This year’s annual spring Sadie Hawkins dance was cancelled due to the poor attendance of the dance in past years.

“The reason is that we had noticed a trend over the last several years that it was being less and less attended and there was a lot of work being put in by the dance team,” Principal James Cross said. “They were looking at the work that was going into it versus the attendance and the money being raised and they kind of gave it up.”

The dance was sponsored by the Cougar Stars in previous years, but because fewer students showed up and stayed for the dance they decided to cut their losses and give up on the spring dance.

“It seemed like we’d sold 400 hundred tickets and there were about 200 students there,” Cross said. “Half the people aren’t here, or they walked in the door, got their pictures made, looked around and walked out the door. And that happens a little bit with Homecoming, but nothing like Sadie’s.”

Cougar Star members spent a lot of time decorating and preparing the school for the spring dance in earlier years.

“Last year, the night before, we strung lights in the rotunda, we put up pictures on the walls, and we hung up balloons in places,” senior and Cougar Star Erin Chasen said. “It was fun to work with people to put up decorations.”

Students found the spring dance more fun and casual than its fall counterpart.

“I think it’s kind of unfair to cancel this dance because a lot of girls are looking forward to an excuse to ask out the guy they like,” sophomore Angelina DeRose said. “It’s also a really low-key dance. A lot of people don’t like dressing up for homecoming and that’s why they don’t go to homecoming.”

Sadie Hawkin’s is a beloved and well-remembered event here at Cinco. It’s seen as a dance geared more to the underclassmen and couples in the school.

“I don’t agree with it being cancelled because even though the upperclassmen don’t usually go, it’s a tradition and experience for newer classmen to come in,” senior Grecia Llarena said. “It’s the fun of matching with your date and coming up with costumes. It’s the most laid back dance that you have because you don’t have to dress up and spend that much money. You can just put something together the day before and it’s fine. It’s actually where dates go and it’s not something you just go to with friends.”

The debate team used the date originally chosen for the dance to host its first tournament at Cinco Ranch. The Class of 2017 also planned to use that date for a dodge ball tournament, which is now scheduled for April 17.

“It’s one of those things where a lot of kids want Sadie’s to happen but nobody wanted to do the work that it takes to make it happen,” Cross said. “It doesn’t just happen without all the work.”