In the United States, and parts of Canada, a prom* is a formal dance for high school students held a few weeks before high school graduation (usually around this time of year).  Proms are often a major event among high school students and a cultural even most Americans have experienced in their life.  Proms are traditionally held for graduating high school seniors (this is called a Senior Prom) though often high school juniors have a similar dance as well (this is called a Junior Prom).  In most smaller high schools there is just a single combined Junior/Senior Prom. Months of preparation go into creating a high school prom.  There is usually a group of students elected to serve as the ‘Prom Committee’ and plan this event.  The Prom Committee decides when (usually sometime in May) and where (often in a hotel ballroom or at the high school gym) the prom will be held.  The committee also decides on a theme for the prom and decorates the prom venue to match the  selected theme.  At the prom, there is music, dancing, and maybe some small snack food served.  Couples often go to the prom together and groups of couples may join together to rent a limousine to drive them to and from the prom.  Also at the prom, a Prom Queen and Prom King may be revealed.  These are honorary titles awarded to students who have been chosen in a school-wide vote prior to the dance.

As I mentioned above the prom is a formal dance, so boys usually dress in suits and sometimes rent tuxedos that match in color with the dress of their date.  Girls wear formal dresses or gowns and often have their hair, nails and/or makeup specially done at a salon prior to going to the prom.  Traditionally girls will wear a corsage (a small flower arrangement) that is given to them by their date, while boys where a matching boutonniere (a small flower arrangement worn by a male on his lapel) given to them by their date.

There certainly are American’s who have not been to a prom, but this is a major experience in the lives of most young Americans.  There a many American movies in which attending the prom is a major or minor plot point.  I have listed some of these movies below.  From my impression of attending my own prom (many many years ago) I can say these movies do not overly exaggerate what an actual prom is like, that is, these movies give a pretty realistic picture of what an American prom is like in my opinion.

Prom movies:
10 Things I Hate About You
Never Been Kissed
Pretty in Pink
She’s All That

*prom = a word short for ‘promenade’, promenade is a word that means a walk taken in a public place as a social activity