By Staff Writer: Rachel Cichon

School dances should be a fun experience, a time for students to rally together and celebrate their school as they dance to their favorite music. However, anyone who has attended an event such as Homecoming or Winterfest knows firsthand what chaos looks like.

The dance is divided into two extreme factions of students. Some flock to the swirling and sweaty mosh pit that forms in the center of the gym, where they display their highly inappropriate and equally disturbing moves, most of which are too vulgar and uncoordinated to even be considered proper dancing. The remaining students cower along the walls of the cafeteria or gym, awkwardly chatting with friends and maybe, if they’re feeling ambitious, attempting to sway back and forth and swing their arms above their head in a sad mimic of actual dancing.

Finally, there may be a solution to this pandemonium. The Dance Project is a company that goes to schools, youth groups, teen centers or any other place that promotes activities among teenagers, and offers free dance lessons. Jason Schrock, principal at Howell High School, has contacted them and reserved three dance class opportunities with them for the students of HHS.

“My goal is to make [the dance] more comfortable and appropriate for the students,” says Schrock on why he contacted the group.

The Dance Project’s primary focus is teaching swing dancing to popular music. They have already helped revolutionize dances at both Hartland and Milford high schools, where swing dancing is now the preferred dance of the students.  At the HHS Homecoming dance, there will be Howell students that have already taken lessons from the Dance Project, modeling the dances and helping others learn to swing dance.

The Dance Project so far has been largely successful in their quest to provide a fun and safe way for students to enjoy themselves while dancing. Their style of dancing allows students to quickly master the simple and fun moves, which are not just easy to learn, but also easy to enjoy.

Students can come to just one dance class or all of them if they choose. The first takes place on Tuesday, October 1, from 2:30 to 3:30 in the afternoon, the second on October 3 from 6:30 to 7:30 in the evening, and the final opportunity, just an hour before the Homecoming dance, begins on Saturday, October 5, from 7 to 8 p.m. Each will be held in the lobby of the HHS auditorium, and are all free.

Mr. Schrock is thrilled to bring this opportunity to the students of HHS, and urges any student to attend, learn, and have a good time. For more information about the Dance Project, students can check out their website, www.TheDanceProject.info. Any student who has ever wanted to learn the art of dancing and gain the full experience of a school dance should take advantage of this great opportunity.

“Did I mention it’s free?” says Mr. Schrock.