Credit: Ethan Tawn
Aragon’s annual winter formal dance, themed “An Evening in London,” was held on Feb. 15 from 7–10 p.m. This year, the dance was hosted at Devil’s Canyon Brewery in San Carlos, instead of the usual location, Fox Theater in Redwood City.
“It’s a time for the school to really come together at an event outside of the school campus,” said junior Jocelyn Soohoo. “You almost will never see such a big gathering that’s not on campus, and everyone that’s here wants to be here … you have more fun [and] the chance to dress up and be with friends.”
Leadership started the ticket sale at $45 dollars in the first week, but did not stop selling the tickets after three weeks. Instead, the ticket sale duration was extended, with the highest price being $65. While hundreds of people attend school dances every year, some students find the ticket prices costly.
“The prices are just a little high,” said junior Maeve Newsom. “For people that [are unsure], it’s more of a debate whether you should go or not and if it’s worth the price.”
Some students believed that the ticket sale location could be improved.
“It’s a bit weird that they’re only selling it at the library,” said junior Kendrick Cheung, “If your class is near the library, then you get the first chance to get tickets. [Students should be able to] buy tickets on both sides of campus.”
Devil’s Canyon Brewery consists of a main ballroom extending to another food service area with big projectors and many tables. There is also a fire-lit outdoor area connecting the two buildings with sofas and an area for bean bag tosses.
“We just wanted [somewhere] different because I think a lot of the student body was getting tired of [Fox Theater],” said junior Dance Commission member Lia Araneta.
Overall, students were eager to explore the new location as they shared their expectations for this new experience.
“I’m hoping there’s more space to dance,” said senior Frankie Mayor. “I remember [Fox Theater’s] dance floor was kind of difficult to maneuver on once a lot of people were in there. It’s a cool place, but it was a little hard to get in.”
The dance met many students’ expectations.
“I really liked all the catering, they did pretty well on that,” Soohoo said. “I [also] really liked the venue, just considering everything and how they decorated it.”
While some students appreciated the dance, others expressed their thoughts on the possible improvements of school dances in the future, especially regarding the amount of security guards and staff.
“My least favorite part is the strictness — like [teachers] are watching high school kids having fun and [they’re] just standing there,” said senior Lueni Georgievski. “[The teachers] should have more engagement … because I think they’d really bring the energy.”
The dance introduced a new experience for students but also created a shift in attendance trends.
“I thought [the new venue] would attract more people,” Araneta said. “[But] compared to the number of people last year, we saw a noticeable decline, [which might be because] it was a new venue [and] it was actual food instead of cookies [like] last year.”
Prom is scheduled for May 3, with the location and theme to be revealed.
