Institute dance replaced with new Halloween tradition, the Yell
The Scream is canceled, but a new Halloween dance, the Yell, is scheduled for Oct. 31 and is being hosted by the original creators of the Scream, the Cache Valley Young Single Adults.
The Cache Valley YSA organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints met on Monday and discussed the idea of putting on a Halloween dance. Two representatives from each of the 14 LDS stakes meet once a month to plan activities for adults 18 to 30 in the area. “(We) decided if everybody was willing to step it up to plan this and everything, we’d get going on it, and everybody was excited to do it,” said Scott Nielsen, the LDS high councilman in charge of the YSA.
“Hearing about the cancellation of the Scream, the YSA jumped on it,” said Tom Atwood, one of the representatives.
Atwood said they named it the Yell to avoid the perception that the Institute is affiliated with the activity.
The Yell will feature the same types of activities the Scream had, such as dancing, costumes, crafts, games and refreshments, said Atwood, a junior majoring in Spanish and financial planning. Since the activity was planned so quickly, the dance will be held in only one building, the Colonial LDS meeting house, located in the center of the three chapels on 600 East.
“We heard that the Institute’s involvement was no more,” Atwood said. “We haven’t had very much time to put it together, so it’s going to be on a smaller scale. Next year, where all the responsibility is now on us, we’ve got way more time to make it big.”
Nielsen said one of the main reasons they wanted to keep the event is because the number of young adults who attend.
“We have a lot more activities for a lot of young single adults who don’t attend any other activities all year,” Nielsen said. “They will attend the Scream, and they will attend the New Year’s activities.
He said most activities only bring 100 to 200 individuals, but the New Year’s and Halloween dances bring in close to 1,500.
“I think it’s important that we have any kind of activity, just something for people to go to and have fun,” said YSA representative
Sharah Akina. “We felt like we should have some kind of Halloween activity for students to come to.” The dance will be held on the Oct. 31 to have more time for advertising and to provide an activity on the holiday. “We kind of figured that Halloween night is kind of a little kid thing,” Akina, junior in physical education, said. “(For) people our age, there’s really not too much going on … They would probably just sit at home or do their homework.” The dance is solely hosted by the YSA, and Akina said the YSA isn’t hosting it to oppose the Howl.
“I wouldn’t necessarily say that it’s something to be against the Howl, (but) just another choice that you can go to,” she said.
Anyone ages 18 t0 30 can attend the Yell, Akina said, “and also married couples, the more the merrier.”
“I’m glad it’s back in,” Atwood said. “It’s the same thing, just a different name.” The dance goes from 8 to 11 p.m.
-ranae.bang@aggiemail.usu.edu