High School Prom

by Anderson, Ann

• ISBN13: 9780786467006
• ISBN10: 0786467002
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-08-15
• Publisher: McFarland Publishing

Summary

Prom has been a fixture in the life of American teenagers for as long as high schools have existed. Both encapsulating and magnifying the drama of adolescence, proms have transformed from modest tea dances to costly extravaganzas supporting apparel and cosmetic makers, limousine services, hotels, magazine publishers, and hair salons. Focusing on social and economic trends, this volume examines the evolution of prom, the development of the billion-dollar prom industry, and prom's place in popular culture, including its portrayal in film, television, and literature. Using prom as a lens through which to view many aspects of American culture--money, sex, fashion, dance, music, television, transportation, communication, and even war--this work offers fresh perspective on the history of American youth.

Author Biography

Ann Anderson is a freelance writer, teacher, actor and director. Her articles and essays have appeared in Stage Directions, Prevention and Health, among many other publications. She lives in Portland, Oregon.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. 1
History
Promenade All	p. 7
Dancing to a New Beat	p. 20
Boomer High	p. 41
Like, Totally	p. 58
Everyone Gets a Trophy	p. 69
Everybody Dance! (Or Not)	p. 88
Rituals, Signifiers and the Meaning of It All	p. 100
Marketing
Does This Magazine Make Me Look Fat?	p. 115
Pint-size Princesses Prep for Prom	p. 131
Prom and Profits	p. 143
Prom in Popular Culture
Fantasy Prom	p. 159
Surreal, So Real	p. 171
Last Dance	p. 182
Chapter Notes	p. 189
Bibliography	p. 204
Index	p. 214
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