Sidwell’s long standing tradition of having a themed informal dance in the fall to celebrate our school should continue despite many arguing that a formal alternative would be superior. With a formal dance less than two months after Homecoming, replacing the classic informal Homecoming dance with a dressy one would be unwise.
Homecoming weekend is designed to celebrate Sidwell and its students, and specifically its seniors. With this in mind, many sports games focus on the outstanding athletes that make up the senior class, with senior celebrations after games and an emphasis on their performance. At the pep rally, seniors oversee dances and showcase their teams’ talents. In keeping with the theme of celebrating our graduating class, the Homecoming dance traditionally allows seniors to dress up in fancier clothing than their underclassmen counterparts. For example, this year’s theme saw seniors dressed in glittery outfits portraying VIPs while sophomores played the role of their security. With the conversion of the informal Homecoming dance into a formal one, the spotlight would be taken off of the seniors and placed on the entire high school population.
The festivities of Homecoming last until late afternoon, during which many student-athletes compete in games, and other community members enjoy their time on campus. However, with the preparation required for a formal dance, many students would opt to leave Homecoming earlier to get ready in time for the dance, shortening the time for activities that the faculty works hard to plan.
Furthermore, having an informal, themed homecoming allows students to be creative. Students are able to experiment with the different themes, such as this year’s theme of Vegas, where students dressed up as poker tables, security, decks of cards and VIPs. By allowing students to have fun with this dance rather than have a strict attire requirement, the spirit of Homecoming stays alive.
Finally, the Winter Formal is less than two months away from Homecoming. Having two formal dances so close together would bring many students to purchase two outfits and spend an unnecessary amount of money on school dances. However, having a variety of formal and informal dances throughout the school year allows students to explore their creativity and broaden their high school experiences. Thus, the Homecoming dance should continue as an informal occasion, allowing students to showcase their school spirit and appreciate the graduating seniors rather than placing unneeded pressure on students to have yet another formal dance.
