Homeschool Rockin’ Sock Hop Rocked the Night Away {with pictures and video}

The Homeschool Rockin’ Sock Hop took party guests all the way back to the 1950s and 1960s on Saturday, February 24, 2024, to a period when greasers were cool and poodle skirts were all the rave.

The event was not just a dance, but like with any homeschool experience, it included an educational portion with baton twirling and history, a dance lesson, and a couple of vintage cars on display.

The evening began with cars on display by local car enthusiasts Ken Johnson and Gene Childers with their 1962 Chevy Belair and 1956 Ford F100 (respectively) period cars. Sock hop guests were able to take pictures with the cars and sit inside of them for more photo opportunities.

Presentations were given by Dance Twirl N’ Motion that brought some of its students to demonstrate baton twirling and cartwheels that they are learning to do in class. Baton twirling was a popular sport during the 1950s and 1960s. Ms. Yvette Martin Mott, who attended college on a baton twirling scholarship, spoke about the opportunities the skill gave her as well as the history of the sport. She had displays of pictures and a book in which she was featured as a baton twirler that she shared. Students from Pat Brown School of Dancing in Jackson, Tennessee taught the teens how to do the hand jive and a more contemporary dance, the Electric Slide.

Heifers Craft Shack and Temple Remedies sponsored the hula hoop contest with two winners each receiving $10 Amazon gift cards. Faith and Trinity hula hooped for nearly two minutes with no near sign of losing balance or tiring. At the ease of their hula hooping, they probably could have gone on longer.

Special music guest was The Band with members Santi, Sean, Tresstyn, and Zeke, who got the crowd rocking with several popular sock hop tunes that included “Burning Love” by Elvis, “La Bamba” by Ritchie Valens, “My Girl” by The Temptations, “Earth Angel” by the Penguins, and more. They even did a special shout out of “Blackbird” by the Beatles for one of our hard working sock hop helpers.

The Homeschool Rockin’ Sock Hop was one of two dances Homeschool Roster is hosting this school year. The second one being “A Night on Broadway” – A Homeschool Prom that will be held in May.

“I wanted to give the teens a night for them to come out and just have fun, Making it a period event like a sock hop just added to the fun,” said Jennifer Smeltser with Homeschool Roster. ”I was really excited to see that everyone came dressed in sock hop period attire. The guys looked cool and the girls, I just loved their skirts and dresses.”

The food served, again reflective of the period, included a meal of hot dogs and chips, and Hostess Twinkies and Hostess Cupcakes for dessert.

Homeschool Roster wants to thank Julie Bell and Deborah Carrier for their creativity and hard work; Ken Johnson and Gene Childers for showing their cars; Heifers Craft Shack and Temple Remedies for sponsoring the hula hoop contest; Teri Dixon with Dance Twirl N’ Motion for bringing her students to present; Mrs. Mott for sharing baton history; Amelia, Blakely, and Mamie with Pat Brown School of Dancing for doing dance lessons; Vickie; and Santi, Sean, Tresstyn, and Zeke for their high energy and rockin’ out, and making the Homeschool Rockin’ Sock Hop a success!

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