Ask any high school girl which event she looks most forward to during the school year, and unless she's a lead in the spring musical or is getting ready to graduate, here's her response: prom.

Lake Fong, Post-Gazette Danyale Ayers wears a tulle and satin gown in peach phlox with sweetheart neckline, accented with colored sequins and a lace-up back by Precious Formals at Carlisle's of Pittsburgh at Big Day Bridal and Event Center, 2549 Penn Ave., Strip District. Donald Moss wears a black tuxedo with mandarin collared jacket and necktie and vest. The tux, also available in white, is from American Commodore Tuxedo at The Big Day. Click photo for larger image. Related articles Prom Primer: From gorgeous gowns to custom candy Prom Primer: Proms can stretch a limo's capabilities Slideshow: The PG's LaMont Jones reviews the hot trends for Prom 2006 from gown to tux Reader forum: Prom worries Cat's Call: Join Catherine Specter for a live prom chat at 4 p.m. May 8.

And no surprise there. The real shocker is how much teenagers (or their parents) are willing to shell out for what's become an increasingly extravagant affair. Just as perplexing is that many of these dances aren't really dances at all, but Disney-like events where kids jump from one fun pursuit to another.

That whole cheek-to-cheek thing? It's almost an afterthought.

At Derry Area's prom May 12, for example, couples will enjoy music by a DJ along with a catered dinner and soda. But they'll also be treated to an inflatable obstacle course, a moon bouncer and balloon and airbrush tattoo artists. According to junior class sponsor Diane Mogle, the school also will haul in several pool tables and a picture booth. Total cost for night, which runs from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m.: about $30,000.

Unlike most other schools, which book fancy hotels or unusual venues such as the Gateway Clipper for their dances, Derry's prom since 1992 has been held in the high school gym. "So we make an effort to make it extra interesting to keep them engaged," Ms. Mogle says.

Actually, Derry Area is not all that different from everyone else. Thomas Jefferson's prom May 18 at the Omni William Penn also will be a whirlwind of activity. There will be two meals (a sit-down dinner at the hotel and early-morning buffet at the mandatory after-prom at Dave & Buster's at the Waterfront) along with a magician, handwriting expert, caricaturist, tarot card reader, karaoke and various games.

"There's an expectation it'll be an event," says principal Bart Rocco.

Nationwide, proms are featuring a growing number of activities, says Kate Wood, associate editor of PromSpot.com, a three-year-old Web site devoted to this all-important school function. Some of this has its roots in common sense -- keep 'em busy and there's less time for kids to get in trouble. But it has just as much to do with the ever-expanding amount of media devoted to celebrities' lives and their lavish lifestyles.

	Prom songs What will pack the dance floor on Prom Night 2006? We asked Eric Cassidy of Steel City Disc Jockey, who's working up the ultimate play-list. He plans to play about four fast songs to every slow song and to throw a few country tunes in when he gets farther out into the suburbs. These songs make up his top 10 for the city dance: 1. "Laffy Taffy" by D4L The biggest club banger of the moment. 2. "You're Beautiful" by James Blunt When the DJ slows it down, this is the best new track for couples. 3. "Lean Wit It/Rock Wit It" by Dem Franchize Boyz Another floor filler. 4. "Jump On It" by Sir Mix-A-Lot What's up, Pittsburgh? This joint is 10 years old and still jumpin'. 5. "Grillz" by Nelly Don't rob the jewelry store, but do get on the floor for the pride of St. Louis. 6. "You and Me" by Lifehouse The second most requested slow song of the night. 7. "Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice With a little help from the Queen bass line, the kids will form a circle and break-dance. 8. "Gold Digger" by Kanye West You'll get the edited version of this dance hit and you can decide if you want to fill in the blank. 9. "This I Promise You" by 'N Sync Don't laugh. They still want to dance to the boy-band classic. 10. "Get Low" by Lil' Jon & The East Side Boyz Get low, get crunk.

Bottom line: Crepe streamers in the gym just won't cut it anymore.

"This is their Oscar night, and they want to stand out," agrees Gina Kelly, fashion director at Seventeen magazine. "They look to it as the perfect night."

Amy Best, associate professor of anthropology and sociology at George Mason University and author of "Prom Night: Youth, Schools and Popular Culture ($23.95, Routledge), says so much attention has been given to creating lasting memories for teenagers that the assumption is for a memory to be made.

"It has to be distinct, or we believe it won't be etched on the mind forever," she says.

First held in the 1920s, proms gained popularity in the '30s, as larger numbers of young people attended and graduated from high school. The event fell out of favor in the mid-1960s and '70s as students became more socially conscious. It was back by the 1980s when he nation enjoyed a growing opulence and prosperity.

Today, prom has exploded into a $2.7 billion industry.

In all, Seventeen found that the average girl spends a total of about $800 on the night, including $223 for a dress. PromSpot puts the number at $700 to $1,000 for a couple.

Little wonder, then, that the Web site provides readers with a prom calculator so couples can figure out the costs and how to divvy them up.

Some schools, with the help of fund-raising, have kept ticket prices in line with what teenagers might earn at a part-time job -- West Greene High School's prom this year is $60 per couple, including dinner, while Butler Area's, which will be held at the Butler County Community College Convocation Center, is just $13.50 per person. But that's more the exception than the rule. Northgate's prom at PNC Park Clubhouse May 6 will cost upward of $130 a couple, while North Hills' dance at Heinz Field May 30 will run up to $190 per couple.

Students at Thomas Jefferson ($150 per couple) started fund-raising -- magazine sales, Chinese auctions -- in their freshmen year to help cover the cost. This year, the whole evening is estimated to cost between $40,000 and $50,000. Or as prom sponsor Sandy Barker put it: "It's like a wedding."

With so much hype, has prom lost a little of the aura and excitement of earlier times? Perhaps, says Mr. Rocco, who acknowledges that as a child, the thought of a limo never even crossed his mind. But it's still an important milestone in their transition from adolescence to adulthood.

"They get to demonstrate their ability to be mature," he says, "and that's a big thing."