For those who have been paying attention in advisery and reading the flyers plastered around the school, many know that winter dance is no longer named “Turnabout.” Instead, it but has adopted a new name: Trevapalooza.

The name change was introduced by Moira Gitau, head sponsor of the Global Exchange Club, the club that organizes the dance.

Gitau said the previous name, “Turnabout,” is dated and doesn’t fit the school anymore, “One of the reasons that this name change was necessary is that Turnabout implies a very specific relationship, male and female.” Gitau added, “We know now that this isn’t always the case.”

The Global Exchange Club knows that it will be a slow transition for students to use the name Trevapalooza, but hopes that students will understand the purpose of this name change.

To Gitau’s delight, sophomore Madeline Kudia thinks the name change will have a positive effect and poses a good purpose.

“It helps people who identify as LGBTQ to feel more comfortable, and it’s keeping up with this theme of ‘prochange’ that is very relevant in the media these days,” Kudia said.

As expected, there are still people who feel that this change is unnecessary and prefer the old name.
Senior Jack Cadden has issues with Trevapalooza, stating that he has attended Turnabout every year, “I’m a senior, so of course I’m for tradition,” Cadden said.

In agreement with Cadden, senior Alex Lyons is another supporter of tradition and says that she understands why there is a new name, but doesn’t believe changing the official name will make students stop calling the dance Turnabout.

Junior Jack French mirrors Lyons’ opinion, stating that students have a habit of calling the dance Turnabout.
“I just don’t see people making creative asks for a dance called Trevapalooza,” French said. Gitau says the name was chosen purposely to reflect a festival like Lollapalooza.

“Trevapalooza works because it’s more like a festival, with a dance component. I don’t want students to think that if they don’t like to dance, they can’t go.”

Gitau added that in her five years in charge of the dance, she has done something to improve it every year, including a new DJ, creating a game room, the VIP lounge, and now online ticket sales.
“It’s Trevapalooza because there are other things to do than just dance. We are looking to do things in the future, potentially with student artists to make it more festival-like, and I believe Trevapoolza really suits that,” Gitau said.

Rachel Hess, a Committed to Action club sponsor and English teacher, explained the process of how the club helped choose this name. “Ms. Gitau came to a Committed to Action club meeting, and wanted to work with us to figure out a more inclusive name for the dance. We brainstormed a bunch of ideas, and then the dance board collected all the proposals from the club,” Hess said.

Junior Ellen White said, “I support the name change because it’s 2016 and it’s important to stop making assumptions of people’s sexual orientation.”

White’s point is what Gitau and the Trevapalooza board initially aimed for. Gitau said that it’s necessary to make it apparent that anybody can ask anybody, and it doesn’t have to be “girls ask guys,” which is what the name Turnabout implied.

“Most kids go in groups, and the reality is that we’re trying to push the idea that at Trevapalooza you can go with anyone, or even not anyone at all,” Gitau said.

With knowledge that it may take a while for New Trier to transition into this name, Hess is excited that Trevapalooza will make students feel more included.

“The name Trevapalooza is nice because it’s recognized more as a party than strictly a dance,” Hess said, “It takes off the social pressure and allows it to be not as high profile as Prom or Homecoming.”