Nervous excitement always preceded the Year 10 (and later Year 9) formal dancing lessons with CBC. In preparation for the Social, various dance styles were introduced, including the Foxtrot, Military Two-Step, Jive, Barn Dance and everyone’s favourite, the Tango (the dance of love!).
As one Year 10 student from 1985 describes the experience:
‘It was one hour before our first dancing lesson … We were all hoping that we’d catch some mysterious fatal disease and be sent home. Some were even trying to bribe Mrs Kenneally! But NO, being the sadist that she is, we were all (some literally) pushed into dancing. Our classroom not only smelt but reeked of perfume, hairspray and other toxic gases. Our hair was perfect, our skin well disguised under a mask of make-up, and our attitude boosted up to a higher level due to positive reactions from the other class. Looking immaculate we made our way down to C.B.C. and …. yes, you guessed it. It rained, it not only rained but a gale force wind blew. Serves us right for disobeying the school rule of no make-up. We arrived at C.B.C. looking somewhat like drowned rats and made our way into their gym, only to find that they were just as petrified as we were. The boys were huddled into one comer hands in pockets, heads lowered looking like they’d lost their best friend. But as per usual it was Mr. Case to the rescue. He quickly pulled the boys into line and before we knew where we were we had started our first dance. On our arrival back at S.A.C. Mrs. Kenneally was bombarded with questions and flocked with girls saying things like ‘He asked for my phone number’’, ‘He told me he likes me’, ‘When’s our next lesson?’ After dragging herself away from us Mrs Kenneally strolled out of our classroom wearing her ‘I told you so’ grin’ (McNally 1985).
By Carol Grantham
St Aloysius College Archivist, 2023
Reference
McNally, N 1985, ‘Dancing’, St Aloysius College Magazine, St Aloysius College Adelaide, p.56.