In 1934, the Sadie Hawkins tradition was born where it allowed the roles to be reversed and girls would ask a guy to a dance instead of the guys asking the girls.

The concept originated from the comic strip “Li’l Abner” and it has become part of high school and college customs for decades.

Earlier this month, Austin Peay State University held its first Sadie Hawkins Dance in honor of Women’s Empowerment Week. This was a chance for the women on campus to take the reign and ask their special someone to the dance.

The dance was organized and decorated by the Panhellenic Council, which serves as a governing body for the social sororities at APSU.

“This dance is a way to kind of challenge the gender roles of men asking women”, Madison Beaudoin, The Vice President of Sisterhood for the council, conveyed in her brief, but riveting speech as the dance got underway.

Although music was playing from the time that the doors opened, the first 30 minutes were treated as a social hour. All the attendees gathered to greet friends and warm up to the dancing festivities.

45 minutes after the dance initially started, the party really kicked off and the dance floor was hopping thanks to Beyonce’s mega hit, “Crazy in Love.” Arms were waiving, legs were kicking and bodies were shaking, as everyone was “hooting” and laughing to the rhythm and beats of the songs throughout the night.

The music selection for the event primarily consisted of female artists, such as Megan Thee Stallion, Janet Jackson and Gwen Stefani, which tied even deeper into the theme of Women’s empowerment.

In lieu of an admission fee, donations of feminine hygiene products were accepted and will be later distributed to different charities that helped support women in need.

“In addition to donating feminine hygiene products,” Beaudoin announced, “many of the dresses that ladies are wearing tonight will be donated for charities after the dance”.

When the song “Low” by Flo-Rida came through the speakers, many of the ladies on the dance floor had an unofficial competition to see who could actually get the lowest. The party was in full effect by this point.

The dance floor seemed very synchronized as if everyone had been rehearsing the many line dances that were performed to various rap and rock songs throughout the evening.

This dance was all about the empowerment of women and the female students of APSU truly displayed that they have the most empowered women .