Prom
A promenade dance or prom is a formal dance party for graduating high school students at the end of the school year.
Students participating in the prom will typically vote for a prom king and prom queen. Other students may be honored with inclusion in a prom court. The selection method for a prom court is similar to that of homecoming queen/princess, king/prince, and court. Inclusion in a prom court may be a reflection of popularity of those students elected and their level of participation in school activities, such as clubs or sports.
The prom queen and prom king may be given crowns to wear. Members of the prom court may be given sashes to wear and photographed together.
Similar events, which may be locally inspired by debutante balls, take place in many other parts of the world. In Canada, the terms "formal" and "Grad" are often used, while in Australia and New Zealand, the terms school formal and ball are most commonly used for occasions equivalent to the American prom, and the event is usually held for students in Year 12. Many schools hold a formal graduation ball for finishing students at the end of the year in place of or as well as a formal. In Ireland, a debutante ball or debs may also be held. In Poland and Lithuania, high schools organize a "studniówka". The term "prom" has become more common in the United Kingdom and Canada because of the influence of American films and television shows, such as Grease. In South Africa, this event is widely known as a matric dance / matric farewell as students in their 12th year of school are called matric students. In South Asia, its equivalent is a farewell party.
Variation exists between different dialects with regard to whether prom is used with the definite article or not—e.g., whether one says "go to the prom" or "go to prom".
In the United States
History
In the early days of high school proms, the nighttime dance served a function similar to a debutante ball. Early proms were times of firsts: the first adult social event for teenagers; the first time taking the family car out after dark; the first real dress-up affair; and so forth. Proms also served as a heavily documented occasion, similar to a milestone event such as first communion or a wedding, in which the participants were taking an important step into a new stage in their lives. In earlier days, the prom may have also served as an announcement of engagement for the 'best couple' after the prom court had been crowned and recognized.While high school yearbooks did not start covering proms and including prom pictures until the 1930s and 1940s, historians, including Meghan Bretz, believe proms may have existed at colleges as early as the late 19th century. The journal of a male student at Amherst College in 1894 recounts an invitation and trip to an early prom at neighboring Smith College for women. The word prom at that time may have been a fancy description for an ordinary junior or senior class dance, but prom soon took on larger-than-life meaning for high school students.
Proms worked their way down incrementally from college gatherings to high school extravaganzas. In the early 20th century, prom was a simple tea dance where high school seniors wore their Sunday best. In the 1920s and 1930s, prom expanded into an annual class banquet where students wore party clothes and danced afterward. As Americans gained more money and leisure time in the 1950s, proms became more extravagant and elaborate, bearing similarity to today's proms. The high school gym may have been an acceptable setting for sophomore dances, but junior prom and senior balls gradually moved to hotel ballrooms and country clubs. Competition blossomed, as teens strove to have the best dress, the best mode of transportation, and the best-looking date. Competition for the prom court also intensified, as the designation of prom queen became an important distinction of popularity. Prom became the pinnacle event of a high school student's social life.
Today, prom continues to be a notable event in the social climate of high schools. Popular movies and novels attest to the importance of prom themes, prom dates, and prom queens. In some areas, the traditions of prom are not as rigid as they used to be, with many students attending as individuals or in groups instead of as couples. In 1975, U.S. First Daughter Susan Ford held her prom in the East Room of the White House.
Attire
Traditionally, boys dress in black or white formal wear, often tuxedos regardless of the time of the event, sometimes paired with ties or bow ties with vests or cummerbunds, in some cases in colors matching their date's dress.Traditionally, girls wear dresses or evening gowns and adorn themselves with ladies' jewelry such as earrings and a necklace. Traditionally, girls wear perfume and make-up such as eyeshadow, lipstick, mascara, and blush. Girls also traditionally wear a corsage, given to them by their dates, and girls give boys matching boutonnières to be worn on their lapels.
By the 2000s, the clothes girls wear to prom have become more revealing due to the influence of celebrities and the mass media.
Promposals
A "promposal" is a popular pre-prom tradition where a student asks another to go to the prom with them using some method and extra fanfare. A promposal is distinct from the normal prom ask, which typically includes the question, "Will you go to prom with me?" without additional spectacle. Promposals may include concepts and materials from posters, confetti, and balloons to the more viral, elaborate plans that give promposals their extravagant reputation. Examples include spelling "Prom?" with pepperoni on pizza, organizing a flash mob, graffitiing national park land, and using a hot-air balloon. Promposals, due to their flashy nature, often include a social media aspect like livestreaming, taking and posting videos, and other forms of memorializing on social media platforms.Champagne Parties
Champagne parties, also known as "send-offs," have become a prominent pre-prom tradition in the United States. These celebrations typically take place before high school proms and serve as elaborate gatherings that precede the formal prom event. The concept of champagne parties gained significant attention due to their flamboyant nature and the remarkable cultural custom they represent.Originating in the 2010s, champagne parties are characterized by their extravagance, creativity, and community involvement. Families host these events to celebrate and honor their teenagers as they prepare to depart for their proms. The festivities often include live music, themed decorations, red carpet entrances, and communal gatherings where friends, family, and neighbors come together to celebrate the youth's journey into adulthood. Attire at champagne parties typically mirrors the elegance and formality of prom attire, with teenagers and sometimes even their guests donning stylish evening gowns, suits, and formalwear.
Logistics and traditions
Prom attendees may be limited by their schools to be juniors or seniors and guests under age 21. Boys are usually the ones to ask their date to the prom. A 2014 YouGov survey of men who went to prom found that 79% of them asked. Of women surveyed, 29% said they asked. Before prom, girls typically get their hair styled, often in groups as a social activity at a salon. Prom couples then gather at a park, garden, or their own and their dates' houses for single and group photographs. Prom attendees may rent limousines or party buses to transport groups of friends from their homes to the prom venue. Some schools host their proms at hotel ballrooms, banquet halls, or other venues where weddings typically take place. The dance itself may have a band or DJ. At prom, a meal may be served. By the early 21st century, prom has become a multi-billion-dollar business in the United States, with each family spending hundreds to even thousands of dollars for the occasion.Some high schools allow only the graduating class to have a prom. Some schools also allow grade 11 to have a prom, and in some cases, there is a combined junior/senior prom. Some American high schools that do not allow school-sponsored dances will host a junior/senior prom as a banquet instead of a dance. Typically, students still dress in formal attire and attend as couples. In recent years, American teens have started asking celebrities or famous models to their proms.
Post-prom
After the prom, parents or a community may host a prom after-party, afterglow or post-prom at a restaurant, entertainment venue, or a student's home. Other traditions often include trips to nearby attractions, such as amusement parks, regional or local parks, or vacation houses. Some of these post-prom events are chaperoned and some are unsupervised. Many post-proms are at the school, and involve bringing entertainment such as interactive games, artists, and other entertainers to the school, as a means to deter inappropriate behaviors.In the United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom prior to the 2000s, many secondary schools would hold events such as a summer ball to celebrate the end of term or a leavers ball to celebrate the end of schooling but, usually, these did not have the cultural or social significance of US-style proms.In the 1970s, school discos had been another tradition of semi-formal events being held at various times of the year, in particular during the Christmas period, although not all secondary schools would allow such events.
During the 2000s, school proms became common at UK schools, apparently due to the influence of US TV shows. The Daily Telegraph reported in 2012 that:
Schools in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland predominantly hold their prom, or school formal, at the end of secondary education in year 11 and the end of sixth form.
In Scotland, it is usually only held at the end of S6 because all high schools in Scotland have pupils up to age 18 years, whereas elsewhere in the UK, many students have to go to college or sixth form to study for A-Levels. Proms are usually held in June, after the end of year exams, although in Northern Ireland, they are usually held in the wintertime near the start of the school year. At Scottish formal events, boys usually wear kilts and Highland dress outfitters often sell out in an area around this time of year due to demand from school events. Also in Scotland, it is customary for traditional Scottish country dancing to be included.