Breaking the Ice: Grade 9 Dance

Starting high school can be a scary experience for many Grade 9 students, especially those who weren’t familiar with the other students. The Student Council decided to arrange an event to “break the ice” and familiarize the students with each other.

On 2 December 2015 during Period 5, in the cafeteria,Grade 9 students of Marc Garneau C.I. participated in a dance organized by Student Council. They wanted to give the students an opportunity to have fun with friends, and meet with new people. Participation wasn’t mandatory, as students could stay in the library, however most of the Grade 9 population showed up.

“There was a fun atmosphere,” said grade nine student Hargun Kaur. There was a DJ who remixed upbeat songs, and colourful lights that lit up the dancefloor. Many of the songs were popular songs that everyone could enjoy. They included “Hello”, “Gangnam Style”, and “Whip/Nae Nae”.  During one of the songs, students formed a Conga Line, allowing people from different classes and programs to dance and have fun with each other. Some of the teachers also had a lot of fun dancing with the students. They were being extra enthusiastic to encourage the students to dance freely.

Although it was an overall great experience for many students, some students’ expectations were not fulfilled, so they suggested ideas that SAC could incorporate in future dances. Helen Chen, a participant of the dance, stated, “It was fun, but I feel like there should have been food or refreshments.” She added, “There were no introductions or encouragement to talk to new people, so I didn’t really get a chance to bond with people I didn’t know.”

Although bonding with new people was hard at the dance, it was a great chance for the students to socialize with their friends and relieve some of the stress and pressure of high school. Regardless of which classes they were in, students interacted, danced, and had fun with each other.