Fab Friday | Nail Your First Dance | Featuring Annemarie of The 8Count
February 28, 2014
Let’s be honest here, I go to a lot of weddings, I mean ALOT and I’m getting to the point where I can say with some confidence that there isn’t much I haven’t seen. So today we’re going to chat about one of my favorite parts of the day, the first dance and the dances with your parents. This is often the point when I begin to cry for the 4th or 5th of the day, sometimes out of raw emotion, sometimes out of empathy for plethora of emotions parents feel when their children get married but most of the time out of pure joy and laughter for the excitement and happiness pouring out of everyone involved!
The point of this long winded description of the inner workings of my mind, is that to get up in a room full of people you love and be the center of attention while dancing can be super un-nerving when really it should be a blast! I’ve seen some fabulous dances from swing, to the dance from pulp fiction to totally choreographed mash ups and boy do I have some big dreams about what will go down at my wedding! So if you can’t dance, or at least not well or if you can but want to be better or your want to look like you won last seasons “Dancing with the Stars” then you have to know how to get there and I’ve found the perfect person for you!
AnneMarie Estess of The 8Count:
Anxious about hitting the dance floor on your big day? Panic no more — local dance and social coaching biz, The 8Count, helps you build confidence and look awesome busting a move. Founder Annemarie “Ree” Estess coaches adult dancers through basic moves derived from funk, latin, and social dance forms. Zero dance experience required.
Whether you’re seeking personalized coaching for your first dance, or want your bridal party to learn fun steps to keep the reception rollin’, The 8Count has moves for you.
“Annemarie is the absolute best! She helped my fiancé and I get ready for our wedding day, by getting us comfortable on the dance floor together and preparing us for our first dance. She made us feel at ease from the first minute, and we both genuinely had so much fun with her […] Based on where we were starting from, I thought we would need much more lesson time than we ended up needing – and I feel more comfortable dancing than I ever could have hoped for, esp. in only ~3 hours of lessons – all because she is such a great teacher!” – Jen N.
Here are a few fresh offerings from The 8Count:
Original First Dance Package: Take the guesswork out of your first dance with custom choreography and private instruction. The 8Count will help you select and cut your music (no 6-minute first dances allowed!) and choreograph a routine befitting of your style and dance level. (Rate: starting at $400)
Bridal Party Package: Your bridal party will learn doable dance moves to the beats of Motown, Rock, Top 40, and more. With these steps in their back pockets, they’ll keep the dance party rocking long after the bouquet gets thrown.
(Rate: starting at $40 / person. Min 6 people)
Bachelorette Parties: Get the perfect combo of sexy and classy as you dance with your closest ladies. Learn flirty moves that’ll turn up the heat on the dance floor…and then some.
(Rate: starting at $40 / person. Minimum 6 people)
Groomsmen Bootcamp: Get the guys feeling less antsy with this lesson in dance floor survival moves. They’ll learn basic footwork, upper body work, and upbeat steps to help them break the ice — and break it down — all night long.
(Rate: starting at $40 / person. Minimum 3 people)
Meet AnneMarie:
photo by: Suzy Clements Photographs
Annemarie “Ree” Estess has been teaching dance fundamentals for over a decade. She specializes in helping clients utilize the social value of dance, recognizing that it is one of the most engaging ways to connect with people, let loose, and enjoy the present.
She performed with and directed dance companies while studying at Stanford University, where she earned her B.A. in Human Biology and her M.A. in Sociology.
In her free time, it’s typical to find her living it up on the dance floor with friends, trying to teach herself guitar, and reading, writing, and speaking on the topic of social connection.
Tags:bay area dancing lessons, dancing lessons, first dance, san francisco dancing lessons, san francisco wedding dance lessons, wedding dances
