Prom....also known as the event that every high school girl should attend; after all, it is an American tradition.... A night filled with getting ready and dressing up, and a night filled with dancing followed by an after party is quite the life. And for the Atlanta International School students, it was no surprise that they definitely know how to party the night away.
Atlanta International School (AIS) is located in Buckhead and has always prided itself on the national and ethnic diversity represented it's student population and well as it's faculty and staff. Seventy-two countries are represented by the school's student body, with 35 countries represented by members of faculty and staff.
As the innovator of a global curriculum for future leaders, AIS offers a program of academic excellence to American and International students beginning with four-year old kindergarten and culminating in Grade 12 with the prestigious International Baccalaureate Diploma.
We recently photographed the 2011 Atlanta International School's Prom. Their prom was held at Terminus in Buckhead in the MF Room.
PROM - American Students vs International Students
So....You may be thinking.....What's the main difference in Prom at Atlanta International School vs a traditional Georgia School?
In some ways....a LOT OF DIFFERENCE-----In other ways....Not so much.
Fashion and Style
One of the most noticeable differences was in fashion, style and in dress. Students at local Cobb County schools can mostly be found in traditional tuxes and long prom gowns, often beaded, sequined and very, very dressy. While prom gowns vary in style, most of the prom gowns at traditional schools were either gorgeous flowing ball gowns or more of a straight line long, floor length style. AIS students opted for classic simplicity; Although we did see some long gowns, many wore short very fitted dresses. Un-fussy yet high fashion. And it's really no surprise. When you think about it....Europeans are usually a lot braver with fashion as compared to Americans.
For whatever reason, U.S. designs are a bit more conventional in length, color, and design. In France, Italy, England, and other hot destinations in Europe, the girls have a lot more freedom to express themselves through whatever they put on. Designs from this part of the world are going to be shorter and more daring.
And shoes....SHOES make the look for girls at AIS. Trendy, high fashion, designer shoes were an important part of the outfit for AIS girls. We saw many gorgeous designer shoes with names like Christian Louboutin, Manolo Blahnik, Jimmy Choo at the AIS prom and most of these shoes stayed on their feet all night. At the traditional Cobb County Schools that we've been to for prom, shoes are a less important part of the outfit and are generally kicked off and left in a corner, midway through the evening.
At the AIS prom, we definitely noticed many more guys opting for bow ties and also saw several boasting suspenders. At traditional Georgia schools, a traditional tux with a traditional tie is the choice of most guys.
Prom Photos
This was probably where we noticed the biggest different of all. AIS students, for the most part, did not want traditional prom photography. They did not want posed photos at all....In fact, the prom photos went something like this....
Lights, Cameras, Action.....
AIS - Everyone grab 15 of your closest friends and gather all together at one time on the floor in front of the camera. Then pose...any way you want....Look up, look down, look sideways, be totally animated....kiss the person next to you....do whatever feels good. JUST DO IT!
Then circle around and do it again with a whole new group of friends and this time, strike a new pose. Stick out your tongue, open your mouth, look up, look down....You get the picture.
They were having a BLAST!
Beverly was having a great time...as the more crazy it got, the more fun she had. However, the event facility for the AIS Prom was smaller than most we've been to and students were packed into one room. Because of the limited space, Chuck's job quickly migrated from taking crowd pictures to holding down the equipment. The crowd was so thick that many times, the studio lights and backdrops were nearly knocked over. At that point, we had to do a little crowd control just to maintain our equipment so that we could continue to take pictures. Much to the students' chagrin, we were forced to limit the number of people in each pose to between 2-6. Hopefully, they still had a good time.
Prom photos at traditional southern schools consist of very posed, precise images. Most of which are limited to two people, although sometimes small groups of friends will be included. But once you have had your photo taken one time....that's it. Photos are over...
Not so at AIS. Once you finished having your photo taken, you circled right back around and did it again, and again, and again, and again....we estimated that some students went through the prom photo line 20 times or more.
Food and Beverage
Big difference....
At traditional Georgia Schools, you'll find a huge spread of food which typically includes...
Sandwiches, chips, raw veggies, crackers, cheese, fruits, chocolate fountains, cookies, desserts, chicken tenders, etc.
Drinks usually consist of bottled water and soft drinks
The AIS prom was held in Buckhead in a party room that was part of a very high end sushi restaurant. What was served?
Sushi on platters that were carried around throughout the crowd. Drinks that were served were bottled water, soft drinks and an amazing amount of Red Bull, more Red Bull and Even MORE>>>> RED BULL...
FUN
Although there were some similarities as well as some differences, it was clear that students at all the school proms we've attended definitely know how to have fun!
Bottom line is .....no matter what food is served or what is worn, the students at prom seem to have the time of their lives. After all, how often do Dress to the Nines,
go to dinner and party it up out on the town with all your best friends and without your parents?
Who could ask for more?
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