The annual "Google Dance," which drew thousands of search conference attendees to Google's Mountain View headquarters each summer, has been canceled this year, a victim of cost cutting. The outcry only confirms our early judgement of the event: hopelessly lame.

Here are some of the quotes rounded up by the Wall Street Journal:

  • "Like 15,000 college kids having a gigantic frat party." —Palo Alto marketer.
  • "Just the marquee event of the summer." —Google Dance regular.
  • "People are upset... it could've been a good morale booster." —Social media consultant.

Google has greatly slowed its hiring and tightened its focus on the bottom line; as its workforce matured both emotionally and in raw median age, it was inevitable the company's giant frat party would go the way of the big Disneyland trip. Hopefully, for employees' sake, Google is still willing to direct some profits toward more tasteful methods of giving away booze and snacks.


(Pic: Steven Block)