Becoming a 'Dancing Queen': Duchesne Academy’s GIC Dance 

Welcome back to school, everyone! The “Dancing Queen” Duchesne Orientation dance took place on Sept. 10, and it was a blast. Volleyball nets were put up to make room for the dance floor as colorful flashing lights flooded the gym. There were many activities to do at the first social event of the season, such as busting a move on the dance floor, or, as sophomore Julianna Reyes mentions, “getting to spend time with my friends!” 

Whenever anyone needed a break from the dance floor, they were free to go out into the gym foyer or the hallway. Outside of the gym students could get a quick sip of water while socializing with their friends. Popcorn was also served in the gym foyer as a snack for everyone! 

At the core of the orientation dance is the tradition of the Freshman Dance. This dance is choreographed by the seniors, who then teach it to the freshmen during FISH Welcome Week. In the middle of the GIC (Getting into Circulation) dance, the freshman got the opportunity to showcase their new skills to everyone else attending by presenting their dance. The custom “Dancing Queen” t-shirts given to the freshmen and seniors completed the look. This tradition memorably strengthens the relationship between freshmen and seniors and helps the two grades collaborate in a unique way. 

Overall, Duchesne’s GIC dance was a huge success! Sophomore Annie Coulter adds “I loved hanging out with my freshman friends and all the rest of the grades, and it was a good way to live out Goal 4 of building community.” Students began to trickle out around 10:30 p.m., and the last song of the night played soon afterward. However, with the efforts of both teachers and students, the GIC dance ended up becoming the perfect way to kickstart the school year.