Inspired by similar dances held at nearby high schools, students organized the first annual Roy G. Biv Dance, at which teens from the local community also attended, in Hamilton Gym on April 27.

“We really wanted to make this dance to bring together LGBT+ kids from all over LA because there’s not many opportunities to do that,” dance coordinator Izzy Yanover ’19 said. “Even in the other schools’ dances that are LGBT-themed, not many kids from the Westside or deep in the Valley show up, so we just wanted to give kids the chance to come and have fun.”

In order to make this dance unique and different from the other LGBTQ+ events that students have attended, the student organizers decided to make the event semi-formal, similar to prom, they said.
“Harvard-Westlake’s willingness to have this dance has been really great because it shows that [the school] cares about this as much as we do,” Yanover said.

Attendees participated in a rainbow Jenga game and gay trivia. The dance also featured photobooths and name tags with different pronouns, which allowed students to comfortably enjoy the dance, organizers said.

Coordinator Alexandra du Manoir ’21 said she hoped the event would spread the message of inclusivity to everyone.

“We want to create a space were all LGBTQ+ students feel welcomed and where they can be fully themselves around the people that love and appreciate them,” du Manoir said.

Yanover hopes that students will continue to organize the event in the future, she said.

“Next year, we would like to expand the event and invite even more people and have a bigger venue,” Yanover said. “We also would like to have a bigger budget so we can plan an event on a larger scale.”