsworth, London. I love these photos as they capture the fun they had on their amazing day.

 Louise and Rhys were ambitious as they asked for not one but two routines - one being a 20s charleston number! I had my work cut out!! I warned them that it would not be easy as the charleston  typically involves very fast movements and they only had a couple of lessons... but they wanted to give it a go anyway and I am so glad they did because as I hear it started the party!

I really loved teaching these two and really hope they have a long and happy marriage.

READ ABOUT ME IN THE SUNDAY EXPRESS NEWSPAPER

Last week, at the height of wedding season I was so fortunate to get a call from journalist Clare Heal of The Sunday Express newspaper who was running an article about first dances and their growing popularity in the UK. I gave Clare an insight into teaching couples and the range of routines I have created. Its all about the first dance, people expect a routine now so don't let them down...start the partying with a bang!
READ THE ARTICLE HERE: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/322713/Darling-with-this-swing-I-thee-wed
Thank you Clare.

LEE & AIMEE - ROCKERS WEDDING DANCE

So here it is - Lee and Aimee's first dance, dancing to their favourite rock song 'Eagles of Death Metal - I only want you' so I had a fun job on my hands! We all had a real laugh during rehearsals and Lee and Aimee only had three lessons to learn their whole routine. The wedding was held in a London pub and I hear they had quite a few drinks before hand for dutch courage. The crowd were wowed by the surprise of a routine and it apparently really got the party started. Congrats to he two of you! hx

LEE & AIMEE. ROCK 'N' ROLL WEDDING.

Here are Lee and Aimee rehearsing their wedding dance. This was just their second lesson at the time, they were both new to dance but took the bulls by its horns! They wanted a fun dance that would start the party so this is what I hope I created for them. The lessons were fun having had lots of giggles throughout (as you'll hear in the video). A video of their actual dance is above.

KELLY & RICHARD STRANGE - FIRST DANCE ROUTINE LONDON

I'm a bit late posting this one as it was back in August/ September, and I slap my wrists as Richard and Kelly were a lovely and v cool couple to teach. It was a delight to teach Richard Strange who had natural flair and an understanding of rhythm from working in the music industry and Kelly who was a natural dancer. Most importantly they had a real ease dancing with each other which was lovely to watch. Richard and Kelly wanted to learn their dance in one day so we did a 3hr lesson and then a 1hr lesson a couple of weeks later once they'd got to grips with the routine. As you can see they look amazing and did the routine proud! WELL DONE. Hx

SHEREEN & HARRY FIRST DANCE - 'THE CURE LOVECATS!'

Shereen and Harry (well mainly Harry - twisting Shereen's arm) came to me asking for a dance to The Cure - Lovecats. Its a song I love so I was keen to start on the choreography. They learnt the dance in one day (a 3 hour lesson) and by the end of it they had a full routine to go away and practice. They opted also for a 1hr brush up lesson a couple of weeks later once they had time to practice together. On their first lesson they were timid to begin with... but 10mins later they were leaping (esp Harry) around the room, adding in a bit of experimental improvisation here and there for fun! Lovely couple to teach and thank you for such a lovely photo from your big day. Hx

LUCY & ATIF FIRST DANCE. IN & OUT CLUB LONDON

One of the loveliest couples I've had the pleasure to teach. Lucy and Atif wanted something a bit more modern and a dance they would have fun with. Both had natural rhythm so they learnt the steps quickly and put their own style into the dance. They told me they're wedding day was amazing - and by the look of the photos, I believe them. They might send a video so watch this space!

ZAYNAB & OLI'S FIRST DANCE VIDEO - AMAZING SONG....

Here are Zaynab & Oli performing their first dance to Belinder Carlisle! Such a brilliant song choice - I had lots of fun with the choreography! They just wanted to start the party and get everyone on the dance floor...they did really well! Such a great couple - I wish them all the best for the future. (The vid was too big to upload - such a shame as I've had to cut it down loads!) x
Click to Watch:
https://vimeo.com/190298570

ROB & MIRA'S FIRST DANCE CLAPHAM - ADELE - CLAPHAM LONDON

Click to watch:
https://vimeo.com/190298522
Here are Rob and Mira performing their first dance routine to Adele. They traveled all the way from Birmingham to learn their routine which was taught in the Clapham studio I use. They chose to learn the whole routine it in one day (approx 4 - 5 hours... inc a break for lunch of course!!)
They did really well and it was a joy to work with such a considerate and passionate couple, I wish them all the best! x

FIRST DANCE SONGS - WHAT TO DANCE TO?

Unfortunately, not all of us have had that memorable romantic moment with our other half when a song was playing away in the background- therefore when it comes to choosing a song for your first dance - we're all a bit lost!!
BUT DON'T PANIC! I've been teaching first dances for years, from big routines to simple step work; here are my '10 top first dance songs' to help you out a bit!:

1) Nina Simone - My Baby Just Cares for Me (For the vintage style wedding)
2) Andy Williams - Can't take my eyes off of you (slow but breaks into a faster tempo)
3) Guns and Roses - Sweet Child of Mine (One in which you'd really have to go for it!)
4) Feist - 1,2,3,4 (Quirky, different and romantic)
5) Frank Sinatra - The way you look tonight (Classic)
6) Bloc Party - This Modern Love (Different, rock n roll and upbeat)
7) Queen - Crazy Little Thing Called Love (V cool)
8) Aerosmith - Dont Wanna Lose A Thing (Romantic rock)
9) Michael Buble - Everything (Romantic dance)
10) Dean Martin - Sway (Retro rumba, v sexy dance)

Hope you find the one your looking for!

Debenhams Wedding Fair - London THIS WEEKEND!

Hello all!
I have been asked by the wedding organisers at

'Debenhams Oxford Street London' to run a stall at their

wedding fair this weekend! (29th + 30th Jan 2011)
Its a great opportunity for those of you thinking about learning a first dance or having dance lessons to come down, meet me and discuss how I can help you.
Chanel are doing makeup tutorials, a beautiful florist will be there demonstrating their wedding bouquets, a wedding string orchestra and a fashion show at 1.00 and 2.00pm.
Come down and say hello!

Hannah x
http://www.debenhamsweddings.com/

GUNS N ROSES FIRST DANCE ROUTINE - Nov 2010

Helen and Tim wanted something totally different for their first dance, a really cheesy, fun, way out there dance to get the party started...so they chose Guns n' Roses - Sweet Child of Mine!! It was a really fun piece for me to choreograph for them. For Tim it was 'the cheesier the better'. They both wanted everyone to have the best time on their big day and the photos show that they achieved just that! Congratulations Helen and Tim.

RICH & KATHERINE'S FIRST DANCE. EAILING LONDON

These two were a complete joy to teach. Rich asked his local pub if we could use their function room and their local church hall to practice the dance (which was great!). Rich and Katherine were really committed and practiced loads, which is why their routine turned out to be so slick and impressive. They chose the song "Sway" which as a song needs passion - something they have tons of! As you can see they had loads of fun, which is what its all about. Congratulations and a MASSIVE Well Done!! Thanks for a lovely comment:

"We have just got back from our honeymoon, and we wanted to let you know that our first dance was so much fun! So we owe you a massive thank you for teaching us the moves to "sway" - it was exactly what we had hoped for and helped make the whole day such an amazing experience.

To be honest before we had lessons we (well, I) were unsure whether to learn a routine for the first dance, but now we could not imagine doing a slow shuffle in front of everyone! Loads of people could not believe we had only had 4 lessons... but we told them we had a great teacher!"

BHAV & MITUL'S WEDDING DANCE. NR OXFORD STREET

Bhav and Mitul were a great couple to teach. They picked 'Baby I'm Amazed By You' by Bryan Adams which suited them really well as they were both totally loved up!(hehe they'll hate me for writing that!) I had fun teaching them their dance, they were really determined and in all - a really lovely couple! I wish them all the best for the future.

Here are some photos of their dance that they sent to me shortly after their wedding. They both look amazing:

ANNA & MIKE. FIRST DANCE PHOTOS. TOOTING LONDON

Anna and Mike didn't have long before their wedding so we just had a couple of lessons. Anna and Mike were really committed and a lovely couple to teach. They were complete beginners and did really well practicing before each lesson. I hear they are really enjoying married life and had an amazing wedding day. Thank you for such lovely feedback! x

“Hannah was just fantastic! From beginning to end she made us feel really comfortable even though we had no idea when it came to co-ordinating any dance moves. We emailed Hannah our song and she turned up at the first appointment ready with the dance routine – it made us both feel so much more comfortable during our first dance, and was much nicer than just shuffling side to side on the dance floor! Thank you for putting together such a fun dance routine for us” Anna and Mike.

JULIE & DAVID'S COOL FIRST DANCE. BLOCKPARTY. ROCK WEDDING SONG - LONDON LESSON

JULIE & DAVID'S FIRST DANCE
Click to watch!
https://vimeo.com/190299526

Julie and David were a very cool couple to teach. I taught them their first dance in their home in Earls Court. They were beginners, new to dance and wanted a routine that had an edge and difference. They wanted something with a upbeat feel - their choice of song was a Block Party track. We had four lessons together then they made their way to New York for their wedding. Their friends and family (who were totally unaware that they would be doing a dance) hit the dance floor straight after. I loved working with these two, we had lots of fun .They may even have some more lessons with me just for fun, so watch this space!
Congratulations to you both! xx


"We cannot be more pleased with how our dance came out. People are still talking about it. We couldn't stop smiling the whole time! Hanna has a way of just knowing what you want and creating it; her intuition. And that intuition, along with Hannah's amazing dance and choreography skills, plus her friendly and patient manner made for some fun dance lessons.
We got married in NY as we are American, and over there, couples do their first dance right after the ceremony....they get introduced to the reception and they immediately start their dance. Well, we feel that our dance wasn't only fun for us to do, but really set the tone for the whole evening. When our guests saw how much fun we were having, they just let themselves go and had fun! Thank you Hannah for helping us make such a wonderful memory, one that we will never forget!"
Julie and David
Earls Court London

GINA & MORGAN'S FIRST DANCE PHOTOS - NORTH LONDON

First dance tuition - Gina & Morgan.
Finsbury Park, London.

Gina and Morgan classed themselves as having 'two left feet' at the beginning of our lessons, but they had more rhythm than they realised! After moving the sofa and table to create lots of space, we were ready to go. Gina and Morgan chose 'Let There be Love' by Nat King Cole for their first dance. We completed the dance in only a couple of lessons and they danced brilliantly together!!

KIM & PAUL'S FIRST DANCE PHOTOS. CLAPHAM LONDON

Kim and Paul's First Dance - Clapham, London

Kim and Paul were a very relaxed, cool couple to teach. They were put in touch with me from a past couple I taught - Matt and Katherine. They wanted a first dance to a contemporary, up-lifting song. I loved their choice of music and they picked up the routine quickly. In the end we had three lessons together and the dance looked great! I was so pleased with the result and really hope they are enjoying married life!

"The dance went well, the crowd were wowed! Thanks for your help, will recommend you to others!"

Paul Lemon.

MARIANNE & MARTINS FIRST DANCE - ISLEWORTH

Marianne and Martin married in April 09

Marianne and Martin didn't have long to learn a dance before their big day but we managed to squeeze in two lessons. They worked hard practicing at home leading up to the day and managed to surprise and wow their friends and family with a nice, romantic, crowd pleasing routine. A lovely couple who I thoroughly enjoyed teaching. I hope you are both loving married life!!

Testimonial:
"Hannah had been recommended to us by friends. We went to her for a few lessons before our wedding as we were dreading the first dance! It was so worth doing the lessons beforehand. We felt much more confident and actually ended up enjoying rather than dreading our first dance! We had a lot of fun doing the lessons and we really surprised our friends and family on the day with the piece that Hannah had personally choreographed for our chosen song "It had to be you". I would have no hesitation recommending Hannah as a fantastic dance teacher."

MICHELLE AND MATT'S FIRST DANCE - BALHAM

Michelle and Matt Married August 2008

Michelle and Matt were a delight to teach. They chose a simple yet effective routine for their first dance. As we were limited for space in their house we ended up rehearsing the routine in their garden which was lovely with the sun beaming down on us. Michelle and Matt's routine was romantically slow and totally suited them. I hope you are both well, it was a pleasure to teach you both! x

Testimonial:

"One of the favourite parts of the entire wedding for all our guests (and especially our mums!) was our first dance. They were totally shocked and the whoops and crys we could hear as we danced I will never forget. We loved it and even got the lift perfect!Thank you so much Hannah for your amazing dancing lessons. We never thought we could achieve what we did and we are so proud of ourselves but more than that is we really enjoyed doing it and our lessons with you.Thanks for all your patience and your skill I just hope I can find an excuse to get Matt to agree to another routine!" Michelle and Matt.

MATT & KATHERINES FIRST DANCE PICTURES - TOOTING

Matt and Katherine Married on 4th May 2008

Matt and Katherine chose "A Crazy Little Thing Called Love" by Queen for their first dance, so their routine was fast with plenty of spins and a cute lift here and there. Matt and Katherine had lots of fun learning their first dance which definitely showed by their constant beaming grins!

Matt and Katherine said they were very nervous before they took to the floor but when they heard every ones cheers and "woops!" they really got into it and made the dance floor their own (with Matt finishing the routine with an unannounced knee slide to K's feet! Very brave - Rock on Matt!) Congrats Matt and Katherine!!

Lucy and Daves First Dance - Tooting Bec

Lucy and Dave Married in June 2008

Music is a big part of Dave and Lucy's life, so for their first dance they re-mixed their own song. Starting romantically slow, then braking out into a break beat number really surprising the crowd! I taught Lucy and Dave in their home in Tooting - London. Because of their sudden change in musical style I was able to choreograph from a slow, simple, romantic routine into a faster, lively fun routine. Hope you are both doing well! X

Testimonial:

"Thank you for your help with our dance. You will be pleased to know that we pulled off the dance, almost without a wrong step. We felt great afterwards having been almost more nervous about that than the ceremony!
Thanks again for your patience, you were fantastic, we shall certainly pass your details on if anyone else feels like rising to the challenge!" Lucy and Dave

Penny & Richard's First Dance - Twickenham

Penny and Richard Married in Ireland in 2008

Penny and Richard were complete beginners who started out quite shy regarding their dance ability. But as the lessons went on, they both improved massively! I taught them in their home in Twickenham London. In four lessons they had learnt the routine. Penny and Richard wanted to surprise their friends and family with a 'way out there' routine, one with a difference, so Penny and Ricard decided they wanted a Motown styled routine - so as you can imagine, I had lots of fun with the choreography!!! Hope you are both well and still dancing! xx


Testimonial:

"We were so happy to have found Hannah to teach us our wedding dance. Both of us could be described as having 'two left feet' yet we didn't want our wedding dance to be an awkward, embarrassing, shuffle around the dance floor. Thankfully we contacted Hannah, who we discovered is a brilliant, patient and very encouraging teacher. Hannah taught us some very funky moves and our guests all said it was the best wedding dance they'd ever seen. I would thoroughly recommend Hannah for any bride and groom to-be and in fact have recommended friends to her. Thank you Hannah!' Penny and Richard

Sam and Simons First Dance - Clapham South

Sam and Simon married on the 7th July 2007

Both Sam and Simon were an absolute delight to teach. Neither of them had any dance experience so we took their first dance nice and slowly. Sam and Simon wanted to surprise their friends and family which they did by taking secret first dance lessons. By their final dance lesson their first dance looked amazing, that's simply down to them practicing so hard throughout the week. Well done Sam and Simon and hope married life is treating you well. xx

Testimonial:

“Hannah was a vital part of our wedding day even though she wasn’t present! After 6 lessons we gained confidence, found we didn’t actually have 4 left feet between us and thoroughly enjoyed what for many is such a daunting moment. Our first dance was a moment we’ll always treasure, the look on our mothers faces and the fun we had was priceless. From our first dance lesson, when we needed a bottle of wine for dutch courage, to the last – we laughed and laughed. Our dance lessons were a wonderful distraction from the busyness of planning for a wedding and an opportunity to relax, have a giggle and with Hannah’s patience we felt comfortable being ourselves (no matter how bad our dancing!) With such a marked improvement in 6 weeks we’d definitely, definitely recommend asking Hannah to teach you some groovy moves – go for it!” Sam and Simon

If you would like to have first dance lessons please contact me on:

beal.hannah@gmail.com