[toggle_code title=”Transcript”]The Freshmen-Link Dance was established last year in hopes of role-modeling proper dance etiquette and building strong connections between freshmen and their upperclassmen Link Leaders. These goals –– though they appear to be innovative , refreshing and long overdue –– are not being effectively met at the dance.
While grinding or “freaking,” is definitely not encouraged at the Freshmen-Link Dance, it does not change the fact that many freshmen attend the Welcome Back Dance, popularly known as “Freshmen Rape,” two and a half weeks later. At this dance, freaking is the most popular dance style, and many of the freshmen are asked to freak with upperclassmen.
The Freshmen-Link Dance is inherently ineffective as it only serves as a false representation of what high school dances are actually like. Furthermore, a two-hour dance can only do so much to “build bonds” between the freshmen and their upperclassmen role models. The entire environment is decidedly tinged with a bit of awkwardness, The few slow dances that are thrown into the mix in which the Link Leaders are encouraged by the DJ to dance with the freshmen make an uncomfortable situation all the more painful.
The Freshmen-Link Dance is a superfluous attempt to change a part of MVHS’s culture that is too deeply ingrained to be at all affected by a single exception. Written off merely as a“fun” event, there is not much reason to put an end to the Link Dance, as long as its overarching goals are disregarded. [/toggle_code]
