When Sadie Hawkins first started the Sadie Hawkins Dance, in which the girls asked the guys, little did she know it would grow as much as it has today. Once just a single event in 1938, it grew to 40,000 individual dances by 1952, and since the dance has only become more popular.

Every year, Glenbard West is one of the many schools that offers a Sadie Hawkins Dance. No longer known as the Sadie Hawkins Dance, West calls it HeartHop. Target Success plans the dance at West, and this year picked the theme of Paris at Midnight. The heartwarming experience of HeartHop breaks apart the frigid winter season, allowing students to forget about the stress of classes while dancing under Parisian skies.

Target Success had a hotly debated theme-selection process this year. Half way through the school year, a meeting was held to discuss options. Originally, the list was long, and the voting process was lengthy. After three rounds, “Winter Wonderland” was pinned against “Paris at Midnight” in the finals, and Paris won; thus, Paris will be brought to the gym of Glenbard West.

Weeks after the selection, decorating followed. Early meetings before school led the colors of black and gold to be those for the dance. Walking past the lunchroom can show the full theme on display. Stars coming down from the ceiling, and the Eiffel Tower taking the center of the space, gives the many anxious students a quick glance of the special night to come.

The city of love is made only better at midnight. Enjoying this sight is open to all. Tickets can be found for the February 17th dance in the Science Wing the week before the dance. Couples are $30 and singles $15. Come together or alone and enjoy the stars shining bright above the Eiffel tower.