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Silent disco brings BYU students together for Wellness Week

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BYU students dance to upbeat music at a silent disco. This event was hosted by the BYU Student Wellness Center as their closing event during Wellness Week on March 20. (Ella Habermeyer)

BYU students danced the night away at a silent disco in the Wilkinson Student Center ballroom on Thursday, March 20.

Wellness Week is a dedicated time each year to promote and educate BYU students on social and physical health. This year’s festivities concluded with a glow-in-the-dark celebration: a silent disco.

Mitchel Armstrong, a marketing representative for the Student Wellness Center, helped promote the event and emphasized the importance of student well-being.

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Students receive headphones before hitting the dance floor at the silent disco. The headphones offered three different "vibes" to choose from. (Ella Habermeyer)

“We’re just ending it with a bang,” Armstrong said. “This is the last event of the week, and it’s all about uniting the students through dancing.”

Before stepping onto the dance floor, each student received a set of headphones. Each set offered three different music “vibes," allowing attendees to slow dance to country jams or jump to pop hits.

Before putting the headphones on, the dance floor appeared almost surreal — students grooving in silence, with only the shuffle of feet. But as soon as the headphones were on, dance moves synced to the beats of “Dancing Queen” by ABBA and “Hot To Go” by Chappell Roan.

The wellness programs administrator, Maya Koller, was inspired to host the event because of the social connection it fosters.

“Although I’ve never been to a silent disco myself, I thought this would be a great event to promote social wellness,” Koller said.

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Silent disco attendees dance to a range of music genres, including country, pop, disco and hip-hop. Students were able to practice physical and social wellness while dancing the night away. (Ella Habermeyer)

For the wellness team, social connection is a cornerstone of creating a healthy lifestyle. By hosting a silent disco, Koller aimed to incorporate multiple dimensions of wellness.

Sally Otterstrom, an attendee, was drawn to the event by her love of dancing.

“This is my first time at a silent disco, but I would totally come again,” Otterstrom.

While silent discos may not be an everyday occurrence, there are plenty of ways to stay active at BYU. The Student Wellness Center encourages students to attend one of their Y-Fitness classes, such as yoga and Zumba, to keep moving and stay connected.