Deans Implement Dance Restrictions

Bright lights, loud music and sweaty bodies filled Grainger Auditorium this past Saturday for Dunbar’s annual Back in Black dance. The dance this year, however, was met with changes in both dance etiquette and setting.After Dean of Residential Life A.J. Cosgrove addressed the community in last week’s Exonian and dorm heads spoke with their students, the explicit expectation against “grinding” at Exeter dances was officially implemented at Back in Black. Distinguishing this year’s dance from its counterparts in years past, organizers made changes to the venue such as brighter lights, a line to enter Grainger and a wall separating the dance space. The overall response from faculty and students alike was largely positive, despite some key complaints.Dunbar resident and upper Maegan Moriarty explained how some of the changes such as the addition of brighter lights helped create a more aware environment at the dance. “I think by having the lights a little brighter, you’re seeing all the people around you and you’re more conscious of what’s going on, and you know who is near you and pay more attention to yourself and your manners,” she said. “When people know they’re being seen, they’re more careful of how they’re appearing and how they may be portraying themselves.”Other students, however, were not as pleased with the brighter environment. “It felt like a bar mitzvah to me,” senior Katie Huffman said.This year’s dance was also conducted in a much tighter area, with half of Grainger Auditorium blocked off. The decision, according to English instructor and Dunbar faculty Duncan Holcomb, was made by Dunbar students. According to lower Stella Woo, the smaller space made the dance feel tighter and gave the event as a whole a slightly more constrained atmosphere.Holcomb, who chaperoned the dance, said that the smaller auditorium made this year’s dance more intense. While initially skeptical, Holcomb was satisfied with the smaller dance. “I thought it would be too small of an area, but people had a good time even though it was kind of crazy. There were no major injuries which made it fun in a way to have that smaller space.”Some students weren’t as enthused about the limited space in the auditorium. Upper Will Rau wasn’t satisfied with the cramped space, and described it as “smaller than necessary.” By keeping a half of Grainger closed, Woo said that only 200 students could enter the dance at a time, resulting in a dance outside the door. Any student that exited the auditorium had to wait in line to enter the dance again.“I think the line could've been avoided allowing more people to come in and enjoy the event if they hadn’t closed part of Grainger off,” Rau said.Woo noticed that some were annoyed and discouraged by the line. “Other students I'm sure were frustrated, and I think some people had come but left right away just because of the line,” she said.Debatably the most significant change to the dance was the more strictly imposed “grinding” rule. After faculty discussions over the summer, it was agreed to make the rule more rigid to ensure the safety and comfort of all students attending dances. English instructor and Dunbar dorm head Todd Hearon explained some of the decisions made during the discussions.“Lots of the deans and many of the dorm heads are in agreement that the culture of student dances, as it currently stands, needs to change,” he said.“We believe that we need to look for ways to curb behavior that works against the culture of goodness and respect that we otherwise and in other areas abide by and profess.”He suggested that all students consider the larger implications of “grinding” and discouraged them from partaking in it at any time, especially on campus, claiming that it inherently contradicts Exeter’s “non sibi” motto. “Can you imagine grinding in a Harkness class?” Hearon asked. “In the dining hall? On a sidewalk in broad daylight downtown? No. So why should we allow it at dances? It's not even dancing. Dancing generally involves facing your partner and interacting in a creatively expressive and mutually enjoyable way. Dance is celebration of life. Grinding is gratification of the self. Sibi, sibi, sibi.”Holcomb described this year’s dance as more appropriate and respectful overall. “There was maybe just once or twice where we had to tell someone to cool it a little bit,” he said.Although many faculty were very opinionated on the subject, according to Moriarty, Dunbar students focused more on the dance itself. “We’re really just in charge of organizing the event and making sure the atmosphere is fun, not really enforcing rules,” she said.Other students were not aware of the recently imposed rule in the first place. “The students’ knowledge of the no grinding rule was confusing,” Rau said. “If the deans had expected us to follow the rule I think that they should have told us a little bit further in advance then waiting for other students to tell us about it.”Both faculty and students agreed that despite various changes to the dance, the overall outcome was successful.“As a new kid last year it was a really fun way to get to know everyone,” Rau said. “I think it was just as much fun as last year.”“The [Dunbar] girls felt this was the best one we have had,” Holcomb said.“The DJ was great, our girls danced the whole time, and they didn’t suggest that anything should be changed. The Back in Black dance has been going on for over 20 years, but I think this is the most fun one that I have ever been to.”