The principal of a Southern California high school lifted a nearly 3-month-old dancing ban he instituted after seeing teenagers’ sexually suggestive moves at school dances that were “one step from events that should be occurring on wedding nights.”
Principal Charles Salter, who canceled Aliso Niguel High School’s homecoming dance earlier this year, is allowing the Aliso Viejo school’s winter formal to go forward as long as students and parents sign a lengthy contract with a long list of admonitions.
Students, parents and administrators helped craft the new rules, which disallow “freak” dancing, but he reserved the right to cancel future dances if students fail to live up to the standards.
Freak dancing has gained widespread acceptance in recent years, propelled by rap music and the sexual images in hip-hop videos.
Critics say the dance’s carnal positions – girl bent at the waist, boy thrusting behind her – go far beyond previous generations’ bumping and grinding. Clashes between outraged adults and sexualized teens have being played out at school dances across the nation, and crested at Aliso Niguel after a jungle- themed back-to-school dance in September.
Salter had been imploring parents for months to get their children to stop “freaking,” and even showed a video of the school dance to hundreds of parents at back-to-school night. After the September dance, Salter canceled future dances until students, parents and administrators crafted a plan to stop freak dancing.
The new dance guidelines forbid students from straddling each other’s legs, bending over, dancing front-to-back, grinding, touching breasts, buttocks or genitals, or “making out,” and require students to keep both feet on the floor and their hands on their partner’s waist or shoulders.
There must be a chaperon for every 20 students, and the lights will be turned on if the dancing turns questionable, Salter said.
Students also will go through a set of checkpoints to ensure they meet dress-code standards and are sober. If a student is suspected of being under the influence, he or she will be given a breathalyzer test. School officials also will search purses and limousines for contraband.
If students break any of the rules, their parents will be called and they will be kicked out of the dance.
