In the age of Netflix and social media, post the 'me too' movement, a debutante ball in the outback may seem a little archaic.
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Not long ago, the coming-of-age tradition saw young girls teetering on white high heels and formally paraded for society.
But now, as the 22 'debs' and their partners practice for the event just four weeks away, there seems to be little talk of what it previously represented.
Instead, the teens chatter nervously about forgetting the steps in front of the imminent 200 spectators, which dance is their favourite and how this is their only chance for for an end-of-year to do.
Kenny Johansen, 17, and Sarah Assmus, 17, see the deb as a "once in a life time thing".
And in a small, remote town where sport is king and there is little else to do, there was no chance they were missing out.
"Sarah nagged me for seven months before I said yes, but now I am involved I'm really glad," the St Joseph's Catholic College student said, half way through a sweaty Monday night practice.
"Everyone has their prom in America, we have our deb," he said.
For Sarah, it was the idea of showing the adults a bunch of young people could dedicate hours of their free time to learning the waltz and the cha cha, and pull it off.
An avid AFL and netball player, she said while there is nothing wrong with old fashioned, the deb as we know it has evolved with the times.
"Everyone is getting their little bit of sunshine, it is not just about the girls.
"For us, it doesn't represent anything like it did in the past. It is just fun."
Throwing away the rule book, the young debutantes have chosen their own partners and there won't be a white glove in sight.
The most formal tradition being upheld is the girls will be wearing a corsage, organiser and former debutante Colleen McTaggart said.
"We are taking an old fashioned event and putting a 21st century spin on it," she said.
There has been a debutante ball in Katherine most years for the past 30, and over that time, it has changed exponentially.
The organiser is looking at it like a sporting event, something in which both girls and boys should be recognised equally.
"They train and train for this, they have been practicing for months and it is unfair that the boys be unrecognised, they are putting just as much effort in," Mrs McTaggart said.
"We live in a society all about equality."
She said the upcoming event, which will see the couples perform well-practiced dances in front of friends and parents, is a chance for them to shine off the sporting field.
"Katherine is a small community where there is a lot of emphasis on sport, and for young people, having the opportunity to participate and gain new skills, well they can hold their heads high as they have achieved something.
"This could be the difference between them deciding how their future ends up."
She said the basis of the deb - the dancing and the presentation - has changed little since her's 25 years ago, but the reasons are different.
"They don't have anyone telling them they have to do it, they have picked their own partners, they are doing this because they want to.
"It is a huge deal for a young person to get up and present themselves in front of 200 people."
The Katherine Debutante Ball falls on Saturday June 15, and starts at 6.15pm. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased from the Katherine Town Council.
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