Everyone loves a good meet cute, the term used for the scene in romantic comedies where the boy meets the girl. Usually, it’s something a little quirky that makes everyone go “awww.” Not only does everyone love a meet cute, but we’d be willing to bet most people have fantasized about having their own, real life meet cute with a co-worker they have a crush on, the barista who memorizes their morning coffee order, or maybe even a complete stranger.
Reality show, Flirty Dancing is giving strangers everywhere their shot at a meet cute by pairing up people who’ve never met, teaching them a dance individually, and then bringing them together for a first and final performance, usually in an iconic LA setting like The Hollywood Bowl or the fountains downtown. They’re meeting, they’re dancing, it’s cute, and the music is on point. Clearly a lot of time goes into choosing the perfect song for the couples to dance to, so we thought we’d thrown in a few suggestions for season two as well as some that should be avoided.
Should Dance To: I Want You Back (Haim)
Within the first five seconds of hearing this song, you can picture it in a rom-com. It’s the kind of song that would play at the very end of a movie, once our couple is back together and happy. As they walk away into the distance, and the credits start to roll, we hear the intro, which is extremely catchy.
With lyrics like, “I’m ready for the both of us now”, this song really pulls at the heartstrings, but the melody and tempo are surprisingly upbeat, making it a fun song to dance to, and probably a choreographer’s dream to work with.
Avoid: Dancing With Myself (Billy Idol)
We’re not trying to state the obvious here, but, it’s all in the name. No one dances alone in Flirty Dancing (unless it’s in the rehearsal room), so there is definitely no room for a song all about trying to feel okay when you have no one to dance with. That’s not something these couples want to think about during their magical meet cute moment.
Though, this song could work at the very end of the show once the main dancer chooses which dance partner they want to go on a date with. This song could lend itself to the person not chosen, who then is in fact, dancing with themselves.
Should Dance To: Lover (Taylor Swift ft. Shawn Medes)
Yes, the original version of this song with just Taylor on the track is wonderful, but have you heard the duet with Shawn Mendes? We didn’t know a near-perfect song could get any better, but it does thanks to Shawn’s butter-like vocal runs and added lyrics like, “I’d go down with the Titanic for you”.
Taylor and Shawn harmonize perfectly together, which makes this an easy song to inspire a dance from any couple, whether just meeting or married for forty years. Bonus, this song has a waltz-like tempo, making it perfect for partnered dancing.
Avoid: I Can’t Make You Love Me (Bonnie Raitt)
Maybe this is another obvious one, maybe it’s all in the name, but this song strictly belongs in the “songs to cry to” category.
It’s a beautiful, heartbreaking song and Bonnie Raitt’s vocals on it are nothing short of stunning, but a song about breaking up because one person realizes that no matter what they do, they can’t make the person they love so much love them back, would not make a good impression. These are two people who have just met and are hoping to make a connection. A song like this would only set our couples up for failure.
Should Dance To: 10,000 Hours (Dan and Shay ft. Justin Bieber)
There are actually two versions of this song and both would work for Flirty Dancing. The first is the one we’ve all heard on the radio by now. It’s upbeat, catchy and you can totally picture two people moving and grooving to this song with the Hollywood sign in the background. But, there’s also a stripped-down acoustic version that’s really romantic and the vocals on it, from both Dan and Shay, and Justin, are goosebump-worthy.
If the show wanted to slow things down for a couple and give two people a chance at a more intimate connection, this would be the perfect song for that. It would also be the perfect song for a couple’s first dance at their wedding, which is something to keep in mind for all the potential lovers on this show.
Avoid: Every Breath You Take (The Police)
This song has some serious stalker vibes to it. “Every breath you take, every move you make… I’ll be watching you.” No, thank you. This was probably not Sting’s intention when he recorded the song, and if you think hard enough about it, it does become a little bit more romantic, but it’s really hard to see past the fact that the man in this song probably doesn’t have the healthiest outlook on relationships.
The melody is pretty haunting too, which doesn’t lend itself to a show like this. This is another song to throw in the “cry to” category, or maybe it’s a song that should only be played on your dentist’s radio station, just to be safe.
Should Dance To: Kiss Me (Sixpence None The Richer)
It’s a classic 90’s song. If you were a teenager in the ’90s, you have heard this song a thousand times and you probably, secretly wish you had your first kiss to it. This would be a great song for two people to dance to if they aren’t so good on their feet.
Remember, this show is taking regular people, looking for love, and teaching them a dance number, not everyone is going to be a great dancer, in fact, part of the show is watching the potential lovers struggle through the rehearsal process. If there’s ever a situation where two people really can’t move well in their bodies, but they still want to give this show a try, this would be the perfect song for them to dance to.
Avoid: King Of Wishful Thinking (Go West)
You’ll recognize this song from the Pretty Woman soundtrack and you’ll know all of the words if you were a teenager in the late ‘80’s/early ’90s. This song is a tricky one because the melody and tempo seem to be a perfect fit for a show like this, but if you listen closely to the lyrics, this is not a song you want a potential mate to sing to you.
In fact, having anyone meet and dance to this song is setting them up for failure because the song is about a breakup, and by the sounds of it, the break up was rough. That’s just not something you want floating around when you’re trying to match two people and get them to fall in love.
Should Dance To: Do You Believe In Magic? (The Lovin’ Spoonful)
There may be a movie out there boasting a very well-timed dance break to this song, but there’s always room for more! This song is such a classic and will brighten anyone’s spirits the second it starts playing.
The nostalgia alone makes this a great song choice for Flirty Dancing, but the lyrics really lend itself to this dating experiment. “Do you believe in magic, in a young girl’s heart? How the music can free her, whenever it starts?” And isn’t that the point of the show? Letting the music free you up enough to make a connection and possibly fall in love.
Avoid: Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough (Patty Smyth and Don Henley)
Another ’90s classic and another song that will provoke sadness and tears, not happy butterflies. If you need a good cry, if the guy you met on a dating show after learning a whole dance number for him, won’t call you back, throw this sweet duet onto the jukebox and grab a box of tissues.
Under no circumstances should anyone ever dance to this song, not even when you’re alone, it’s too sad. I don’t know what happened to the two people this song is about, and I don’t want to know because it’s just that heartbreaking.
