Get Your Guests Moving with Crowd Participation Songs

Dana Ricci

A favorite part of any reception is the open dance. This gives your guests the chance to let loose and have some fun on the dance floor in the company of family and friends. Open dance time is also when guests will celebrate your reception with you, so it’s definitely a time when fond memories are made.

As a former wedding photographer, I’ve been to quite a few weddings. One thing I’ve noticed is that sometimes it takes some time for guests to make the transition from sitting at their tables after their meal to getting up and dancing. People may feel awkward hitting the dance floor if it’s empty aside from a few people swaying in the corners, so what you’ll need are songs that will make everyone get out of their seats and make their way over there!

One way to do this is to throw in a crowd participation song relatively early in the evening, and mix some in with the music for the rest of night. These songs can be line dances or a group dance songs that nearly everyone knows the choreography to. Since they are familiar and fun, these songs will get guests up and dancing. And more often than not, once they are out on the dance floor they usually stay there! Here are five of my favorites that we offer:

The Wobble – I tried this in Florida recently and it is just too fun! The moves are simple if you don’t know it, and with an upbeat horn and percussion section throughout the song, it’s almost impossible not to dance to it.

The Time Warp – Maybe this is just the musical theater junkie in me talking, but I don’t see how anyone could stay away from the dance floor during this rock classic from the Rocky Horror Picture Show. The exaggerated dance moves are not only fun to do, but fun to watch other people do.

Cupid Shuffle – Another contemporary favorite, and with just some shuffles, kicks and turns, it’s the perfect song to get the crowd moving.

Grease Lightning – Even if you haven’t seen Grease, chances are you’re familiar with its most popular song. This is a great one to get the guys and the girls singing to each other, including several Sandy’s and Danny’s going for that high note at the end!

Head Snappin’ (Cha Cha Slide 3) – A new take on Casper’s Cha Cha Slide, this catchy song lays out all the steps for you.

We offer many more crowd participation songs to get your guests moving! And we are more than happy to work with you on picking out the perfect music to make your event special. For a larger list of our crowd participation songs, Disc Jockey Parties. Also see our Five Ideas to Get Your Guests Involved in the Open Dancing Segments of Your Reception on other tips on how to get your guests involved during open dance sessions.