Exam season is over, meaning it’s time for Wanhat!! Wanhat, the Finnish version of prom, is called the Old Dances in English. Unlike traditional prom, Wanhat is a practiced performance by the 11th graders of the school. All students and parents of the school will come to watch. Needless to say, it’s the most anticipated event of the school year! This year is my turn to dance in Wanhat; however, I’m not dancing. Here’s why:
Wanhat is not a good use of my time. People who dance in Wanhat have to practice for 3 lessons, every week, for around 7 weeks. That’s almost 25 hours spent in 2 months. In the Finnish curriculum, students get 2 credits for dancing in Wanhat, so instead of taking a boring class, they can have fun at dance practice (FYI: students need 150 credits to graduate from high school). However, since I’m in the IB program, I don’t get credits from Wanhat. Although it does count as an Activity for IB students (yes, I need to be active to get the diploma), I feel like I can get that from other activities that I’m more interested in.
Watch this year's Wanhat of my old school. My Vietnamese friends are dancing in the video as well!
Dresses and make-up are not my thing. In Wanhat, girls usually wear big, floor-length gowns that can easily cost up to 200€ to buy. I’ve heard my friends talk countless times about which dress to get, and I’ve seen them searching for dresses online even in class. Some even went to another city to try on dresses. Some spent hours making their own. It’s understandable, as everyone wants to look stunning on the dance floor. However, I don't want to go to such lengths just for a dress. Besides, I would probably have to do my hair, put on make-up, and get my nails done, which I never do. All that sounds like a lot of effort and money. Some may enjoy getting ready and dressing up, but not me.
I don’t have anyone special to dance with. “Special” here means a friend or someone I know and like spending time with. I know that many people just choose whichever boy is available in class to dance with. Most dance couples never even look at each other while dancing. Isn’t that a bit…sad? After all, if I were to spend almost 30 hours practicing and dancing hand-in-hand with a boy, I would want to do what with someone who I’m comfortable around. Most people will have already secured their dance partner in the first year of high school. I had one last year, a good one, but some drama happened and we broke off after a few weeks. In the new school, I know no boy in class and have no intention of interacting with them. I guess I’m a bit unrealistic and picky about my dance partner, but I definitely don’t want to have an awkward Wanhat experience.
Wanhat sure is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many students. It's a high school memory to look back at. If you ever came to study in Finland, I would highly recommend taking part in the dance. But if you couldn't, then watching the others dance is not that bad.
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