To Glow or Not to Glow? That Is the Dance Question

While organizing the first city-sponsored teen dance, the Youth Advisory Board ran into a snag this week when San Juan Hills High officials said they wouldn’t help promote it.

That’s because it’s not the type of dance allowed on campus.

The Youth Advisory Board, which advises the City Council on matters that concern teens, is planning a “glow dance” for St. Patrick’s Day.

But glow sticks, glow necklaces and any other glowing objects are banned at dances. The reason, Principal Tom Ressler said, is because they are linked to raves, a type of dance party that emerged in the 1990s which often features electronic music, glowsticking ... and the drug ecstasy.

A year ago, Darren Jindra, assistant principal at San Juan Hills and a former Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy,  to parents called, “What Is School Really Like?” In it, he described the paraphernalia often found at raves associated with ecstasy: candy, baby pacifiers and glow sticks.

According to the Drug Enforcement Agency website, glow sticks are “used to enhance the effects of MDMA [ecstasy] because MDMA heightens sensory and light perception.”

Ressler told Patch: “We would not approve a ‘glow-themed’ dance nor do we allow glow sticks/necklaces at dances.”

Several private schools in the area, however, do.

“We have never had any issues at glow dances so we do allow them,” said Miranda Baird, spokeswoman for . and  allow them as well, said representatives of those schools.

The Youth Advisory Board met Monday to discuss plans for its dance. That’s when chairwoman Alexis D’Epagnier gave the bad news that her high school activities director won’t let her promote the dance anywhere, including the most effective way to get the news out, the school’s Facebook page.

“To be honest,” D’Epagnier said, “glow dances don’t have the best reputation.”

The board entertained other possible names, including member Alberto Barrera’s suggestion, “I Can’t Believe It’s Not a Glow Dance.” But member Ryan St. Onge said it’s not the name that’s hurting them.

Glow dances have “a negative connotation. It’s not so much what the name is but what a dance like that entails,” he said.

Adult adviser Jerry Muir asked board members if they still wanted to go forward with the dance. He got a unanimous and hearty “Yes!” in response. He told them they would have to work out security issues to keep the expected 450 kids safe and find a way around the publicity hurdle at San Juan Hills High.

“I can’t believe the youth can’t get the word out,” he said.