The Black and White semi-formal turnabout-themed dance on Feb. 22 was the first successful winter dance in five years, according to Jim Coventry, student council adviser.
It was themed around girls asking others to the event rather than the boys asking. Adrian Povilaitis, freshman, asked a boy from North to go to the dance with her.
“He plays football, and so since I’m a cheerleader I wrote on a football ‘I would cheer so loud if you would go to turnabout with me’,” Povilaitis said.
Jade Price, junior, asked her friend to go to the Black and White dance by writing on a light-up board, “Black and White?” Along with that, she also wrote him a little note. He said yes to going to the dance, along with some of her other friends.
“I think it was a good step down from homecoming because I don’t have to spend that much money on a dress,” Price said.
However, others such as Carla Lozano, junior, said that she was overwhelmed when she got there.
“I didn’t really know what to expect. I assumed it would be a less formal version of homecoming with fewer people. There were almost as many people as there were at homecoming,” Lozano said. “But I’d say it positively affected my night. I enjoyed seeing everyone’s outfits and watching everyone have a good time.”
Coventry said that a turnabout dance came about when student council met over the summer.
“Over the summer the student council leadership team was meeting and someone threw the idea of a black and white dance out there and we all kinda jumped on it,” Riley Sitterly, co-president of student council, said. “We all loved the idea of hosting another dance for the students to enjoy, that was a little cheaper than homecoming but could be just as much fun.”
“The black and white dance still had a DJ and decorations. It just wasn’t as extravagant as homecoming. For example, the tickets were only $8, as opposed to homecoming which is usually around $20,” Sitterly said. “Also the DJ didn’t have a stage and there was not a balloon drop.”
Even though the black and white dance isn’t as grand as homecoming, the student council worked hard to make sure it was just as much fun.
“It’s a lot more work than everyone realizes. You have to do a ton of advertising, order decorations, come up with spirit week themes, work on a playlist with the DJ, set up for the dance and so much more,” Sitterly said.
“Luckily we have lots of student council members who help out, as well as Mr. Coventry and Mrs. DeLeon [the student council sponsors] who help guide us along the way. It’s a lot of hours to put in but once you see your hard work pay off it’s all worth it,” he said.