
Welcome to the first dance song list. On this page, I have listed my top 50 first dance songs which I have used in my wedding dance lessons over the years.
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At the top of the page is a quick guide on how to pick your first dance song as well; as I know it can be tricky.
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If you have your own song that you would like to use during your dance lessons, don't hesitate to contact me anytime, and I will create the perfect dance to match your perfect song for your first dance.
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Marcus
Email brightonandsussexdancelessons@gmail.com for a free consultation.
Dance classes in Brighton and Hove, Lewes, East Grinstead and wider East and West Sussex.
*Reserve a place for 2024-2025 now!*
How to pick your first dance song; quick guide.
The majority of couples I provide wedding dance lessons for have often known for a while what their song is. If you are stuck, below I have listed some great tips to help you decide. Many of which have come from previous clients over the years…
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Tip 1: Find a significant year or month of the year.
The year you got together, your first date, first time you met, a birthday or other anniversary are good starting places for finding your perfect first dance song for your wedding. Remember that you shouldn’t limit your search to the exact year; you could find out what was in the charts the month you met but instead of 2015, perhaps in 1960? You could also ask a parent or other relative what they danced to at their wedding; it could be perfect for you too.
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Tip 2: To remember a relative
A popular method of choosing a first dance song is to find out what one of your relatives' favourite songs was or is (they don’t have to have passed away) So long as it is chosen as a nice way to remember and honour them. It can very easily turn into an unhappy occasion when the relative you may be honouring might want it to be happy!
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Tip 3: The lyrics mean something to you
Thanks to Google, you can search for the lyrics to almost every first dance song ever made. It is really important that you know what the lyrics mean for you first dance. You may love the song, but there might be a sinister, or perhaps inappropriate meaning behind them that you don’t realise! For example, I once had a wedding couple whose favourite song turned out to be about adultery (oops). I advised accordingly…
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Tip 4: Somewhere you hear the song together
This seems like an obvious place to start; remembering a song you heard together at a special time, for example a holiday or when you were out for a meal.
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Tip 5: Look at lists
You might be sick of the endless lists of first dance and wedding dance songs online, but they are a goldmine. Someone has done the work for you and found the most popular (ahem, including me) They can save you a lot of time when deciding on your first dance song. Make sure you listen to each one all the way through, as some songs have strange interludes, or they end abruptly. Below, I have listed the top 50 first dance songs for your wedding which I have used in my dance lessons for the last 10 years.
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Tip 6: Make sure you can dance to it!
I cannot tell you how important it is that you can realistically dance to your first dance song. Unfortunately, some songs just cannot be danced to (at least not in an appropriate way for a wedding dance) The best way to check is to contact a dance teacher and ask them (they usually do a free consultation, just like me)
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So that is my tried and tested quick guide for choosing your first dance for your wedding. You can always bring a selection to your dance lessons and we can have a play!
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Below is my recommended first dance song list for you to listen through and see if any of them suit you. Remember, you can contact me anytime with your own song and we I can start choreographing your wedding dance!
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Marcus
Email brightonandsussexdancelessons@gmail.com for a free consultation.
Dance classes in Brighton and Hove, Lewes, East Grinstead and wider East and West Sussex.
*Reserve a place for 2024-2025 now!*

The First Dance Song List for Dance Lessons
Nat King Cole: L.O.V.E
Dance style: American Smooth or Slow Swing
Difficulty level: Easy
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Etta James: At last
Dance style: Viennese Waltz (hard) or 4 Beat
Difficulty level: Medium/hard
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Righteous Brothers: Unchained melody
Dance style: Viennese Waltz (hard) or 4 Beat
Difficulty level: Medium/hard
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Ed Sheeran: Thinking out loud
Dance style: 4 beat
Difficulty level: Easy
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Corrs: Runaway
Dance style: Viennese Waltz or Lyrical
Difficulty level: Easy/Medium
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Nora Jones: Run away with me
Dance style: Waltz
Difficulty level: Easy
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Christina Perri: A thousand years
Dance style: Viennese Waltz (hard) or Lyrical
Difficulty level: Medium/hard
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Lonestar: Amazed
Dance style: 4 Beat or lyrical
Difficulty level: Easy
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Ed Sheeran: Perfect
Dance style: Viennese Waltz (hard) or 4 Beat
Difficulty level: Medium/hard
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John Legend: All of me
Dance style: Lyrical
Difficulty level: Hard
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Aerosmith: I don’t want to miss a thing
Dance style: 4 Beat
Difficulty level: Medium/hard
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Jasmin Thompson: Like I’m Gonna Lose You
Dance style: Lyrical
Difficulty level: Hard
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Frank Sinatra: The way you look tonight
Dance style: American Smooth/Foxtrot
Difficulty level: Easy
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Elvis Presley: Cant help falling in love
Dance style: Viennese Waltz/4 beat
Difficulty level: Medium/Hard
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Frankie Valli and the 4 Seasons: Cant take my eyes off you
Dance style: Cha cha cha/faster foxtrot/swing
Difficulty level: Easy/Medium
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Russell Dickerson: Yours
Dance style: 4 beat/Lyrical
Difficulty level: Medium/Hard
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Dan and Shay: Speechless
Dance style: 4 beat/Lyrical
Difficulty level: Medium/Hard
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Tim McGraw: My best friend
Dance style: 4 beat/Lyrical
Difficulty level: Medium/Hard
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Elton John: Your song
Dance style: 4 beat/Lyrical
Difficulty level: Medium/Hard
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Andy Grammar: I am Yours
Dance style: 4 beat/Lyrical
Difficulty level: Medium/Hard
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Alicia Keys: That’s when I knew
Dance style: 4 beat/Lyrical
Difficulty level: Medium/Hard
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Celine Dion: Have you ever been in love
Dance style: 4 beat/Lyrical
Difficulty level: Medium/Hard
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Brett Young: In case you didn’t know
Dance style: 4 beat
Difficulty level: Easy
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Adele: Make you feel my love
Dance style: 4 beat/Lyrical
Difficulty level: Easy/Hard
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Jason Mraz: I wont give up
Dance style: 4 beat/Viennese waltz
Difficulty level: Easy/Hard
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Stevie Wonder: Hold me
Dance style: Cha cha cha/Slow Swing
Difficulty level: Easy/Medium
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Ray LaMontagne: You are the best thing
Dance style: 4 beat
Difficulty level: Easy
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Ray Charles: Come rain or come shine
Dance style: 4 beat/Viennese Waltz
Difficulty level: Easy/Hard
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Pharrell: Happy
Dance style: Jive/Rock n Roll
Difficulty level: Easy
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Jack Johnson: Better together
Dance style: Slow Jive
Difficulty level: Easy
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Eric Benet ft. Tamia: Spend my life with you
Dance style: 4 beat/Lyrical
Difficulty level: Easy/Hard
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The Whispers: I’m gonna make you my wife
Dance style: 4 beat/Lyrical
Difficulty level: Easy/Hard
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Jason Mraz: Lucky
Dance style: 4 beat and slow jive/swing alternating
Difficulty level: Easy/Hard
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Russell Dickerson: Love you like I used to
Dance style: 4 beat/Lyrical
Difficulty level: Easy/Hard
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John Legend: You and I
Dance style: Lyrical
Difficulty level: Hard
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James Arthur: Say you wont let go
Dance style: 4 beat/Lyrical
Difficulty level: Easy/Hard
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Blake Shelton: Mine would be you
Dance style: 4 beat/Lyrical
Difficulty level: Easy/Hard
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Goo Goo Dolls: Iris
Dance style: Slow Viennese waltz
Difficulty level: Medium
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Ed Sheeran: Perfect
Dance style: 4 beat/Viennese waltz
Difficulty level: Easy/Hard
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Cliff Richard: When the girl in you arms is the girl in your heart
Dance style: Waltz
Difficulty level: Easy
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Nat King Cole: Let there be love
Dance style: American smooth foxtrot
Difficulty level: Easy
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Louis Armstrong: What a wonderful world
Dance style: 4 beat/Viennese waltz
Difficulty level: Easy/Hard
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Arctic Monkeys: Baby I’m yours
Dance style: 4 beat/Lyrical
Difficulty level: Easy/Hard
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Al Green: Lets stay together
Dance style: Rumba
Difficulty level: Easy
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Barry White: Cant get enough of your love
Dance style: 4 beat/Lyrical/Disco/Swing
Difficulty level: Easy
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Natalie Cole: Everlasting love
Dance style: 4 beat/Jive
Difficulty level: Medium
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Ellie Golding: How long will I love you
Dance style: Lyrical
Difficulty level: Hard
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Michael Buble: Everything
Dance style: 4 beat/Swing
Difficulty level: Easy/Medium
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Andy Williams: Moon River
Dance style: Waltz
Difficulty level: Easy
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Louis Armstrong: We have all the time in the world
Dance style: 4 beat/Rumba
Difficulty level: Easy/Medium
Email brightonandsussexdancelessons@gmail.com for a free consultation.
Dance classes in Brighton and Hove, Lewes, East Grinstead and wider East and West Sussex.
*Reserve a place for 2024-2025 now!*
Contact
If you want to discuss your first dance song choice, or if you have any other questions about your wedding dance and the dance classes themselves, please email me anytime using the address opposite
07956 788 112