Lockport’s annual TWIRP dance was held last Saturday, Feb. 14 and was a huge success.

This year, hundreds of students attended, some with dates, and some without. Boom Entertainment, headed by DJ Dan The Man, provided the main entertainment. However, there was one difference that made this year’s TWIRP special. TWIRP took place on Valentines Day. As is the normal custom, men go the extra mile for their valentines. However, with TWIRP falling on that day, it was interesting to see if it was going to be the women going the extra mile, the men, or even both. Nonetheless, it was a very good opportunity for a date.

“I like the concept of TWIRP [the girls asking the boys out] because it puts a spin on things and changes it up.” said Senior Zack Maslanka. “The coincidence of it falling on Valentine’s day was very cool because I feel that it made the dance a more memorable night.”

However,some students believed that TWIRP falling on Valentine’s Day would lower the attendance of the dance, as many students might have wanted to spend the day alone with their boyfriends or girlfriends.

Senior Kelsey Bekermeier agreed with Maslanka.

“I love the concept of having the girls ask the guys. It gives the guys a break, takes the pressure off them, and gives the girls a chance to experience what the guys feel at every other dance. Past TWIRP’s have always been a blast for me,” said Bekermeier.

TWIRP stands for “The Woman Is Required (or Requested) to Pay”, meaning that the ladies ask the men to the dance, not the custom way of the men asking the ladies. TWIRP’s history dates back to 1937 in the comic strip Lil’ Abner, which featured bachelorette Sadie Hawkins who, on a given day of the year, would chase all of the unmarried men of the town in a foot race. She would single out one of them to follow and if she caught him, the man would be forced to marry her. This race was the inspiration of a dance in the United States and Canada in which the women ask the men to join them, which is something that was virtually unheard of beforehand. The first “Sadie Hawkins Dance” was held on November 9, 1938 and grew to be very popular. The Sadie Hawkins Dance reached Lockport at least sixty years ago and has since gotten better over the past ten years, now admitting all students, not just couples, with Boom Entertainment as the DJ.The name of TWIRP has been kept as a tradition.

“Lockport has the best school dances and I never want to leave the dance floor. I was super excited for this year’s TWIRP and I can’t believe that it was my last one,” Bekermeir said.