First dance criticized for DJ, freaking

October 2, 2009 — by Ren Norris

The kick-off dance of the school year was held in the quad on Sept. 25, a month later than usual, with the theme of Rock 'n' Roll. The dance left dance commissioners and administrators disappointed with the DJ, who played unpopular music and frustrated with the number of students who continued to dance inappropriately despite repeated warnings.

There were many complaints about the DJ, as many students said that he re-played songs and did not play songs requested by students.

The kick-off dance of the school year was held in the quad on Sept. 25, a month later than usual, with the theme of Rock ‘n’ Roll. The dance left dance commissioners and administrators disappointed with the DJ, who played unpopular music and frustrated with the number of students who continued to dance inappropriately despite repeated warnings.

There were many complaints about the DJ, as many students said that he re-played songs and did not play songs requested by students.

“The DJ wasn’t how we expected him to be because he played a weird range of music and didn’t play songs in the order we wanted him to,” said senior Krittika Patil, a member of the dance commission. “Students weren’t really getting into it.”

The DJ will not be asked to return for any of the future dances, according to administrators.

Despite reports from the dance commission that the night of the dance ran, for the most part, “smoothly, ” there have been repercussions after the dance, with a number of chaperones, parents and students claiming the amount of “freaking”—inappropriately close dancing—was unacceptable.

In the first weeks of school, administrators talked to sophomore and junior classrooms about freaking, but despite warnings, chaperones described the dancing to be “disgusting.”

“I’m not expecting the kids to do the Viennese Waltz, but I’m also not expecting what happened out there,” said assistant principal Karen Hyde. “It was just icky stuff.”

In addition to the inappropriate conduct during the dance,it was also hectic to usher the students into the dance. As hundreds of students had to pay at the door, administrators did not have time to check clothing or alcohol level.

“For organization I get a D+,” said Hyde, “but while most of the students were pretty well behaved, there was a group that clearly failed.”

Administrators and several students are going to be talking to the whole school before Homecoming about expected behaviors and if students “can’t control themselves,” then the Sadies Hawkins dance, usually held in Spring, is at risk of being canceled.

“If we can’t get kids to realize what is appropriate,” said Hyde, “then we have no other choice.”

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