Blinding lights and blasting music. Sweaty bodies from people dancing, and the warmth of being in the mosh pit. The floor shook from people having fun and jumping. Winter formal was the perfect dance for anyone looking for a good time.
This year, the Winter Formal dance was held at California State University San Marcos, (CSUSM) on Feb. 10. The fun dance took place from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m inside a 9,000 square feet ballroom, creating the perfect space for dancing. Winter formal also took place outside in the amphitheater with a unique feature of the stage being at the bottom of the outdoor theater.
Winter formal is a great place to have a fun time with your friends or even with a significant other. Typically when it comes to formal the girls ask the guys but you can feel free to ask whoever you want. Many people ask with a sign, little gifts and flowers, but some people come up with new and unique ideas that people haven’t seen before. When it comes to posters people usually write cute notes and things that relate back to what they do like sports and or what they like. For instance, if someone runs track you could write, “Put away your running shoes and put on your dancing shoes, (Name) will you go formal with me?” Another example is a SZA poster that says, “How could I snooze and miss the moment to go formal with you?” This is a good one because many people love the artist SZA. Another popular way to ask someone is with crumble cookies with a poster saying “My heart would crumble if I could take you to formal”. So, there are many different ways to ask someone to be your date from small proposals to big ones, either way it will be very memorable.
Senior Miana Fortenberry, who has been to formal many times, says “ It’s a very fun experience and is a great way to experience school events and get hype.”
Before attending, Freshman Coral Turner said, “I have heard about the ballroom and amphitheater and I [couldn’t] wait to spend time dancing and having fun both inside and outside on the campus.”
The bottom of the amphitheater stage was connected to the ballroom to provide an easy access to both aspects of the dance. The San Marcos High School Winter Formal dance will also provide food, drinks, music, and other fun activities. Tickets were purchased on the ASB webstore. The prices ranged from $35-50 depending on when students bought them. The theme of the dance was a masquerade ball, so everyone wore their best masks and rocked them on the dance floor.
According to Fortenberry, ASB contributes in deciding the activities during formal and planning the food that was served. Activities include a 360 camera, dance floor with a DJ, and a photo booth. “Certain ASB periods plan the venue. They’ll decide what activities will be there, and what food is going to be there,” Fortenberry said. Fortenberry says to expect a huge mosh pit that people form to dance in, as ASB chose a great DJ for the crowd to have an amazing experience.
While ASB worked hard to plan the dance, many students were on a mission to plan their perfect outfit. Outfits are important so you need to dress to impress, but there are so many types to choose from. There are many places to shop which include Macy’s, Windsor, Nordstrom, and JCPenney. There are many dress styles offered, but the most popular type of dress at formal was strapless silk dress, that came in many colors. The dresses range in price from $80-$120.
Freshman Kapri Meija said she prefers “a long dress, that drags behind me, and has a slit going down the side and something that’s more simple.”
Turner (27) also said “I [wore] a light purple dress that’s strapless and a slit down the side of it.”
Another major part of formal was getting ready with friends and taking pictures. Many people love to take pictures with their friends before the dance. Lots of people go to the local hotel, Omni Resort, to take pictures. However, during a dance, the Omni is very crowded with people, so others prefer taking pictures at the beach or on a mountain during sunset.
Fortenberry said, “First I go with my friends and we spend the day relaxing until about two hours before formal. Then we shower, do our makeup, and put our dresses on to finish the look. Then you go take pictures with your friends.”
Formal was overall so fun, it was a very thrilling time with food, activities and a place to make new friends.
