Homecoming Week kicks off with Paint Dance
Students painted the streets and then each other while they gathered in the HPER Field Monday night, where they jumped and danced to celebrate the beginning of annual the Homecoming Week traditions at USU.
“Utah State knows how to party more than any other school,” paint-covered USU freshman Sarah James said. “This is the best dance I’ve been to, by far.”
James and other students were squirted by volunteers armed with squirt guns, filled with a mixture of water and paint.
Programming vice president for ASUSU Executive Council Zach Larsen said, “Every time someone came out with paint, everyone just started screaming. People were wearing all-white suits to try and get as much paint on them as they could — or stand there and want us to spray them directly.”
Larsen said all the paint was water based, because it is easier to clean up.
“In the past they’ve used regular paint, and it’s ruined the fields — gotten on the sidewalks. We try to make sure it’s as easy to clean up and doesn’t leave a permanent mark,” Larsen said. “The rain pretty much will just take it away”
Director for the Student Traditions and Activities Board Kylie Martinez said the paint was also diluted with water to work in the squirt guns. Diluting 24 gallons of paint was also more cost effective, she said.
During the dance an ambulance was called to help USU student Kristi Taylor, who passed out during the dance, USU Police Sgt. Jessica Elder said.
“Two days previous, she was out at Newton Dam and she was swinging off a rope and fell and hit her head, and it actually knocked her out,” Elder said. “Last night when she came out and started to dance, she started having some problems and passed out.”
Elder said when Taylor hit her head she got a concussion. The jumping up and down at the dance combined with the concussion probably caused her to pass out, Elder said. Taylor was taken to Logan Regional Hospital for treatment.
“At events like this, where there’s so many people, you really got to make sure you’re really prepared for those things,” Larsen said. “We want to be prepared so there’s nothing serious that happens.”
Larsen said police and ambulances are kept nearby for major campus events in which people can potentially get hurt. They also have security volunteers who help lift people over the stage barrier if they need to get out of the crowd. He said they also try to prevent pushing within the large groups.
Elder said the ambulance call was the only issue that night.
“Last night’s event went well,” Elder said. “We didn’t have a lot of other issues that we see at some of these other events.”
Martinez said the winners of the street painting competition will be notified via email Thursday, and the results will be posted on Facebook and Twitter.
– chris.w.lee@aggiemail.usu.edu