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The first dance as spectacle — it might sound cringeworthy, but you’ve got to admit it beats a photo booth with grimy hats and oversized sunnies.
“Couples are finding new ways to make their weddings different and personal,” said master of ceremonies Ade Tokan of Steelacts Productions, based in London, who sees the first dance as one way couples are embodying this ethos.
One such client was Torera Sotinwa, who wed in November 2025. A lawyer by training who has long used dance as a creative outlet, she chose to forgo a traditional first dance with husband Opeyemi Onibokun in favor of a full performance complete with backup dancers.
“The choreography and music selection were deeply personal, reflecting her relationship, personality and Nigerian heritage,” said Tokan, noting that the performance at the Bell Event Centre in Lagos, Nigeria, stood out as an event highlight for guests.
“My husband and I reconnected through our mutual love for theater,” commented Sotinwa, who was in London but recently moved to Abu Dhabi. “As a performer myself, it only felt right to bring the theater from the streets of London to our reception floor. Every element — the music, the costumes, the movement — was intentionally curated to reflect our rich Yoruba heritage and to pay homage to musical legends like Fela Kuti, Asake and D’banj, whose work continues to redefine Afrobeat.”
Andrea Smith, of wedding band the Band Method, based in New York City, likewise recaps a very impressive first dance in August 2024 at Hestan Vineyards in Napa, Calif.
“Our stunning couple Kristy Lau and Vincent Cheng began dancing to their romantic first dance, which led to an unforgettable moment as the band vocalists handed off the microphones, allowing the couple to take the stage and sing to each other and their guests,” said Smith. “The guests were captivated by their unexpected talents and the deep love they showed through both dance and song.”
Plus, the song they selected, “Two Becoming One,” by Jona-than and Emily Martin, held personal meaning.
To pull this off effectively, Smith strongly advised collaborating with your band or DJ. “While an idea may sound great in theory, a professional’s guidance can ensure that everything makes sense from a musical standpoint,” she said. “It’s a good idea to schedule some rehearsal time,” added Smith.
“Pulling something like this off requires an elite team working in total sync. One missed cue can derail the entire experience,” echoed DJ Michael Coombs, who runs his own entertainment company in Toronto. “From the sound being mixed perfectly to the sparks going off at the exact moment, execution is everything.”
His clients Vanessa Lau and Mike Pan walked in singing “Love Is an Open Door” from the “Frozen” soundtrack. Along with a fully choreographed dance, from a production standpoint, the performance also included multiple spotlights, dry ice and cold sparks being fired at the song’s climax, set on a custom-built stage designed just for their performance. “It felt less like a wedding dance and more like a full Broadway production,” said Coombs of the over-the-top first dance at the Ritz Carlton Toronto in October 2025.
“Dark, starry atmosphere and a coordinated 18-sparkler show” aside, Pan is glad they made this decision to set the tone for the evening. “Replacing the traditional first dance with a live performance allowed us to lean into that ‘show’ feel and kick off the night with high energy,” said Pan.
If you’re going to strive for something similarly dazzling, Irene Katzias, a wedding planner and founder of Irene + Co Events in North Haven, Conn., recommends hiring a choreographer.
“Don’t feel like you need to take on the role of director, choreographer and performer,” she said. “Delegating can make the collaboration worthwhile for you and your guests.”
Katzias worked with Leilah Rosen and Josh Ehrlich, who wed in August 2025 at Bet Am Shalom in White Plains and broke out into a song and orchestrated a flash mob with in-the-know guests following their choreographed first dance.
“The groom wrote the music, and the bride and bridegroom, along with close friends, performed a musical theater number full of laughter and high-quality choreography,” she said. Of course, it didn’t hurt that the bride is a choreographer, dancer and singer and the bridegroom is a composer and cantor.
“As the bride and groom, being the center of attention was the default for the day, so we figured if all eyes were going to be on us, then we should be doing something that we both genuinely enjoy.”
Happily wedded bride Elizabeth Bohnslav
Still, if you’re going to go all-out for a performance, go big or go home.
“Don’t be afraid to be fully committed and give it your all,” said Katzias. “If you are going to do it, you need to dive into the role headfirst.”
To that point, Ehrlich adds that couples shouldn’t be afraid to put their guests to work, especially those who like to sing and dance, “even if it means demanding they do some homework to learn notes and steps, because it’ll make the experience that much more meaningful and joyful for them, as well as you.”
Expanding on that, Rosen said the highlight of their wedding planning was “absolutely” rehearsing both our dance and musical duets in our apartment every day leading up to the wedding. “It reminded me why we were doing this,” she said. “I still miss our daily rehearsals. All night my grandma kept saying, ‘You should take this on the road!’ ”
Kristin Hubbard, CEO of Our DJ Rocks in Orlando, Fla., worked with Elizabeth Bohnslav, 29, a content creator, to weave video gaming festivities into her September 2025 wedding to Jeremy Carr, 32, a server, at the Garden Villa in Winter Park, Fla.
For these newlyweds, skipping dances in favor of Mario Kart races was actually a way to feel more comfortable being in the spotlight, which they were reticent to do.
“There wasn’t anything necessarily wrong with doing a parent-child dance, it simply wasn’t something that we felt much interest in,” said Bohnslav, who grew up playing Mario Kart with her family. “Obviously, as the bride and groom, being the center of attention was the default for the day, so we figured if all eyes were going to be on us, then we should be doing something that we both genuinely enjoy.”
When considering what your ceremonial “dance” will be, Hubbard suggests asking what makes your love unique, between you and your partner or parents. “Whatever that might be, there are myriad ways to express that and share it with others,” she said.
“That’s what you do on a wedding day.”
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