Why is Vanhojen tanssit that important?

During my first year working here, we were planning a series of podcasts with second year International Studies students. One of the topics was about “stress”, in which “vanhojen tanssit[1]” was brought up. I first heard that it is a “princess day” and girls often want everything to be perfect on that day. It also triggered my curiosity to know the reasons behind those who are not going to take part in the dancing, if it is as important as such. In the blog I wrote one year ago, I used “sophisticated” to describe the whole happening. This year, I decide to interview some of my students and unfold the “sophistication” for myself, as well as the others, who are also interested in it.

I didn’t have the surprised feeling as I had last year since I have learned to normalize my view of life here. Normalization doesn’t mean that I take whatever I see for granted. In another way, I felt very proud of each of them. I feel proud of those who are dancing with all their efforts on the stage. Behind their still childish faces, though they are in mature princess and prince’s dresses, I saw beautiful hearts and grown-up minds. I feel equally proud of those who decided not to dance for all kinds of reasons, because it is really a big decision.  It has been nearly 2 years since I first met them, here and there. They are now officially the senior students in our tiny and lovely lukio and they are fully deserved. I think, it’s time for me to grow up as well.  

Important things deserve repetitiveness: Congratulations to all the second year lukio students of this year!

Here is the interview. Enjoy! 

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[1] “Vanhojen tanssit” in English: ball of the (new) seniors, is a formal prom held in Finnish upper secondary schools (lukio) during the second year. It is a celebration of when the second-year students become the seniors of the school. The prom is usually held the day after the third-year students (the seniors) stop attending school and start studying for their matriculation exams in February. The people attending the dances are called vanhat (“seniors”). – Excerpt from Wikipedia.