By: Derek Byrne
At 8:30 P.M. on Monday, Sept. 27, 40 seniors met in the big gym. They weren’t there to run laps or shoot hoops, but to dance.
The practice marked the first of three rehearsals for the senior dance, a performance that has become a familiar tradition to students. Senior Elizabeth Garnos, one of two choreographers of the dance, anticipates a positive response from the crowd.
“I think it’s going to go really well. I hope the students like it,” Garnos said. “The seniors seemed to really like it when we showed them, and that’s what [senior] Melanie [Holmgren] and I were really worried about.”
The dance is scheduled to be performed at the Homecoming assembly on Friday, Oct. 8, but the group has encountered difficulty in ensuring that it meets administrators’ standards.
“We thought some stuff could be [inappropriate,]” Garnos said. “We tried to choreograph it so that it wasn’t so dirty that it had to be re-choreographed, but stuff could always be considered inappropriate whether we mean it to or not.”
Some students think the dance is acceptable in its current state.
“I think it’s appropriate for our age group,” said senior Jennifer Sorrentino. “I think the adults will think it’s inappropriate, but we’re performing it for the student body and I think it’s appropriate for them.”
Sorrentino argues that the performance is no more inappropriate than dances have been in past years.
“Every year the senior dance has been the same level of appropriateness,” Sorrentino said. “The seniors have done the same thing every year, and they didn’t get in trouble, so why should we?”
Garnos agrees, and says this was considered when choreographing the routine.
“We looked at previous years’ senior dances. We tried to make sure it wasn’t worse than anything they did,” Garnos said.
However, others see the dance as a risk.
“Most of the moves could be seen as being not appropriate for a school event,” said senior Nick Deason. “I definitely think there is a good chance of getting in trouble with the dance.”
Deason thinks the problems can be avoided.
“I think most of the students are capable of being responsible with the dance,” Deason said. “It could be more appropriate if the dancers took it more seriously instead of trying to please the culture’s ideas.”
Leadership student senior Rachel Perkins believes the dance will be presented properly once changes are made to potentially risky areas of the performance.
“There is some inappropriate conduct,” Perkins said. “I think the dance will be approved, but we’ll just have to take some things out.”
Leadership teacher Bryan Edinger plans to attend a rehearsal on Monday, Oct. 4, to watch and approve the dance.
“I will be there Monday night to see what they have come up with, just to see that everything is ‘school appropriate,’” Edinger said. “We have to remember that as much as Homecoming is about the students, it is also about the alumni. It is important that we respect them as well.”
Edinger doesn’t anticipate excessive problems with the dance, and ensures that it will be seen at the assembly.
“Absolutely, the dance will not be cut. From what I have heard, the dance is completely fine with the exception of a few seconds that might be a bit controversial,” Edinger said. “With a few tweaks here and there I think they will have an awesome dance planned.”