When one thinks of the 80's, some of the first things that come to mind are bad hair, outrageous clothes, the brat pack, glam rock and new age pop -- several defining aspects of the post-disco era. It was with this nostalgia that I eagerly anticipated Thursday night's 80's dance at the Stein. Unfortunately the dance, hosted by the Tympanium Euphorium in an effort to fund their upcoming production of "Gypsy," fell far short of my expectations.Upon arriving at the Stein, I was disappointed to observe the lack of creativity in the surroundings. Although this was a fundraiser, a few decorations here and there, or at least some fancy lighting might have added to the dance's appeal. Most of the attendees came to the dance in normal clothes. Except for a few students with glittery make-up, high ponytails, leather jackets and pink button down shirts, there were no creative costumes. Even though the publicity regarding the event did not require 80's attire, most people jump at any excuse to break out the jean jackets, shoulder pads and mini skirts. It is possible that the sheer embarrassment of eighties fashion was too much for some students to bear, but wasn't that the point of the dance?

Also, it was disheartening to notice the sheer lack of students in attendance. Toward the beginning of the night there were less than a dozen students in the Stein, and even as the night wore on, the number barely doubled. In fact, the majority of students at the dance were club members. The poor attendance could be due to several factors -- students having too many midterms and papers, the dance having not enough publicity and the student body having the general feeling of being "too cool" for school functions.

Whatever the reason, the low number of students seriously hindered the entertainment value of the event. After all, a dance needs people dancing to be successful.

Most of the students at the dance chose to occupy the couches or tables in order to socialize with their friends. The talking, however, was hindered by the loud music.

A few brave souls decided to conquer the empty dance floor. Judging by the drinks in their hands, it was possible to assume that these upperclassmen were using alcohol to aid in their enjoyment of the evening. The more sober underclassmen quickly gave up on the awkward head bobbing and constricted dance movements and resumed their conversations on the couches.

The one redeeming quality of the evening was of course the music. From Madonna's "Material Girl," to The Ramones' "Sedated," every classic 80's song received its proper recognition by the DJ. Unfortunately, this positive aspect did not make the dance worthwhile. There was nothing special or unique that made the dance any different than if I had downloaded choice 80's music and played it in my dorm.

At least there I might have had the courage to break out the leg warmers and bust a move.