[HPforGrownups] Yule Ball and other dances (or, Are You Tainted by Fanfic?)

[Katie]

No: HPFGUIDX 46706

 --- On Sun 11/17, Barb < psychic_serpent at yahoo.com > wrote:

Dances are clearly NOT a regular event at Hogwarts, however much fanfic writers would like there to be a Halloween dance/masquerade ball, a Valentine dance, an end-of-term dance in June, etc.  In fact, I have to say that it seems your sister's view of canon may possibly have been tainted by reading too many fanfics where these sorts of non-canon school dances occur (plus a recurrence of the Yule Ball)
My Reply:
I'm curiouse if this very common (and in my opnion silly, as GoF seems perfectly celar to me that there aren't annual Yule Balls) mistake shouldn't be considered an Americanism? 
I see lots of complaints about common americanisms brought up, but I've never seen something mentioned about the frequency of dances. 
School dances are ridiculously common over here. We have a homecoming dance, and winter dance, the prom, the random dance that I don't remember dance, the one where the girl asks the guy dance (can't remeber what it's called) basically a whole slew of dances. In my middle school they had a monthly school dance thing 0.o
I don't know for sure but from talking with some international students, it seems like schools abroad simply do not have the amount of dances that we do. (nor do they have the evil known as pep rallies, lucky people you)
So if I see random dances, I always just consider it an Americanism. Probably some young kid is used to annual Winter Dances, and may not stop to think that this is wrong. 
Now I could be totally wrong, and Dances are common in Britian but the little voice in my head says no. 
Also with dances, I see some people actually write another Tri-Wizard tournment, thus justifying the dance, but,as said, everyone would be out of school by the time the next one came around. I also think it unlikely, considering Cedric's fate and the mess with Harry, that another one will be held anytime soon. 
Actually, I'm worried about relations all togther. I know that event was supposed to strengthen international relations, but it seems to have hurt them more. It was a good plan, but it back fired badly. Even though Voldemort did not kill Harry, I think he still did significant damage to Dumbeldore's chances of pulling allies together quickly. 
-Ani
PS: Again sorry for spelling errors, there is no spell check on this computer at work >_<

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