Instructor-led swing dancing will be allowed at this year’s Associated Students spring banquet “Come Sail Away.” AS hopes swing dancing and other new additions will make this year’s spring banquet unique from previous years, said Amanda Clarke, AS social events coordinator.

SWING DANCING AT SPRING BANQUET 

“This year, we wanted to take a classier approach. We wanted spring banquet to be something students look forward to but was different than what’s been done in the past. We decided a dinner cruise was something that a lot of students probably haven’t done,” Clarke said.

After line dancing was approved by administration and was received well at last year’s spring banquet, AS decided to take it a step further.

“That was a huge hit for students and that was something totally new that AS wanted to explore, and I know there were a lot of conversations with the [President’s Administrative Council],” Clarke said.

Swing dancing will not be the only new aspect of the “Come Sail Away” banquet, Clarke said. Whereas last year, only dessert was offered, this time around the banquet is featuring a catered dinner, dessert and mocktails. In addition, AS will provide a photo booth.

Students have shown a new excitement for this year’s banquet with pre-sale tickets selling out within four hours, and regular tickets selling out in three days, Clarke said.

Policy stands strong

The conversation about allowing dancing at the spring banquet began a few years ago, when AS first brought it to student development’s attention, said Matthew Hooper, associate dean of students.

“When AS came up with that idea last year, we ran it by the student development deans, who ultimately had it approved through the president's office. It was approved because the line dancing — as well as this year's event with swing dancing — is instructor-led and choreographed,” AS adviser Laura Igram-Edwards said.

When it came time for AS to get this year’s spring banquet activities approved, they were met with no opposition to the dancing portion, Igram-Edwards said.

Another reason the administration decided to allow it was that the event was not centered around dancing, Hooper said. 

“Because that wasn’t the primary focus of the event it seemed like a reasonable request,” Hooper said.

Although dancing is allowed as part of the spring banquet, this does not signal a transition period for Biola’s dancing policy, Hooper said.

“There’s not really an openness at this point to change that,” Hooper said.

However, Student Development is trying to be reasonable with the standards. Dancing that spontaneously breaks out at various student events is not something that administration wants to prohibit as long as it remains appropriate, Hooper said.

“Dancing is in the hearts of our students,” Hooper said.