Anna Nemetz '17 models the glitter theme for Ellie Brumbaum '17.

As the temperature warms and spring approaches, the students of Sarah Lawrence gear up for a number of exciting events. One of those events is Spring Formal. Much like Fall Formal, Spring Formal will be held on the South Lawn under a tent. The dance is scheduled near the end of the school year, on May 2 from 9 p.m. until midnight. While an official menu has not been decided on yet, there will definitely be a hearty spread of hors d’ouevres, desserts, water, and other cold drinks, including lemonade and iced tea. Those over age 21 can enjoy a selection of beers and wines. To keep people from overindulging, drinks will be doled out at the rate of one drink per student per hour. While the committee responsible for the dance has not chosen a theme, the Student Engagement Fund promises that there are some exciting surprises planned for the students who attend the event. While they would not reveal what those surprises were, they did note that they would make Spring Formal special in comparison to Fall Formal.

First year students Richard Perez and Blair Bird enjoy the crowded dance floor. Photo appears courtesy of Nabila Wirakusumah '17.

Once again, GrooveBoston will supply the music for this event. GrooveBoston is an entertainment company that travels to different campuses all over the country and internationally and hosts musical events. This company has a focus on electronic dance music and combines light and sound to create a full sensory musical experience. According to their website, GrooveBoston’s “mission is centered around the experience as a whole, rather than the artists behind the decks, or the producers behind the music.”

They work with some of the leading “audio, lighting, staging, and special effects professionals in the world” to bring an exciting musical experience to college campuses. While some students have objected to the cost of hiring the company, the warm reception that the students present at Fall Formal gave GrooveBoston and the professional-grade show that they put on guarantees that students will experience a fun evening that is worth the investment.

A brief survey of students revealed that most students, ranging from freshman to seniors, enjoy attending the formal dances on campus. Senior Joe Jaffa said that he enjoys attending the formals because he “gets to hang out with people he doesn’t normally hang out with.”

Freshman Nicholas Rademaker has an interesting view of Sarah Lawrence formals. “Formal is an event where we can listen to proper dance music and actually make it an event and have a raised expectation as to how people should dress and act. People don’t have that for the rest of the local other party options, so this makes formal an island in a sea of inappropriate parties and tired Blue Room experiences.”

Turn down for what? Sarah Lawrence students enjoy Fall Formal. Photo courtesy of Nabila Wirakusumah '17

A fair number of other students, when comparing the formal dances to the Blue Room dances, greatly preferred the formals, and some even suggested that Sarah Lawrence should have more formals and outside events to provide more opportunities later in the year for the student body to get together.

The Student Engagement Fund Committee is the on-campus group that organizes both Fall and Spring Formal every year. This year, the committee includes ten members, but membership is open to the entire campus starting at the beginning of the school year. According to Joshua Luce, the staff advisor for the committee, “The directive for the group is to be good stewards of the fund, and to continue to maintain and enhance the formals as the campus traditions they have become.”

The Student Senate provides a small but generous amount of funding for the committee. Nate Montalto, one of the co-chairs of the fund committee, works for the group because he loves watching everyone have fun and being part of building our community in this way. He thinks that people come to these dances because they look forward to the music and the opportunity for the community to get together, since there are few opportunities for such a large percentage of the student body to get together. He hopes that everyone comes to this year’s Spring Formal and has a great time. So, if you like delicious hors d’oeuvres, music, and exciting light shows, make sure you come to this year’s Spring Formal, May 2, 9 p.m. to midnight.

by Alice Walker '16
awalker1@gm.slc.edu

A Preview of Spring Formal 2014: The Glitter Ball