On Aug. 19th, UHS’ ASB hosted the Retro Jam Dance at the school crossroads to celebrate the start of the new school year. The dance’s theme was the ‘70s, with students dressing up with attire and accessories from that decade. 

Many students participating in the event connected with those in other grades and enjoyed the distinct ’70s-themed atmosphere. The back-to-school dance has traditionally been an opportunity for students to connect with each other and for first-year students to get acclimated to high school. 

“Everyone pulled up in their ‘70s outfit, and it was rewarding to see all of ASB’s planning come to a reality as each class bonded,” Sophomore Class Vice President Ally Kim said. “The DJ and the music selection were great too, and I found the game section very fun.”

ASB members that planned the dance saw their artistic visions come to life successfully as students enjoyed the school spirit. 

“To start, the DJ transitioned from our ’70s-themed music to popular mosh and sing-along tracks,” Sophomore Class President Evan Zhong said. “ASB President Ryan Alavi led the mosh pits, which gave many students chances to get sturdy and feel themselves.”

Although the dance was advertised mainly towards freshmen, students from all grades participated in the event. 

“I honestly wasn’t sure I would go because I heard that it was going to be mostly freshmen attending, but there ended up being people from all grades and it was so much fun,” junior Jana Salam said. “It was really fun to be around everyone and see so many of my classmates after the summer break.”

While the dance overall was described by many as a success, ASB members still noted areas for improvement and hope to attract more students to school functions. 

“The event achieved the goal of creating a fun and memorable first dance experience for our new class of 2026,” Sophomore Class Vice President Adrian Nguyen said. “However, something I think could have improved was the number of people there.”

Other students noted the change in activities available at the Retro Jam Dance compared to back-to-school dances in previous years. 

“There was not much dancing other than the mosh pit, so I tried to look for other activities,” sophomore Christopher Burke said. “Although I enjoyed the more physical activities, such as Foosball, there was a lack of board games and cards that had been present last year.”

Students attending the dance enjoyed a unique atmosphere with their friends, including dancing, music and games. 

“I think that the Retro Jam Dance gave new meaning to BTS dances and will play a significant role in planning and building up hype for future dances,” Zhong said.