PortProm 2011

[Usagiangel]

I noticed the dress code didn't exist this year. I felt over dressed. ^^;

[Archimer]

Can you ever be over-dressed at a convention?

I think everybody looked great. Nobody looked out of place to me.

[Rose Riku]

I think everybody looked great. Nobody looked out of place to me.

Same here. There's always a mix of formal, semi-formal, and not-formal-at-all dressed people at PortProm. XD

[ShadowFaerieLove]

I was really disappointed this year. I've been disappointed in the past, but not like this. The first year they did PortProm was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed it, but every year it starts to become more and more like a second rave.

I know I'm not the only person who thought this, because I spent a lot of time talking about it with some other attendees. We all agreed that PortProm should go back to the way it was the first year, like a ball, where fancy dress was required and everyone did waltz like dances. Someone mentioned that at Anime Boston there's also a panel before their ball where everyone learnt simple dances. I thought that was a brilliant idea.

By no means at all do I wish that they would remove PortProm. I just wish that the rave style dance would stay at the rave and the ball would be like a ball. You don't really get any chances to do that sort of thing in society today and it's the part of PortCon I look forward to the most.

[Taga]

I was really disappointed this year. I've been disappointed in the past, but not like this. The first year they did PortProm was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed it, but every year it starts to become more and more like a second rave.

I know I'm not the only person who thought this, because I spent a lot of time talking about it with some other attendees. We all agreed that PortProm should go back to the way it was the first year, like a ball, where fancy dress was required and everyone did waltz like dances. Someone mentioned that at Anime Boston there's also a panel before their ball where everyone learnt simple dances. I thought that was a brilliant idea.

By no means at all do I wish that they would remove PortProm. I just wish that the rave style dance would stay at the rave and the ball would be like a ball. You don't really get any chances to do that sort of thing in society today and it's the part of PortCon I look forward to the most.

Agreed. I would have liked to be able to dance with my husband but the music wasnt appropriate for slow dancing I hear there was some slow dancing at the beginning but he was working the con and we ended up missing it.

[nik the foamsmith]

Can you ever be over-dressed at a convention?

I think everybody looked great. Nobody looked out of place to me.

you didn't spot me running through to go and grab some thing in the back of the tent.

[Kitteninstrings]

Sadly I wasn't able to go this year. I can't make the TDP due to the lighting which sucks for me. But I was stupid busy with something. I had a dress and everything. ^o^ But as I could hear the music from the prom, I also agree with the more slow songs.

[Taga]

Sadly I wasn't able to go this year. I can't make the TDP due to the lighting which sucks for me. But I was stupid busy with something. I had a dress and everything. ^o^ But as I could hear the music from the prom, I also agree with the more slow songs.

About an hour or so before it ended you wouldnt have been able to go anyways since it was basically a mini rave with the lights and everything.

[jenfuu]

Yeah, by the time that Seth and I got to go...all the slow stuff was over, and it became a mini rave. I was so disappointed.

[Charlie2Kairi]

It did become a little rav-y but it was ok with me, I just like to dance. Plus I don't have a guy to slow dance with anyway. My hubby wouldn't come to a convention, and if I was able to talk him into coming to the con he would never dance

[Usagiangel]

I was disappointed. I didn't get to be there long, but I felt over dressed next to the girl in short shorts and a tank top... it's the only time of year I ever get to dress up, so I'd like it back the way it was.

[Knarpulous]

I haven't been able to go to the Thursday PortProm yet, but I agree with those above who think it should stay formal wear only. While the rave techno dance party is fun, we don't really need two. And like Usagiangel said, a lot of people don't get to attend formal dances outside PortProm.

[The Mick]

I'd like to weigh in here with a few observations. Back when "Port Prom" was first introduced it was supposed to be a strictly formal affair. People we required to be very well dressed, we had dance instructions, and I did my best to only play classical waltz style music. In theory, it was great - in practice it didn't work at all. No one seemed to enjoy the music. The dance floor was completely empty; and it wasn't until I put on something more upbeat that people started to move. People also complained about their being an exclusive even that they couldn't attend even though they had pre-regged for the bonus day.

So the next year we 86'd the dance lessons (since not many people took advantage of our terrific instructors anyway) and lightened the dress code. The music was toned to be more modern and I saw a marked difference in the way people were behaving. It seemed (to me anyway) that the majority of people were having more fun the more relaxed the atmosphere got.  I think we really hit our stride the year we did "80s Dance Zone". That year I had a good mix of slow songs vs fast songs and I think that was the year we had the best audience response.

This year I tried the "90s Dance Zone" to rather mixed results. The crowd was more energetic than I'd ever seen at the Port Prom - but ya'll here on the forum seem to have had a bad time. I will admit that the slower songs fell by the wayside-but it didn't feel like what most people wanted was to slow dance. When I put on the waltzier, slower songs the dance floor was practically evacuated; and when I made the decision to test the rave lights (literally test them - I wanted to see how they looked before the big Saturday dance) the audience gave up a huge cheer.

Now I hear you when you say that you don't want Port Prom to be a mini-rave. And I actually do agree. Next year I won't turn out the lights and put on lasers because I do want the two dances to be separate. However, that does not mean that we will be returning to a strictly formal affair. I don't support turning people away from an event for any reason - even if they're underdressed. So I'm willing to hear your ideas, and I do want to work to find some sort of compromise and make this event something worthwhile for the people that want to get dressed up.

[Taga]

Make it into a highschool like dance. Those arent really strict  in the dress code aspect and it's a huge range of music. It's called PortProm lets make it a prom   ???

[Rose Riku]

I'd like to weigh in here with a few observations. Back when "Port Prom" was first introduced it was supposed to be a strictly formal affair. People we required to be very well dressed, we had dance instructions, and I did my best to only play classical waltz style music. In theory, it was great - in practice it didn't work at all. No one seemed to enjoy the music. The dance floor was completely empty; and it wasn't until I put on something more upbeat that people started to move. People also complained about their being an exclusive even that they couldn't attend even though they had pre-regged for the bonus day.

So the next year we 86'd the dance lessons (since not many people took advantage of our terrific instructors anyway) and lightened the dress code. The music was toned to be more modern and I saw a marked difference in the way people were behaving. It seemed (to me anyway) that the majority of people were having more fun the more relaxed the atmosphere got.  I think we really hit our stride the year we did "80s Dance Zone". That year I had a good mix of slow songs vs fast songs and I think that was the year we had the best audience response.

This year I tried the "90s Dance Zone" to rather mixed results. The crowd was more energetic than I'd ever seen at the Port Prom - but ya'll here on the forum seem to have had a bad time. I will admit that the slower songs fell by the wayside-but it didn't feel like what most people wanted was to slow dance. When I put on the waltzier, slower songs the dance floor was practically evacuated; and when I made the decision to test the rave lights (literally test them - I wanted to see how they looked before the big Saturday dance) the audience gave up a huge cheer.

Now I hear you when you say that you don't want Port Prom to be a mini-rave. And I actually do agree. Next year I won't turn out the lights and put on lasers because I do want the two dances to be separate. However, that does not mean that we will be returning to a strictly formal affair. I don't support turning people away from an event for any reason - even if they're underdressed. So I'm willing to hear your ideas, and I do want to work to find some sort of compromise and make this event something worthwhile for the people that want to get dressed up.

I thought this year's was the best so far. I really loved all the 90's music. Dances are definitely better if people know what they're dancing to.