Things That Will Affect People’s Interest in Dancing at Your Event

Guests You Haven’t Seen for A While:

If a significant number of guests are from out of town then they will want to catch up with other friends and relatives that are present. This means that there will be lots of talking, and less dancing.

This is especially true if it’s the Bride & Groom that are coming back to New Zealand. In extreme cases there may only be talking and very little dancing.

If there is the possibility of this happening at your wedding please let your DJ know and discuss the best way to handle the situation.

An option may be for the Bride & Groom to organise with the DJ to switch to background music (and therefore a lower volume) more suitable for talking and catching up, whilst still having a vibrant and celebratory atmosphere.

Some Brides & Grooms on the other hand want their DJ to be vocal in encouraging people to get up on the dance floor. Remember to tell them if there is an after-wedding get-together which would allow ample opportunity to talk in relaxed surroundings after the wedding dance.

You may also want to consider leaving the present opening until then.

Guest Shyness:

Some people are simply less interested in dancing than others because they are self-conscious about their ability to dance or that they don’t enjoy it very much. The more quiet ones there are amongst your guests the harder it will be to get people dancing.

Other factors that will affect the more self-conscious dancers are large, empty-looking dance floors and competent, showy dancers. If there are even only a couple of people amongst your guests who are proficient dancers (such as Rock ‘n’ Roll or Ceroc dancers) they will usually be very quick to get on the floor and show off their moves.

Whilst this is great fun to watch it can be a little off-putting for the less proficient dancers who feel uncomfortable about being compared with the “good” dancers.

If a dance floor looks particularly large then the more nervous dancers will be slower to get up on the dance floor. A dance floor doesn’t have to actually be big to appear big – a high ceiling can give a false sense of size. A large dance floor can be made to look small with the clever use of pot plants, tables, and other furniture around the edges. Check with your venue on how to achieve this.

Indoor & Outdoor Temperature:

Try to provide the right temperature for your guests – not to hot, not to cold.
No matter how enthusiastic your guests are if the room is very hot or very cold people are less likely to dance. The heat can be due to hot weather or just poor, non-existent air-conditioning.

Some venues have noise control issues which require that certain doors remain shut during the dance. If these doors are also the principle sources of ventilation, then there needs to be alternative temperature control available such as air-conditioning, or even just a fan.

TIP – Check with your venue so you are very clear on noise restrictions before the event begins and let your DJ know the limitations.

Likewise, if the area for dancing is too cold (for example, it is outside) then some form of heating is recommended.

Generally speaking venues are very good at keeping guests warm so a cold dance floor is a relatively rare occurrence. However if your wedding is in a marquee or a converted barn for example, then almost regardless of the time of year allowances should be made for appropriate heating. Remember that even in high summer it can be very cool by 10:00pm, especially if you are by a large body of water or on an exposed piece of land.

Need more advice on how to get the party started?

Hire a Discotech DJ. With over 20 years experience they have worked in a wide variety of venues in the region. Discotech can give you expert advice on how to get the most out of your party and keep your guests happy.

Click here to contact Discotech.