Article by Johanna Osborne

It may have been a few years ago now, but I will never forget the day one of my very best friends tied the knot. There were many great moments, but one stand-out memory in particular was when it came time for the first dance. The rhythmic couple surprised everyone with an amazing dance routine that would have had even Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire green with envy. All the guests were jaw-droppingly impressed by the choreographed performance, and it certainly gave the already wonderful wedding a real talking point.

Dancing has never been more fashionable than it is right now. With the media spotlight on numerous dancing shows, it has become more and more in vogue to learn how to dance properly on your wedding day. Indeed a favourable alternative to the awkward shuffle, 2 minutes of teeth-clenching and nervous sweating many couples endure in front of sympathetic guests.

Speaking exclusively to us, Adam Nathanson, owner and Director of Simply Ceroc in Wellington, agrees. He shares “I have had more couples looking to learn a wedding dance through my doors in the last 5-6 months than in the past 23 years”. Cleary we are on to a trend here! Adam is one of the most well-known Ceroc teachers on the planet, and has over decades of teaching experience under his belt. His passion for dance began early when at 7 years old he watched the Nicholas brothers perform on TV, and from that moment on was totally transfixed. This early memory has stayed with Adam who dutifully explored accounting and other slightly less creative career fields, before realising that he knew what he wanted to do all along.

Adam is more than passionate about dance. He lives and breathes it. And any man with an ounce of sense would listen to Adam, for he holds the key! Adam explains “Ceroc is the most successful singles meeting place in the world, and the best thing is, it holds no stigma at all”. And he’s right. Within minutes of entering dance classes eager students have their arms around a willing partner. That kind of intimacy and bond is something that would normally take a huge amount of courage (and time!) in another setting. Adam himself proposed to his wife Mandy within 3 minutes of meeting and dancing with her. There’s just something magical about dance!

Adam explains that the beauty of Ceroc is you can dance to any genre or music. And it doesn’t have to be hard! Whilst many people choose to study dance for social reasons, there has been a huge spike in the amount of brides and grooms opting to learn from professionals before their big day. Unfortunately, much like myself prior to my own wedding, most brides and grooms don’t allow enough time and think they can do a quick one or two lessons, and suddenly and miraculously know how to dance! There’s a bit more to it than that. But thankfully if you have two left feet like me, Adam has a few tricks up his sleeve to help give the illusion you know more than you do. He can offer private lessons in his studio, at your home, in your office or wherever the fancy takes you.

The core focus of Ceroc is to give people a basic understanding of how to move.  Adam says “We teach about connection, movement and showing off how in love you are. People are amazed in the end by how easy it is”. His aim – to make it seem natural and fun!

“We teach men how to be the Antonio Banderas in the movie ‘Take the Lead’ – the suave matador who stays in control. And we show the ladies how to be light, feminine and floaty”. Whilst possibly being a somewhat old-fashioned and stereotypical concept in this modern day and age, in the world of dance it simply works. It always has, and always will. Dancers often say that the tradition and romance associated with dance will never die, and once you are seduced by it, you too will understand the allure.  As Albert Einstein so famously said “Dancers are athletes of God”.

Adam & Mandy Nathanson
Ceroc Wellington
Whitireia Performance Centre
25 Vivian Street, Wellington
[email protected]

021 205 1202

– Here is a video of a [most impressive first dance at Allerton Castle]