Turnabout has been a part of York’s tradition for ages. However, over the last few years, the York Student Council has noticed fewer and fewer people attending the February dance– so much that the dance has gotten canceled on some occasions due to low ticket sales.

This year, student council decided not to try for another school dance. Instead, they replaced the turnabout dance with the Mr. Duke Pageant which will take place on Feb. 26.  

How do students feel about the new change? Honestly, they don’t seem to care.

In fact, most students don’t go to Turnabout to begin with. One of the reasons students believe Turnabout didn’t work was because of the concept of the girl asking the guy to the dance.

“The idea was a girl asks the guy,” said Billy Tait, junior. “Yet the girl who liked the guy wouldn’t tell him that he liked her and so he never got asked.”

In addition to the concept of the girl asking the guy to the dance, some students believe that manner of asking is no longer unique.

“It’s probably because women asking men to date isn’t so uncommon these days and since it’s already been done, it’s not special anymore,” said Lorna Gannon, senior.

Other students simply assume that Turnabout is not as popular as it was.

“Nobody buys tickets,” said Ben Brown, junior.

As a result of the lack of ticket sales, not many people actually attend Turnabout.

“Unlike Homecoming or Prom,” Tait said, “Turnabout is not for any big event, or have a real meaning to it. It’s just an awkward dance in the middle of the year.”

Other students also agree with the odd timing of the dance.

“Turnabout has been York trying to create a second Homecoming in the middle of the year,” said Brian Heskin, senior. “We even had a spirit week leading up to it a few years ago, and even then, most kids didn’t participate.”

So will we ever see another Turnabout dance at York? According to Student Council Adviser and English teacher, Ms. Fleming, it’s a pretty clear “No.”

“We didn’t even sell enough tickets to cover the cost of the DJ,” Fleming said, “So it is pretty clear that Turnabout Dance is no longer of interest to many York kids.”

Fleming also added that just because there is no Turnabout doesn’t mean that there will not be other winter activities. 

“Even though we will no longer have the Turnabout Dance, Student Council wants to offer a winter activity that might generate more interest,” Fleming said.