PROM

An unrelated television movie, '', aired on CTV in 2004.


In the United States and Canada a 'prom', short for 'promenade', is used to describe a formal dance held at the end of an academic year. In the United Kingdom, the term is more widely understood to be in reference to a season of classical concerts or "proms", which have been held between July and September since 1895, today run by the BBC. The British synonym for the North American event would be ''Valedictory Ball'', ''Leavers' Ball'', ''Leavers' Dinner'' or informally ''Leavers' Do'', closer to the Australian description (see below.) In Canada the terms ''Grad'' or ''Formal'' are most common and the event is usually only held for those in their graduating year of high school or middle school.
While proms at smaller schools may be open to the entire student body, large high schools may hold two proms, a 'junior prom' for those finishing their 11th grade year and a 'senior prom' for those who are finishing their high school or middle school years. The name is derived from the late nineteenth century practice of a ''promenade ball''. The end of year tradition stemmed from the ''graduation ball'' tradition.
Boys usually dress in black tie (a dinner jacket and bow tie), sometimes with brightly colored cummerbunds or vests, though any sort of formal wear can be worn. Traditionally, girls gave boys matching boutonnieres to be worn on the tuxedos. Girls traditionally wear formal gowns or dresses adorned with a corsage given to them by their date. Many boys also match the color of their tie to their date's dress. Often, boys and girls will dress according to the theme of the prom - e.g. pastel suits for a ''Miami Vice''-themed prom.
Common prom activities include dining, dancing, the crowning of a prom King and Queen, and socializing. In some cases, high school students accumulate funds for their class prom through fundraisers over the four years they attend their high school. High schools in or near large cities may rent ballrooms at expensive hotels or, to be unusual, venues such as a pleasure cruise boat. Many students group together to take limousines to their proms. Often costs are cut by using the school gym, which challenges the decorating committee to somehow mask the gym odor and drab surfaces. Music played during the dance portion of the event is normally the genre(s) most popular with the attendees.
Some high school students feel that the prom is the most romantic night of their lives. They may go in a group that includes a person they have known for years; other times, students just try to find a date that they like. Many find it to be just as fun to attend with friends, not worrying about the dating aspect of the prom. The occurrence of inappropriate conduct and occurrence of violence or alcohol/drug abuse is common though discouraged.
Some universities and colleges have proms as well, depending on the size of the graduating class in a faculty or department.

Contents

Prom King and Queen

Related Social Gatherings

See also

Prom King and Queen

A Prom Queen is a woman who is elected to be, as the name suggests, queen of the prom. She traditionally becomes Prom Queen by her fellow students casting votes and electing their queen. Recently, however, some schools hold raffles to avoid a popularity contest amongst students and pick the Prom King and Queen at random. Normally any student from any class is eligible to be voted; however, some schools only elect seniors. The Prom Queen is partnered with a Prom King who is elected similarly. They both have a Prom King and Queen dance to celebrate their election.
The practice of crowning a Prom King and Queen is uncommon in Britain though widespread in the USA.

Related Social Gatherings

Some American Christian high schools and colleges that disallow school-sponsored dances will host a Junior/Senior. Rather than dancing being the main planned event, a banquet is served. Typically, students still dress in formal attire and even bring dates. The tradition of Junior/Senior is popular at small Christian colleges such as Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky and Greenville College in Greenville, Illinois.
As described in the introduction, in British English, such an event might be called a 'ball', although in Australia, and New Zealand it is also often called a School Formal as well as a 'Ball'. In Australian schools the terms used are either School Formal (although most commonly abbreviated to 'Formal'. The same event for students not occurring in their final year of school is referred to as a 'Semi Formal') which is not relegated solely to the final year or sometimes as 'Dinner-dance', 'Leavers' Dinner', 'Debutante Ball' or also 'Valedictory Dinner', usually so when the night includes a meal and is in the final year of high school.
In Sweden this kind of event is usually known as Studentbalen. The word "Studentbalen" is in this case a proper noun meaning ''"The Student Ball"'', while the word studentbal is a common noun that can refer to any formal dinner and dance at a Swedish university. Studentbalen is usually held during the last weeks before graduating (Swedish: ''"Ta studenten"'') after three years in secondary school (Swedish: Gymnasieskola) and can be a quite formal, white tie event though the practice differs greatly between schools.
In Ireland it is known as a 'debs' (an abbreviation of debutante ball) or a ''grads'' (in all male schools). In the U.S. a "formal" is typically a similar dance that is held by a fraternity or sorority affiliated with a certain college or university. In Australia, the term "prom" has also come into sparse usage and in Britain it is becoming widespread, because of US influence, especially the influence of American movies and television.
In Germany students celebrate their graduation from High School or Gymnasium with an 'Abifeier' (from the graduation certificate or Abitur), "Abi Party" or an "Abi Ball" - although most British or American students would fail to observe any of the traditional formality found in their own events. Students are not compelled to wear Tuxedos and the women students are rarely in ball gowns (it is almost impossible to buy a traditional Prom outfit anywhere in Germany). The event often follows a very rigid running order, with welcome, introductions, an award ceremony for students and then a series of student organised activities that tend to make fun of teachers usually with a joke about their bicycles or an extended hagiography about the favourite teacher. This is followed by the school's own band or bands or even an extended demonstration of all of the artistic outpourings of the students and staff. The event normally ends with a dj playing music. Alcohol is available at these events since the legal drinking age in Germany is 16 (for beer and wine) and most graduating students are 18 or older.
In Colombia many private schools usually have "proms" aswell, in Medellin for example hotel rooms are booked for this purposes and alcohol is usually available.
In South Africa the equivalent is a Matric Dance, taking place during the matriculation (i.e. final) year of high school. The tradition is, however, very similar to the American one.
In Pakistan the equivalent is farewell dinner that takes place at the end of the college academic year.
In India the equivalent is a farewell party or farewell gathering. The outgoing students are given a warm send-off by the junior students and staff. All the seniors are felicitated with souvenirs and best outgoing students are given awards.
In Slovenia the equivalent is Maturantski ples after graduating from high school. Students can bring dates and/or close family to the ball. It is a custom that each student dances the first dance of the night with his mother/her father.
In Turkey the equivalent is called "Graduation Ball". The type and the rules of the organization is completely up to the school board.
In Italy the equivalent is known as "Mak Π 100" because it takes place 100 days before the students' graduation in high school. In military schools it is similar to the American prom, whereas in civil schools it is less formal, it can be held in discos and the students can perform a cabaret show in which they make a parody of their teachers.
Anti-prom is an alternative social gathering, usually held to protest a prom.

See also

★ Anti-prom

★ Debutante Ball

★ Studniówka

★ Vanhojen tanssit

★ Charitable Prom Organizations