Grand Valley State University gave students the chance to redo their awkward prom experiences during their annual Silent Disco event. On Sept. 6, the GVSU Campus Activity Board (CAB) hosted the dance outside the Kirkhof Center, providing free LED headphones for students to listen to the genre of their choice. 

CAB is a student-run organization that plans campus events for GVSU students. The Silent Disco has been hosted on the GVSU campus for multiple years, and CAB president Bridie Tolley said that they have seen a bigger turnout every year. 

“Events like these are why CAB is what it is,” Tolley said. “What CAB loves most is fostering a positive experience for GVSU students. Thinking about the fact that students can come to these events, make new friends and have a great time is genuinely a great feeling.”

Unlike a traditional dance event setting where one DJ plays through a speaker system, the Silent Disco had three different live DJs playing through the headphones that students wore. The headphones had a switch that allowed the wearer to switch between mixes.

“(I was) able to dance to all of the DJs at every station, whatever song they had,” said Kyril Hayes, a GVSU sophomore who attended the event.

The different mixes covered a range of genres, but primarily consisted of top pop and R&B songs with different colored headphone LEDs corresponding to each mix. At the beginning of the event, the colors of the headphones seemed to appear at random as attendees looked for what mix to listen to. However, by the end of the night, the majority of the crowd’s headphones looked to be the same color. 

“It is really exciting for students to be able to switch between them so that they can (listen to) what best fits their vibe,” Tolley said.

CAB chose the event’s DJs based on how they were received in surveyed student responses from past discos. The organization noted they made this choice in hopes of creating an experience that would resonate well with students. 

“At the beginning, (the attendees) were a little shaky,” Hayes said. “But as (the night progressed) with more songs, they (were) having fun.” 

Students appeared to form a sense of community based on the music they were tuned in to, losing their shyness and singing and dancing together to the same music.

“I went last year, and it was so much fun,” said Michael Gottlever, a GVSU sophomore. “I love to dance, and (the) Silent Disco’s just the perfect place to do it (dance).” 

Despite the absence of a speaker system, attendees who removed their headphones could hear choruses of a mix of songs like “Not Like Us” and “Low” echoed across the Kirkhoff Center’s lawn. Students such as Hayes and Gottlever said they were less self-conscious dancing with headphones on, which made the crowd appear more fun and cohesive than without genre personalization.

Tolley said that she hopes CAB will continue to bolster the student experience on campus.

“CAB events have been known to positively shape the student experience, and we are always looking for more ways to do just that,” Tolley said.