[dropcap]A [/dropcap]promenade dance, most commonly known by its shortened name, prom, is a yearly cravate noire, if I may, event – usually for juniors/seniors – that most high schools throughout the US and UK partake in. The now high school extravaganza is believed to have emerged in the late 1800’s and said to have completely manifested itself in the early-mid 1900’s. These yearly events have become a staple in American culture, even having scenes based on prom in movies such as the cult-classic Carrie and the millennial-I-wished-I-grew-up-in-the-80’s-staples: Sixteen Candles, Footloose, and including one of the great musical of all time, Grease.
Having had it’s long lived history, there has been a major decline in prom through the eyes of countless high school students recently, leading me to ask an abundance of questions regarding teenage minds and the negative side of prom. To begin with, why have teens avoided the once long awaited dance? Why does prom require and cost so much to enter and attend? What is the history of prom and how exactly does our culture today connect with this dance?
I took the liberty of speaking with friends, family, and even myself about this dance and why many of us decided (or decide) to ignore prom as a whole. For once, everyone seems to have a major issue with the students themselves. “I didn’t want to be around people from my high school any longer,” said one of my friends in an expected, brutally honest way. I took this chance to ask myself, mentally, why I choose to avoid this high school spectacle and my answer was remotely close to his, I simply couldn’t stand breathing, living, and overall enjoying myself amongst these exasperating high school dwellers.
I dug a little deeper, really examining the pinnacle of fear within myself; soon I realized that my mental health was a huge factor playing in this seclusion from “the world” of a “normal teenager.” I simply couldn’t talk to others and socialize with them without fearing the nonexistent.
Money, like in every situation, plays a huge part in this decline.
The price of prom leaves plenty with their jaws dragging on the floor. According to PROMGIRL., the ticket prices range from $20-$250.
If dining elsewhere after the event is your plan, that prices run from $20-$130 per person; hair, makeup, and nails combined range from $30-$275; prom gowns are priced at a merely $100-$400; boutonnieres [for him] vary between $10-$20; some couples decide to be professionally photographed, snatching $30-$125 from your pocket and your ride there, the limousine, gives you a debt of roughly $200-$500. How high school students can afford such high prices is completely mind-boggling but to each their own.
While prom, of course, is supposed to be an event of unity for the school, as well as a farewell, the history of the event has its own skeletons in the closet. With prom came various traditions, one of the most obvious and well-known ones being prom king and queen, which, if you didn’t know, was a method of keeping youths sexuality “straight.” The dress code contributed to this idea through dress code by enforcing heteronormative dress. Naturally, this these traditions and “rules” never worked.
Once again, while prom is perceived as an event of “unity,” it brings a lot of envy and competitions within students as winners of prom king and queen usually represent their level of popularity throughout the school. This also contributes plenty to the decline of prom.
As in film, the idea of prom has spread itself through music, most recently through singer Kevin Abstract’s work and events. On Thursday, December 15, he held his very own prom near the center of Hollywood. The sky was crying that same, hitting me like dull needles as I waiting to enter his very own “All American Drive-In Prom.” Unfortunately, I was one of those kids who was denied entrance to the event because of the venue’s capacity.
However, as you stand there around the corner from this concert venue, feeling out of control due to the rain, you ponder on a variety of topics: “Why is it raining? Did the Nightmare Before Christmas actually commercially flop? Why is everyone ruining their lungs with cigarettes? Why is Donald Trump President-elect? Do you smell that?” and like my brother, having not been exposed to many people before asked my: “Why is everyone so weird here?” That comment I connected with someone else’s idea on prom and its ultimate meaning.
Abstract, having had not gone to his own prom, created a safe space for outsiders; “the weirdos.” Many people, like myself, choose to avoid the entire concept of prom because who wants to go alone whilst ridiculed with anxiety.
Why does this prom mean so much? It doesn’t; the only ones who care for prom are the ones have a significant other, and the ones who aren’t alone. There’s nothing significant about prom; it’s expensive and shows you how unpopular and how alone you are. I, like many others, choose to ignore this dance.
