Pop culture may have influenced our perception of what a great school dance is supposed to be, and as wide-eyed middle schoolers, we accepted our future filled with loud music and squeaking on the gym floor. As we grew, so did our expectations for these special events. Eighth grade Halloween dances quickly turned into anticipation for a poster invitation for homecoming, all leading up to the pinnacle of high school: prom.
Dances like this have always been a source of entertainment for some, while for others they become an excuse to spend money and be disappointed for a few hours. While dances such as homecoming and prom continue to draw crowds, events such as Winter Formal struggle with attendance and student interest.
There are numerous factors that affect school dances such as diverse expectations, social media, and school culture that all play a role in how these events are experienced today. The level of enjoyment at school dances are dependent on a solid DJ. Yet, with all the diversity at Hoffman and the millions of different types of music out there, it is difficult to be able to appeal to the masses. In the past, people were limited to listening to whatever was on the radio or the new cassette that just came out, but now that students have so many options, everybody has varied tastes.
“What makes it awkward are when people just stand around, the people in the pit are only hype when the song they like is on, or the DJ plays corny music,” said Ahamle Mabuza, senior.
However besides music, social media plays a factor in the decline of the culture surrounding school dances. For example, when looking at concert videos or something more recent, Coachella, it becomes a sea full of phones. Although people should be able to take videos of their favorite artists, it is also important to live in the moment.
“What makes a school dance fun for me is being present with the people I come with,” said Ella Moody, junior.
Dances have become places where students are going simply for the aesthetics, putting an emphasis on looking good and capturing a deceptive photo.
“I feel like social media has made school dances feel more performative, since many students focus on posting photos or videos, and how the event looks online,” said Nuwairah Kahleel, senior.
A notable instance of this was Blue Tie Kid, otherwise known as Sebastian Sarmiento, where back in 2024 he gained popularity for singing the song “Carnival,” by Kanye West. This caused an uproar of attention and displays how once the cameras start coming out, people tend to act in a dramatic and exaggerated way.
“It can also increase pressure to dress, act, or attend in ways that will get attention or approval on platforms like Instagram or TikTok,” said Kahleel.
Out of all the dances at Hoffman, Winter Formal has historically had the lowest attendance rate.
“Since prom takes place so close to Winter Formal, many juniors and seniors chose to skip the event, so the dance turned into more of a freshman–sophomore dance,” said Ryan Brown, Student Council head sponsor.
In order to stop this, the committee had planned on turning Winter Formal into less of a dance and more of a fun activity where people could get together and hang out with their friends. This would solve the problem of feeling pressured to dance or feeling ashamed about not having a prom date.
“I did a lot of research, and there are a number of schools that are just getting rid of that second dance,” said Brown. “It was going to be more like a field day with games and activities.”
