Heavy Metal? What does Arthur Murray have to do with Heavy Metal?
This question, and many others, will be answered in the list below. The rock-themed graduation party is an Arthur Murray Bay Area tradition, but for those that need to catch up, we assembled this list.
8 Facts About The Heavy Medal Ball
1. It’s A Graduation
This event is no different than a school graduation or “Belt Ceremony” in martial arts. Whether the student is a Newcomer or Full Gold, this celebration recognizes the people moving up in their dance program.
Think about it this way: You put in the work. You practiced. You showed up when you didn’t feel like it. Shouldn’t there be a moment where that effort gets recognized?
In fact, graduation ceremonies exist for a reason – they mark transitions. The person walking out of the Heavy Medal Ball is not the same person who walked in at the beginning of their dance journey.
2. Medal Not Metal
The term “Medal Ball” has been mistaken by many as “Metal Ball.” So instead of thinking of the Medalist system of Bronze, Silver, and Gold, the term commonly conjured images of your favorite Heavy Metal band.
To solve the problem, and add to the fun, this event combines both ideas. It’s the best kind of solution – one that embraces the confusion and turns it into something memorable.
3. You Don’t Need To Graduate
We encourage all students – graduating or not – to attend the HMB. It’s a sneak preview of what to expect the next time, and it shows great support in our dance community when you cheer on the students moving up a level.
Here’s something that newer students don’t always realize: The people graduating today were once exactly where you are now. Watching them cross that stage is watching your own future. And when it’s your turn? Those seats will be filled with people who remember being inspired the same way.
4. Dress Like A Rock Star
The HMB is the only event where students are encouraged to wear wigs, leather pants, face paint, or that studded motorcycle jacket you haven’t worn since your days of being a Van Halen groupie.
Costumes are completely optional, but awesome to see.
What’s the right balance between “fun costume” and “I can still dance in this”? That’s entirely up to you. Some students go all out with full rock persona. Others add a single accessory to their regular practice wear. Both approaches work.
5. No Experience Necessary
You do not need any Heavy Metal or Arthur Murray graduation experience to participate.
This isn’t a performance for experts only. The whole point is to celebrate progress at every level. If you’ve never been to one before, that’s fine – neither had everyone else at their first one.
6. There Is A Flash Formation
The Flash Formation is a group routine that happens twice a year at our Arthur Murray graduation events. It’s choreographed, rehearsed, and performed by students of all levels – which means you’ll see beginners dancing alongside advanced students in the same formation.
The Flash Formation represents everything good about the Arthur Murray community. It’s proof that dancing isn’t a solo endeavor. We learn together, we practice together, and we perform together.
7. The Event Location
The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Foster City has hosted this event since it began. It is a central location for all of the studios involved – which matters when you’re trying to gather dancers from multiple communities into one ballroom.
8. There Are Resources Available
For more information on our rock-themed graduation party, there are resources available to all of our subscribers. If you’re considering attending your first Heavy Medal Ball, your teacher can walk you through exactly what to expect.
Why Graduation Events Matter
Dancing can sometimes feel like an invisible accomplishment. Unlike a diploma you can hang on the wall or a trophy you can put on a shelf, your dance progress lives in your body – and sometimes it’s hard to see your own improvement.
That’s what makes events like the Heavy Medal Ball so valuable. They create a visible moment that says: “You were here. You did this. It counts.”
And the rock theme? That’s just a reminder that learning to dance should be fun. Because if it’s not fun, why are we doing it?
Rock on.
