Students enjoying a silent disco at the Wharton Center, hosted by Wharton Center Students on Jan. 27, 2023.
The Wharton Center Students held its first Silent Disco at the Wharton Center on Friday. The event included raffle prizes, food and dancing.
Upon arrival, attendees were given headphones that connected to three channels of music playlists. Genres included broadway, pop and EDM. Attendees could choose their music and adjust their volume based on their preference.
Wharton Center Students president Rayna Gold said the event was part of the organization's effort to host sensory-friendly experiences. This often includes putting on shows where lights aren't as heavy and sound isn't as loud.
“We wanted to cater to people who may not want to go to a loud dance with a super crazy atmosphere,” Gold said.
The disco was split into two rooms – one with a lighter atmosphere, food, seating and the raffle and another room for dancing. A DJ played one of the music channels through speakers in the dance room on a low volume.
Computer science freshman Amanda Saunders said she had never attended a silent disco before, but she enjoyed going out with friends to something new.
“(I like) the flexibility and being able to listen to what you want to,” Saunders said. “It was really fun to just be able to go out with my friends today and do something new and something I never had the opportunity (to do) before this.”
Saunders said students shouldn't be afraid to try something new like a silent disco – it's worth a try at least once for a fun experience, she said.
Psychology freshman Ayanna King also said she also enjoyed her experience at the Silent Disco.
“There should be a lot more opportunities like this. It’s fun,” King said. “When you have your group of people, you can really make fun out of anything.”
Tickets to the silent disco sold out days in advance, but Gold said Wharton Center Students plans to hold a Silent Disco annually.