Dances

Dances are usually held three times each term, on Saturday, Friday or Thursday nights.

Usually, they can have a theme. For a list of past ones: Dance Themes.

Many people encourage bold TiPsters to go to the roof of the Union during the dances, since everyone is outside and no one is paying attention.

Marine Lab

At Marine Lab, they are held indoors in the auditorium. TiPsters are allowed to go into the hallway outside the auditorium, but not outside the building. During one memorable year(2007), dances were held in the boat house. Despite the fact that it was difficult to fit 60 people into a room the size of an average dorm, these were generally acknowledged to be the best dances Marine Lab had ever seen.

In 2009 dances were held in the boat house, on the deck outside the cafeteria, and inside the auditorium.

Davidson

At Davidson, they are held indoors in the 900 Room at the Union, or, occasionally, in Chambers Gallery. The room is 2 stories, with the RCs and streamers on the second floor. It is implied that the seond floor is off limits for campers.

Often the more anti-social guys will just play/watch foozball, as there is a table outside. Untill they are released after an hour in the dance, they can usually be found sitting along the right side wall. Many other people will gather around the TV, while most people stay in the dance. Recently (2010 Term II), however, in an attempt to promote social interaction and actually having fun at the dances, use of the foosball table and the television are not allowed. Further, the staff "forgot" to even tell the TIPsters they were allowed to leave the dance, so everyone remained in the 900 Room.

Music is controlled by laptop. Request sheets are posted, however usually have very little impact on what is actually played. One of the leading theories is that the more recent music is related to the attempt to promote social interaction.

While these dances are somewhat awkward due to the fact that many of the teens are still in the awkward stages of life, they are a blast because every now and then there are those few special people who just go crazy on the dance floor.... and thats when the real party starts!!!

PDA's are not rare between those who were dating at Davidson, however not many at Davidson were dating because there are only first and second year TiPsters.

East

At East, they are held on the Circle Quad. During dances, campers can go between 3 areas: the circle quad, the steps of the Library, and inside the Union building. In the Union building, campers were allowed on the first floor and the basement of the Union building during dances, but it was implied that campers could not go to the second floor (though some did).

During the last dance of Term II, 2005, the dance was brought inside to the Union building due to rain. Campers were given two options, to stay at the dance or go and relax in the Bassett commons. Many campers attempted to go to the second floor, due to the crowding problem, but were forced out by RCs and counselors. Because of the rain, the administration ordered the sound system to be shut down, leading to all the fourth years crowding together to sing American Pie by heart. Eventually, almost everyone joined in. It was very moving.

A thunderstorm during the second TIP dance of East II (2006) (at which Benny performed his song "VIP") cut the fun short. TIPsters did not vacate the premises until the Time Warp was played. After that, TIPsters returned to the dorms and enjoyed a semi-approved extended lights-out. (Not true, the dance was moved inside the Union where the fun continued for an additional hour. However, the option of going to the Giles Common Room was available) However, in a horrible turn of events, during the last dance of Term I 2006, Young Writers ran in the center of the fourth year circle during American Pie-- and also joined them (TiPsters were unaware of their horrid status as Young Writers, of course). Sadly, this could not be compensated for. The lesson to be learned? Do not let this happen to you.

"You can lean with it, you can rock with it, but please don't grind with it."

Furthermore, in yet another horrible turn of events, the second and third dances of Term I 2010 as well as all of the dances of Term II were held on the street because the brilliant Duke staff decided to plant grass during TIP. Thankfully, the Tipsters were allowed on the circle quad during American Pie.

The last dance of Term II 2010 was definitely the epitome of a Tip dance. Sometime just before Sandstorm, a storm started to brew, and during the dance, lightning would conveniently sometimes flash to the beat. Not just one car, but two interrupted "It's the End of the World As We Know It", but soon all was well again. It began to rain very heavily after that, and "Everytime We Touch" was cut short so that American Pie could be performed to its full length. Everyone ran out into the circle quad, formed circles, and sang and kicked for the whole duration of this brilliant tradition. It was a very romantic evening for some *hint* *hint* It should be noted that everyone was totally soaked, and the front hall of Bassett (and probably Alspaugh and Pegram) was dangerously wet- it might even count as flooded. Despite not getting to perform Time Warp (it was later performed at the Talent Show to make up for it) (also, most of Bassett performed it in the common room right after the dance- soaking wet and in the air conditioning), it was definitely the best way to end a term at Tip and will forever live in the hearts of the intellectual badasses at Duke East Term II 2010.

West

At West, they are generally held on Kilgo Quad, or sometimes in the Bryan Center or the Class Quad. If it rains, too bad, you can create your own mini-dance in a vacant hallway or a kind RC's room. At West, TiPsters usually try to mosh whenever they can, but the dust that plagues most of the quads on the campus will usually lead to a mini-sandstorm that gets in one's eyes and throat. This can be interpreted as making it more or less fun, depending on the way one looks at it. Near the beginning of each dance, losers TiPsters are allowed to go inside to the nearest commons and wallow in self-pity socialize. At Term II 2010, fascinating animated films were played during this *ahem* antisocial gathering. While some sitting inside N Commons were afraid of dancing/touching the opposite sex unamused by the festivities, others merely sat inside because they had headaches and could not experience the full amazingness of the dance without suffering dearly. It should be noted that all of the dances in Term II 2010 took place on the Class Quad, possibly signaling a trend in the future.

The main six TiP songs are played at each dance with the exception of "Blister in the Sun", which is sometimes played, and "Yatta!", which is never played. (However, at term II 2010, only 3 of the main six songs were played. Its The End Of The World As We Know It, Time Warp, and of course, American Pie)

Kansas

At Kansas, they are held in the lobby of whichever dorm hosts the TIPsters that particular year. TIP has been known to share a dorm with rushing fraternity boys, as well as a basketball camp, volleyball camp, engineering camp and tennis group. The several alien groups tend to wander into TIP dances quite often. TIPsters are often disallowed the use of elevators when returning to their tenth floor suites post-dance, and there is generally much gnashing of teeth in the stairwell.

ASU

At ASU, the first two dances are held in the lobby of Cone dormitory, the one and only dorm. We are forced to stay in the lobby (or if it gets too hot as it often does, the porch) until the dance is over, and then TiPsters are forced into their rooms. The last dance is normally held at Legends, unless our wonderful tip staff books the wrong times, or the first term ruins it for the rest of us and gets us kicked out.

You can be crazy if you want, but be prepared for the fact that someone may be videotaping you. And be prepared for various people to give you strange looks and winks the next day if you were a little too crazy (Papparazzi is watching you...).

Also, no grinding is allowed, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't happen anyway... (This isn't true at all for ASU, we have actually had grind lines at least 20 people long.)

TIP 07, the "bottle of virtue" was introduced, RCs would go around with the bottle making sure everyone was being TIPpropriate. if you got "bottled" too many times you would be kicked off the dance floor. at the second dance, a few girls taped their own bottles to them to ensure their safety on the dance floor. The bottle was also used in the Shakespeare class' showcase to keep Romeo and Juliet TIPpropriate.

In 2009 term 1, the first two dances were held at the Westley Foundation, an un-air conditioned building that was very small and crowded. And that was just with the ones who were dancing. The other sad, lonely people who went downstairs (AKA the social incompitance floor) usually ended up playing pool for two and a half hours before heading back to White Hall. This was the same at term II.

Texas

First dance ever held at Sbisa

At Texas, the dances have been held in the second floor of the MSC or in Koldus 110/111 (you're welcome) in 2008.

Term II 2010 the last two dances of term were held in Sbisa, in what was normally a restricted section of the dining hall. The idea sounded horrible at first, but by the end of the dance it turned out to be a great for several reasons including:

• more space to dance
• more places to rest and sit
• airconditioned
• no RC's yelling at you when you go to the bathroom/water fountian without your shoes and/or lanyard.

Pirates vs. Ninjas vs. Zombies vs. Vampires vs. Fairies vs. Ghosts vs. Elves vs. Mummies vs. Wizards dance

Pity circles occur at TIP dances during a slow song. A pity circle is when a group of TIPsters gather into a circle and sway back and forth. A pity circle is created so that the lonely desperate guys can feel better about themselves for not finding a dance. Usually an avarage of 2 to 3 girls join these circles showing pity, this is where name first formed. The reason pity circles are so popular is becasue its the next best thing to finding a dance.

this is order of the most desperate looking activities during slow song:

-dancing by yourself

-walking around in circles hoping to still find a dance

-sitting down in the room

-leaving the room

-joining a pity circle

-finding a dance

RC's (and TAs) will shoot you with a water/squirt gun/re-used windex bottle filled with water when they want to, even without a reason (which means you're acting suspicious (or are 'not having fun')). There is usualy at least one game of cards or Ninja going on by people who can't stand the music or don't want to dance. They take song requests, thank God. Playing all the requests is a different story, but at least they take the requests.

You can tell the dances are almost over like this:

It's The End of the World as We Know It plays, everyone begins running the length of the room in a circle the entire song. Next American Pie plays. Everyone links arms in one giant circle, with a similar but smaller circle of 4th years in the center. After that, Time Warp plays, and the dance is over.

The circle rituals are basically the same as those at UGA.

UGA

Commandment #6: Dances = hot, sweaty, crying messes

Dances at UGA are held in Memorial Hall, across from the Tate Center. The downstairs dance floor is large enough for all of the 2nd and 3rd years to get in "The Circle" and still have some wiggle room. The upstairs area circles the dance floor, and is usually stocked with board games that can be played on the several couches. It can be used for anti-social activity, NTP activity, or messing with RC's. 2010 dances in here were especially grueling due to the lack of A/C.

TIProms are (usually) held in an upstairs room of the Tate center (I believe the formal name was 'the grand hall'?). It was large, well air-conditioned, and you could still hear the music if you chose to go outside. Most people acctually party, choosing only to sit/take a water break when they're out of breath or the song playing sucks. In 2011, the last dance was held at Memorial Hall again because the A/C in the Tate center was broken (a common problem at a lot of UGA sites).

The Circles

The Circles are an important UGA tradition. During the last 4 songs of the dance, 2nd and 3rd years gather in a large circle along the border of the hall, and 4th years stand in a smaller circle in the middle. RC/Staff can also be within the 2nd/3rd year circle, but off to the side. During the songs, 2nd/3rd years are to remain in the circle, while 4th years are allowed to do whatever they want. The first dance generally consists of yelling at unruly 2nd years to get in the circle, while at the last dance some 4th years will travel the entire 2nd/3rd circle to give every person a hug.

The Circles, taken at term 1 2010 at the Luau dance