Lights Out- Blacklight Dance 2023

By: Rishita Nossam ('25)

The Blacklight Dance is back! Post-COVID, the dance is ready to be put on without any restrictions, giving students an opportunity to socialize and enjoy themselves. The dance, a glow-in-the-dark event held by the Student Council, will take place on Friday, January 27. This event, which will occur on the same day as the winter pep rally, will go on from 6:00-9:00 p.m. in the Freshman Cafeteria.

In order to register for this event, students can pick up packets from the alcove, the activities office, and the senior entrance. Packets to print can also be found on grade-level Google Classrooms. Students have the option to register alone or with a team of at least three people. These teams get a reduced entrance fee and compete in different competitions at the dance. There will be snacks for sale, and students are encouraged to dress up in neon colors to stand out against the black lights. A DJ will be playing music, which allows students to become further immersed in the party environment. Games and awards will take place, and the night will give students an additional opportunity to de-stress before they enter the weekend. 3 volunteer hours will be rewarded as well since the proceeds from this event will be going back to a grief support charity called Imagine.

The dance was last officially held three years ago when all of this year’s graduating seniors were only freshmen. With COVID and the introduction of infinite protocols and restrictions, the dance was unable to be held last year. Even many seniors are not familiar with the event at all, and that raises the question of exactly how many people will be attending the dance this year.

Student Council advisor Mrs. Harlee Olsen said, “My biggest hope is that we get a large turnout. Our goal aside from being able to donate money to the charity is for kids to have fun. We want kids to come out and have a good time, [we’ve] hired a new DJ this year… We have prizes, and all sorts of [things] going on that night, which I hope will [bring] more kids in. We want kids to have a good time, that is our end goal.”

Imagine is a support center dedicated to children and families as they go through the process of grieving for a loved one. They are “currently serving over 285 participants from 55 towns in [their] center every two weeks,” and are able to provide families with comfort and a shoulder to lean on during difficult times. This organization offers an outlet for not only South Brunswick students, but also many other families located throughout New Jersey that may need help and guidance.

Mrs. Olsen went on to say, “It is no secret that our district has experienced [a large amount] of loss over the last few years. The way it has impacted both staff and students has really brought to [all] of our attention how important it is to learn about not necessarily how to grieve, but how important that process is… This is such an amazing resource to have within our state, but also for our community.”

The Student Council is continuously working to make sure this dance is executed in the best way possible, advertising and working together to take different roles in the event-planning process. This dance clearly means very much to the Council, as they are hoping that all of their hard work and effort towards raising awareness about the dance will pay off on January 27. The goal for the dance is to be able to raise funds for Imagine in a way that is extremely fun for all grades.

Senior and Student Council treasurer Anisha Senapati said, “It’s been great, honestly. We’ve all split up the roles pretty well and we’ve done a pretty good job in promoting it, especially. [It’s] just getting more and more people to know what’s happening and [seeing] that our packets are getting taken day by day. [It’s] been fantastic.”

Make sure to go support this school fundraiser and spread the word to friends and peers! The dance should be a fun night to wind down and close off the school week, and the competitions for awards will be exciting for students regardless of whether they are performing or just watching from the sidelines. Why miss out on supporting an important, needed cause while socializing with friends?