Edmond Memorial High School’s yearly Swine Week celebrations have been great so far, and Wednesday’s assembly was no exception. For this beloved tradition, known as the Techno Assembly, each grade level assembles a dance team to execute difficult choreography in fluorescent outfits under UV black lights. 

After each dance routine, the student body votes for their favorite performance through several money runs, where the grade level that raises the most money for this year’s chosen Swine Week recipient, Special Care, wins. This year, the senior class took home a well-deserved win. 

Like every year, the lights were shut off after the final “Can You Dig It?,” and it was time for the drumline to come out. The drumline’s performance is essential to this assembly, hyping up the student body and preparing everyone for what’s to come. 

After the drumline, color guard performed with fluorescent flags and rifles for the first time at Techno. This was one of the most captivating performances of the day, as their choreography was well-coordinated and the props provided an extra touch that filled everyone’s field of vision. 

The freshman class was the first to show off their routine. They began their program with a few cheer stunts, and the rest went smoothly. Usually, students rank the freshmen last, but their performance was great, especially since this is their first year.

Next up were the sophomores. Their choreography also included some flying stunts and coordinated dancing. I really enjoyed a part in which one of the dancers put on a neon pink wig, giving the performance a special, humorous effect. Overall, the performance was interesting and entertaining to watch. 

In between the underclassmen and upperclassmen dances, the special education department came out to perform their own choreography. This year is the first time they performed in the Techno Dance, and it was a success. 

They danced to classic hits like “Dancing Queen” by ABBA and “Macarena” by Los Del Rio, which truly captivated the entire audience. This was my favorite part of the assembly because everyone interacted with their performance, singing along and cheering. At the end of their performance, everyone gave them a standing ovation. 

The juniors then entered with a pop culture-filled performance. They started with a choreographed lightsaber duel with music from “Star Wars” playing. Later, the boys recreated Katseye’s viral dance to “Milkshake” by Kelis, which was extremely popular and garnered a lot of attention. Generally, this group had well-rehearsed dances and stunts, alongside moments that made the crowd cheer and kept people talking. 

For the grand finale, the seniors came onto the floor in pink outfits, and as usual, they were the largest and the most well-received group. There were many eye-catching parts in their performance, such as a human wave to Zara Larsson’s “Midnight Sun.” My favorite part of their routine was the simulated boxing match between two of the students. They also added an emotional touch with “Where’d All the Time Go?” by Dr. Dog, since this is their last year in high school. Overall, this was my favorite grade-level performance. 

While the total funds collected were not announced, the seniors won in the end. Their win was truly deserved, since they captured the audience and had several fantastic moments. The assembly achieved its purpose of raising money for Special Care while adding energy to Swine Week. 

Contact Noelia Ocampo Resendiz at [email protected]