At Last

But how easy is it to dance to?

While it might seem like a great choice because of its popularity, the song has a few challenges for couples who want to put together some basic moves for it. To most folks, “At Last” sounds like a slow song, which is correct. But for others, it sounds like a fast song. And guess what? They’re also right.

Because the song is written in 12/8 time, you can hear both. To me, the tempo and time signature (12/8) line up with a Viennese Waltz, a notoriously fast step. A few of you might be ambitious enough to bite off this advanced style, but you’ll be better off keeping it simpler.

I teach a Slow-Quick-Slow box (often called a Canter Rumba) that follows the slower beat and is much more manageable. Discuss this with your instructor before they push you into a Viennese Waltz or suggest you change your song. If you’d rather dance to that slower beat, count it at 58 BPM and a Nightclub Two-Step fits it, too.

“At Last” also begins with an intro section that doesn’t have a discernable beat. Think about using this section for your entrance or for some opening choreography that doesn’t need to be counted out. 

The song has an ending where the music slows down and the beat stops. Here I’ll teach the groom to anticipate the slowdown and give couples a snappy ending or bridge move to get through this part (or just end the dance altogether). 

The song’s length is well suited for your first dance, coming in at under 3 minutes. And there aren’t any funky surprises in the middle of the song with tempo changes or transitions. 

“At Last” gets a low danceability score for a few reasons, but don’t discount it outright.

The intro is funky, and the tempo and time signature can cause confusion, but “At Last” can make a great first wedding song. You won’t score any points for music originality, but you’ll have a dance that won’t make you cringe when you watch the video 20 years later.