Sadie Hawkins – a casual spring dance in which “ladies take the lead” – returns to the BOHS campus March 28.
The dance, which debuted 88 years ago and was a staple on BOHS’s spring calendar from the 1940s to 2010s, was revived by sophomore class advisers Mitsuo Maeda and Chris Schaadt, and Class of 2027 officers, to replace MORP, the underclassmen-friendly alternative to prom, which suffered from low ticket sales and cancellations the past few years.
To solve the problem of sparse attendance at MORP, class officers opted for an all-classes dance.
“Sadie’s is more inclusive,” Maeda said. “In the past, MORP was geared to freshmen and sophomores, but Sadie’s appeals to all four classes.”
Sadie Hawkins debuted in 1937 as a character in the satirical Li’l Abner comic strip. Deemed “the homeliest girl in all of the hills” (the strip was set in fictional Dogpatch, in the Appalachian mountains), Sadie grew tired of waiting for boys to court her. To save his lonely daughter from embarrassment, her father created “Sadie Hawkins’ Day,” where unwed girls could chase the town’s bachelors, hoping to wrangle them into marriage.
With that strip, a tradition was born. By 1939, Life magazine reported 201 colleges holding Sadie Hawkins’ Day events, where girls broke from tradition and took the initiative to ask boys out. That tradition eventually influenced high school dances, encouraging couples to dress alike , take pictures atop hay bales, and even participate in fake marriage ceremonies.
The dance soon became a spring tradition at BOHS as well.
The Dec. 2, 1955 issue of the Wildcat includes a front-page preview that encourages Wildcats to, “Grab your Li’l Abners, Daisy Maes, and come out.” At that dance, Arleen Hosken (’55) won the “best corsage” contest, and Joanne Amistadi (’55) and Clyde Lorentzen (’55) were named “best dressed couple.”
The country theme continued into the early ’80s.
In the 1983 volume of the Gusher yearbook, students are pictured in Western shirts, Wranglers, and cowboy hats, enjoying country-themed activities, like getting sent to “jail” by “Sadie Sheriffs,” and even getting “hitched,” like Daleena Henley (’82) and Anthony Tripp (’81).
The next year, Sadies swapped the Appalachian-inspired outfits and imagery for leis and island vibes. For Hula Hawkins, “gals will be trading in their prairie skirts for grass ones and guys can say ‘good-bye’ to their guitars and ‘hello’ to ukeleles,” Amee Kendle (’84) wrote in the Oct. 7, 1983 issue of the Wildcat. Leis were presented to the first 144 couples, Hawaiian “skewers” were served, and live music was performed by the band Scandal.
In 1996, the dance further distanced itself from its Li’l Abner roots with Safari Hawkins, organized by the Girls Athletic Association. “Lions, tigers, cheetahs, and miles of vines,” wrote Sabrina Hill (’97) in the Nov. 7 issue of the Wildcat. “Not your typical barnyard dance but perfect for the atypical Sadies celebration.”
This year, however, the dance is theme-less.
“There isn’t a particular theme students have to follow, so they can be creative in planning their costumes, such as coordinating colors or dressing as Disney characters,” Pam Valenti, ASB director, said.
Valenti also emphasized the event’s inclusivity: the dance is for everyone — couples, friends, and groups from all four grade levels.
In addition to encouraging attendees to wear matching outfits, another holdover from Sadie Hawkins dances of years past is the emphasis on “casual.” The spring dance is a more affordable alternative to the more costly formal Homecoming and prom events.
The dance’s appeal due to its casual vibes and affordable tix was even featured in a 1981 issue of the Wildcat, which touted the event as, “one of the biggest dances of the year because of the informality of the occasion.”
Maia Hammel (‘27), Class of 2027 vice president, is looking forward to the dance’s return to BOHS. “Sadies is such a fun tradition that our school has been missing out on for the past few years,” Hammel said. “I am looking forward to seeing all the creative proposals and making my own with my friends.”
To promote the dance, ASB placed posters around campus and posts updates to their Instagram account, @breasadies25.
The event will again be held at the BOHS food court (a tradition that dates back to the 1940s), and will feature an array of activities, such as a DJ for those in the mood to dance, and a video game truck.
“Not everyone loves to dance, so we’re bringing in the game truck so there’s something for everyone,” Elisabeth Chiu (‘27), Class of 2027 president, said.
In addition, in the spirit of “Marryin’ Sam” in the original Li’l Abner comic strip and past Sadies dances, there will be Ring Pop-sealed “marriages” conducted by Maeda and Schaadt.
“If you want to get fake married, [Maeda and I] will fake-marry you at Sadies,” Schaadt said. “You’ll never get to enjoy a fake marriage you don’t take a chance on.”
The revived Sadie Hawkins dance — one of BOHS’s oldest traditions — will be a night to remember.
“Show up with your friends, dance, play games, eat some food, be here for a few hours, and have fun,” Valenti encouraged.
Hannah Moon (‘27), who plans to attend the dance with friends, said, “Sadie’s [will be] a nice change of pace from our usual dances. I can’t wait to make new memories at Sadie’s and potentially start a new tradition with all my friends.”
Presale tickets to Sadie Hawkins are $10 with an ASB sticker and $15 without, and will be available for purchase starting March 17. Entry at the door will be $20.
