This Week’s Topic:
It’s almost prom season, and since we love to read and write about teenagers, we want to hear your prom stories!
In South Africa (where I grew up) we don’t have a ‘prom,’ we have a series of dances from grade 10-12. The first major dance (at least at my all girl’s Catholic high school) was called the Debutantes Ball, or Debs Ball. To this event, every girl had to wear white. My mom made my dress – an awesome medieval inspired number and I took a good looking boy I met at ballroom dancing lessons to the dance. I had a major crush on this kid with dimples and bright green eyes, but alas it was not meant to be.
For grades 11 and 12 there is one dance, the Matric Dance. The grade 11s are in charge of organising the dance, from theme to decorating, catering and clean-up, and as a reward are allowed to attend. I did my decorating and clean-up duty but skipped the actual dance.
My Matric Dance I attended with another friend from the ballroom and latin studio where I danced. Being uber goth at that point, I draped myself in black lace and had my hair done in medieval style corn rows for the event. The dance itself was enjoyable, although given my partner’s penchant for samba and jive, I probably should have reconsidered the straight skirt gothic attire.
At my school, the girls tended to go overboard with their dresses. One girl wore a diamante encrusted number and spent most of her night bawling in the bathroom because her date stepped on the hem and ripped the $1,500 creation. Another girl went commando under a sheer yellow gown sporting a spray on tan. Only, she wore a g-string during the tanning session so instead of inconspicuously not wearing any underwear under her dress, she ended up with very obvious g-string tan lines. Silly girls. They ruined their nights before they even began.
While others zoomed off to after parties, my friends and I headed for pancakes at the totally awesome little joint called The Cats Pyjamas.
And that’s it.
Do you have any interesting high school dance stories to share?
