The annual JPs dance will be in the Hannah Springs Elementary Cafeteria from 7 p.m.- 9 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased from any JPs member. Any high school student is invited to attend.
“Each ticket admits one person and costs $10,” senior and second Vice President Ruby Wiseman said. “We did this because the last couple years, we have noticed that a lot of girls are forced to wait outside of the dance with nowhere to go because their dates are late. We are hoping that each person having a ticket will relieve some of the stress of waiting around for a partner.”
JPs stands for the Juniorette Pierian Club, and each year, current members recruit incoming juniors into the club.
“The Pierians Club was founded in the early 1900s for the education of women and to create more community involvement from women,” senior and JPs President Chesley Breuer said. “JPs does the same but on a smaller scale. We volunteer at certain events, hold meetings, and host the JPs dance. JPs is special to me because it’s a group of kind, intelligent, like minded girls, and JPs have created connections with each other.”
The theme of the dance was a collective decision by all JPs members.
“At our meeting in November, we had the girls bring some theme ideas and we all voted for our favorites,” Breuer said. “The theme decided was ‘masquerade,’ which won by a landslide.”
The dance decor will embody everything masquerade, and the music will be provided by DJ Martin Ybarra.
“We expect the dance to be filled with tons of sparkling golds, silvers, and blacks,” senior and first Vice President Meredith McBeth said. “We are planning on having an amazing backdrop to take tons of photos!”
Tons of preparation and time goes into planning all the details of this dance.
“We probably discuss dance planning over 3 or 4 monthly meetings where committees are formed so that a group of girls can focus on each specific aspect,” Wiseman said. “The committees are typically divided into ticket/advertisement, food and decor. Our ideas are all brought together and approved by the President/Vice presidents.”
Even with all the previous preparation, there are still many tasks for members to get done on the actual day of the dance.
“The day of JPs, seniors will start to set up the dance at 10 a.m. and it typically takes about two hours,” Wiseman said. “Then we will arrive at the dance like one and a half hours early, and juniors will take everything down and clean up after the dance.”
The money made in ticket sales will be put toward scholarships for the members.
“We work really hard to put it on and all of the proceeds go directly to our scholarship fund so it is definitely not a waste of money, it will be used to support the club and its members,” Wiseman said.
Breuer said people should go to the JPs dance because it is a great opportunity to wear a nice outfit and bond with friends.
“For one, it’s fun to get dressed up for an occasion, and JPs is the perfect time,” Breuer said. “It’s a good reason to hang out with your friends and make new ones. You can make so many memories and have a fun time with your friends. Afterwards, you can go eat out while you’re still dressed up.”
