Dancing to the 80's

Planning a high school dance in her senior year was the last thing that Allie wanted to do in her spare time. But, she let her best friend, Brenn, talk her into it. But worst of all, Brenn bailed on her and she was left to do all the work by herself. The students voted for a back to the 80’s dance. Allie knew nothing about the 80’s except what yahoo and her mom told her. 

She closed her eyes as she sat in the bleachers at the school gym and tried to picture what she thought the 80’s would look like. She pursed her lips as she went into deep thought. She heard an unfamiliar hum of fluorescent lights and she opened her eyes and felt a strange warmth of the gym. She was no longer sitting in the bleachers at the gym; she was in a brightly lit room with strobe lights flashing and a spinning disco ball casting shadows over her head. People were dressed in sequins and bold colors. The year was 1983.

Allie had time traveled somehow back to the 80’s. She looked down at herself. Her jeans and hoodie had been replaced with a metallic purple mini skirt and a white sequined top with matching white heeled boots. Her hair was teased into a voluminous style piled on top of her head which seemed to defy gravity. The music was blasting from speakers loudly with a deep baseline that seemed to make the floor vibrate.

“No way!” She whispered. 

A man in a white suit and black shirt with a wide collar approached her. 

“Hey there! Are you new here? Haven’t seen you at club 55 before.” 

“Club 55?” Allie repeated. Her mind was racing. This was surreal. 

“Yeah, just checking it out.” Allie continued.

The man extended his hand, “I’m T. J.”

“Allie.” She replied, shaking his hand. 

“Good to meet you, Allie. Is this your first disco night?” He asked, motioning toward the dance floor.

“You could say that.” Allie replied as she glanced around the disco. 

She looked at all the glittering decorations and the colorful lights. This was exactly what she needed to design the perfect dance. But, how did she get here? How would she get back?

T. J. let her to the bar. The bartender wore a sequin vest and was serving drinks in tall glasses with umbrellas. 

“What will it be?” The bartender asked.

“Just a coke please.” Allie said.

The bartender handed her a tall glass with her coke and a cherry on top. 

T.J. raised his glass. “To new friends.” 

Allie smiled and clinked glasses with him. “To the 80’s.” 

As the night wore on, Allie got swept up in the magic of it all. She danced with strangers who welcomed her like an old friend.  She noticed how the disco ball reflected light in mesmerizing patterns, the texture of the decorations and the outfits which vibed perfectly with the people wearing them. She almost forgot where she was until she heard a voice behind her. 

“Hey!”

Allie turned around to see a woman wearing over-sized black glasses, a silver jumpsuit and huge silver hoop earrings which caught the light each time she moved. 

“You’re not from around here are you?” The woman asked. 

“No, I’m not.” Allie said cautiously. 

The woman’s lips curved into a knowing smile. 

“You look like someone trying to figure out how she ended up here. I have seen this before.” The woman said.

“You have?” Allie said.

“Yes, time has a way of pulling people where they need to be. I am Celeste by the way.” 

“What do you mean where they need to be?” Allie asked. 

“Sometimes when you are searching for answers, the universe gives them to you. Maybe you needed to see this place to understand something.”  

“I’m trying to plan an 80’s themed dance. But, I didn’t exactly ask to be here.” Allie said.

Celeste tilted her head slightly. “Maybe not consciously, but you are here for a reason. When you’re ready you will find the way back home.” 

“How?” Allie asked.

Celeste gestured toward the dance floor. “Just dance.” 

Allie’s mind still had questions but she danced until her feet hurt, laughed with people that she would never see again, and soaked in every detail of the experience she was having.  She realized that the 80’s were just about good times, flashy clothes and good music, it was about energy, the freedom to express yourself and the sense of community. 

As the night turned into dawn, and the sun came up, Allie found herself standing by the disco ball in the middle of the room staring at its reflections. Maybe she found what she needed. She found inspiration. 

“I’m ready.” She whispered. 

The disco ball shimmered brighter and the room began to blur. The sounds of laughter faded. The sound of the music also faded and was replaced by the sounds of silence. She opened her eyes and looked at her outfit. Her jeans and hoodie were restored. Her hair was restored back into her usual messy ponytail  tied back with her flowered scrunchies. She grabbed her notebook and began to sketch what she had seen. She now knew how to bring the magic of the 80’s, especially 1983 to her classmates in 2025. 

When her best friend, Brenn, finally showed up, Allie was smiling from ear to ear. 

“You look like you are in a good mood. I thought that you would be mad at me because I didn’t show up and help you. But, you look happy. Almost too happy. What’s up with that?” Brenn asked her friend.

“Well, let’s just say I took a little trip back in time and I found what I was missing. I found everything I need for this dance.”

“And what might that be?” Brinn asked her smiling friend.

“I found what was missing. I found inspiration and how to bring the 80’s, 1983 back to 2025.” Allie said, still smiling.