The season of love is approaching and the St. George’s community is celebrating in a renewed way this year.

The Collierville Campus is revving up for Valentine’s Day with love filled events, including the Love at the Lodge dance, a rendition of the Frosty Fellows dance the school last held in 2017.

While it is the school’s first time throwing a Valentine’s dance in years, it is also the first time for Director of Student Life, Mr. Taylor Cao, to arrange the event. Mr. Cao took the title of director in 2021, and has since put in his best efforts to bring the school back to what it once was pre-COVID.

When asked about the why behind the dance, Mr. Cao explained that last year’s Student Government tried to make it work, but couldn’t fit it into the schedule. Now that he has the opportunity to throw one, Mr. Cao has one hope for the dance.

“I just want everyone to have fun and be safe and be kids.” he said.

His Student Government Social Vice President, Mariah Nellessen elaborates on the importance of school dances.

“It’s just a fun experience to get to have fun with our school friends outside of a school environment,” she said.

The feedback leading up to the dance has been fairly positive and students seem eager to get on the dance floor.

Junior Payton Carstensen, and freshman Lucy Dunavant, shared their excitement for the dance and the fact that they get to be with their friends one extra time this year.

Carstensen added that she feels it “brings everyone together” in a fun way.

While the dance has brought a lot of anticipation with it, it has also brought a lot of questions regarding what makes the dance different from others.

Freshman Siddiq Swanigan said he is going to the dance, but “there’s not much to expect” from it, and seemed to be unsure of his feelings on the dance.

Most dances here at St. George’s stick to the traditional guys asking girls format, but this time around, student government made the choice to turn this dance into a Sadie Hawkins’ style, where girls ask guys through sending them a heart shaped lollipop invitation during school.
Cao’s reasoning behind this choice was “to empower our female students” and that he thought it would be fun to shake up tradition.

Despite Love at the Lodge being a type of dance that the school hasn’t held in years, the anticipation surrounding it has definitely brought more excitement into our community during this season of love.

Love at the Lodge is tonight, Friday, February 3, from 8-10 p.m. and tickets are still available online or at the door for $20 a person.