# 1st Middle School Halloween Dance



## offmymeds

Can you extend the graveyard out onto the gym floor? Maybe lay a tarp down or something to protect the floor? Bring in some tree branches and set them in cement so they will be stable but easy to set up and take down. You can make some zombies and place them around the gym. 
Do you have a budget? 
Does the gym have basketball goals on the ends?


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## kakugori

Think classic Halloween, like the Beistle cutout decorations, the fold-out tissue paper shapes, and crepe paper streamers. You can use tape and sticky-tac to hang stuff on the walls and not leave marks. Also look into the 3M stick-on hooks and hangers. Look at Party Cheap's Halloween section for stuff. Take up part of the floor space for a little cemetery with some of the inexpensive and small tombstones. Make a couple of trees as shown on this blog.

Carve up some pumpkins! You can light them with cheap glow sticks or LED tea lights so there's no real fire.


Sound like you're off to a good start already. Hope it goes well!


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## Spookwriter

School dances was a lifetime ago for me. Way back there.

Let's see....

I would think an arch, entry, some sort of larger prop where "couples" could
get their picture taken.

Free-standing props? No ideal what you have. Think umbrella bases, PVC stands.
Cheap ways to make life size props stand safely.

Strobs, light balls, mirrors, glow sticks, pumpkins, ...


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## Sublime Nightmare

I have tons of free standing and motion-activated props like jumping spider and zombie, John Doe, witch, etc, etc. but was thinking I needed more than that? Offmymeds, you asked about basketball hoops? Why, yes, there are 2. What ideas did you have in mind?? I'm loving your suggestions if y'all could just keep 'em coming!


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## mamadada

I thought that in a couple of years when mine are around twelve, it would be cute to forward the thriller video to all the kids bEfore the party and do a flash mob dance during the party. Not that anyone would be surprised...but it would be like adults getting up to line dance when that certain song come on.


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## mamadada

Btw, it's so wonderful that ur school allows not only Halloween but a dance. DS is in 5th at a Catholic school... No Halloween...no dances...for any grade!


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## Sublime Nightmare

My kids school_ is_ a Catholic School! That's what I like about it because it's the _public_ schools around here that have abolished Halloween.


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## Sublime Nightmare

Oh and I say think about the thriller dance, but I don't see that happening.


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## Spookwriter

Okay. Evening time here, so I'm back.

Now...6th graders? I'm guessing, what...11, 12 years old? So no
serious school romances, and no need to allow the chance. (I've got
a daughter, and I don't turn my back very long.)

I assume the children are allowed to wear costumes? Surely they will
identify their self BEFORE entering the school. Dances at my daughters
school are "closed". No outside students allowed. Once you enter the
dance, you remain inside AT ALL TIMES. Picked up by parents only after
the dance AT THE DOOR. I don't mean to sound like a pain in the rear parent
but safety of the children is a prime issue. No exceptions.

That being said, our school has an a abundance of chaparones. Both in the building
and in the parking lot. (for escapees)

First, what kind of budget are you working with? School function, I assume low-buck?

You will do the drinks and snacks? Surely the school will furnish tables as needed?
Both as snack tables and seating?

How big do you guess the gym to be? Don't want to big, and don't want too small.
You need to be able to see the entire area at a glance. Can you use props to section
it into various areas, functions while still leaving an acceptable dance area?

At that age I would think children are more concerned with simply being there than
with actually dancing. So I'm thinking props and pictures are prime.

Can you bring the cemetery out into the floor, a nice visional prop? A few easy columns,
some simple plastic fencing (or rope) to keep the headstones safe ? All easy to do.

If you need to get a lifesize to stand, your patio table umbrella stand and pvc will work.
PVC and a few cross boards will work.

Other lifesize can be placed sitting on the floor against the wall.

Some sort of large prop that they can get their pictures taken with.

I have a few "lightpoles" made from simple PVC, with an empty plastic
mayo jar as the globe. Uses battery string lights and a women's knee-high
hose for a globe cover. (different hose, gets a different color.)

And to use the walls...respect the school and don't attack to the walls.
Any chance of a nice projector that would throw the kids shadows on the
walls? They can watch theirself.

Of course, strobes, glitterballs and such. Of course, you could do a simple
PVC stand for any of them as needed. (you can tell I keep a stock of PVC)

Will the school allow a haybale / pumpkin display? You can use a good bunch 
of wall on that.

Same with a display of corn stalks? You can free-stand those on the floor.

A banner...kids like banners.

A full legenth mirror for them to "check" their costumes?


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## Sublime Nightmare

Well, I'm just heading up the decorating committee, so the school is taking care of "security" and drop-off / pick-up's. It's a dance for the whole middle school: 6th-8th grades, ages 11-14. I have no idea how big the gym is, but yes, you can see the whole thing at one glance. I just know the ceilings are unreachable. I want to create a photo op area maybe like one of these?















And now that Offmymeds mentioned basketball hoops, I'm thinking I might hang those cardstock chandeliers from Party City from them. Or maybe something else??


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## Sublime Nightmare

Oh, here's one more picture that I _really, really_ want to do, but how? This has to be more than just cardboard. What can I do to replicate this????


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