By: Joshua Haight

The Senior Prom is a special event for junior and senior students. Prom will be held this year at the Willow Bay theatre in Jamestown, NY. The theme will be a Midsummer Knight’s Dream, based off of the Shakespearian play. The dance is not a typical dance; it is much more formal and requires a bit more cash than homecoming to attend. Girls typically buy expensive dresses and expect their dates buy tuxes to match their outfits. At prom, there are many dances that couples and single people can do.

Some classical dances that people do are the Waltz or Foxtrot. The Waltz dance has a unique tempo in ¾ time, meaning that the first and third beat are accented. One can easily establish this beat by simply counting 1…2…3. According to dance.about.com, dancers should move their shoulders smoothly. On the first beat of the music, a step is taken forward on the heel, then onto the ball of the foot with a gradual rise to the toes, continuing on to the second and third beats of the music. At the end of the third beat, the heel is lowered to the floor to the starting position.

The Foxtrot is typically a very smooth dance categorized by a smooth, quick, quick, pattern. There should be no quick jerking involved when doing this dance pattern. Timing is also a very important concept while doing the Foxtrot. As the Foxtrot is more challenging than other styles of dance, it is usually recommended to master the Waltz prior to attempting this dance, as it is much more difficult than the Waltz. The Foxtrot is a fast paced dance that is also very nice to do with a couple and is very enjoyable to watch.There is no specific way that one should dance at Prom, but one should be formal. Modern songs are generally played at Prom that don’t require a specific form of dancing. Some other modern dances could include the Dab or the Whip and Nae Nae.  The Whip and Nae Nae is a popular song that includes a series of hand and waist motions with its dance routine. This dance routine is usually used solo.

Prom is a dance that allows high school students to have a great time and emphasize their school spirit. If you feel like your dance moves aren’t quite up to par for the big day, try checking out YouTube for some informative tutorials to help you get ready for the big dance.