The remote shooter went to Cary again this weekend to film the 3rd Dance rehearsal. These are her notes:
Girls and Guys showed up at 5:30 to the Premier School of Dance. Teresa (the instructor) was dressed in a prim vanilla pants suit and got right into putting them through their paces. Mary Ellen and her partner were delayed. One of the girl's father was standing in for her marshal. Found out that there are three levels of Marshal- junior (usually a brother), dad and real marshal. (You don't want to be left needing a guy.)
Teresa made some changes to the routine to simplify it and give the couples more room individually on the dance floor. Forty people moving around means 80 feet and 80 arms to get tangled up during the twirls and roll outs.
The company renting the tuxes came at 5:30 and did a few guys' measurements even before the class started. Tapes went around the neck, shoulders, chest, waist, hips, arm and leg length. Everyone will wear the same white tie with tails outfit. They also rent the shoes... even sizes only. It took about 30 seconds per guy. They paid the fee -- $95 for the rental. Some had credit cards, others debit, one had a blank check from his mom and I think one guy wrote his own check.
The lady doing the measuring said this is the only public event in Cary where such formal attire is worn. This is the sort of glad rags that would be worn at a very formal after 6 wedding or a political ball, about as formal as its gets. Raleigh is a bigger city and probably would have more call for such a getup. They had a rack of jacket, pant and shirt samples, but most guys didn't try them on. They will get to try on their tux at a later rehearsal to make sure that they fit OK. The outfit is something like Fred Astaire would wear dancing around a shiny floor in Rio, very classic, no cummerbund. Those who tried the jacket on said it was comfortable.
The class broke after the first hour to get the remainder of the guys measured. It was done in a tiny alcove just off the lobby-- a space about 10 feet square... no mirrors. The lady asked their height, weight, shoe size and sometime made small talk about what they're doing in school. Most of the guys seemed to be six footers, big feet -- size 11 or 12. I didn't see any joking or wincing about the tails, just part of the job. A guy was running a portable credit card machine and giving out receipts. He was also keeping track of the measurements. One the Cary deb society moms came with her young and very tall son who was going to be the "rose guy." He has done this before and gets to wear a tux too as he hands the debs roses.
The girls had a second hour of class after a slight break. They practiced their wreath dance by using white plastic curved rods about three feet long to simulate the movements they will be making with their hands. I didn't recognize the tune. The session had more the air of a traditional dance class where everybody is learning a routine. The steps are more graceful and the music slower. Teresa was concerned that everybody keep practicing so they don't forget the routine between practices. Cassidy and three other girls stayed a little while after class to get one of the routines down... one of the girls was barefoot by this point. They had to be shooed out of the rehearsal hall because Teresa wanted to go home.
