On 4 December, over 150 students and guests gathered at Ellas Banquet Halls to attend MGCI’s annual Semi Formal dance. It ran from 6 pm to approximately 11 pm. As usual, the evening, organized by Social Convener Lydia Gouveia, was filled with food, music, and dancing.
The event was plagued with troubles involving low ticket sales prior to the night, the dance itself ran smoothly. As opposed to the previous year’s attendance of nearly 300, this year’s turnout was approximately half that. Some students complained about an increase in ticket prices, as they were $3 more than the 2013 Semi Formal tickets to account for the presence of police officers, as requested by school administration.
The night began as students filed in through the doors. School administration checked tickets and bags. Cameras flashed as the students eagerly posed with their friends. The DJs set up and started the music.
The event continued with a buffet style dinner, with tables being called up in pairs to serve themselves. Everyone was served in a timely manner, and pitchers of Coke and iced water were placed at each table. The meal featured a selection of salads, along with a variety of entrees.
“I think the food was great! I’m glad I did not have to wait like at last year’s Semi Formal,” commented Neerajen Sritharan, a grade 12 student. Many other students expressed that this arrangement was better organized than last year’s sit-down dinner and that it allowed the students to choose what they wanted to eat.
However, not all students were satisfied with the food. Grade 11 student Javaria Sattar commented, “the food was okay, [although] the pasta was horrible.” She also suggested that SAC should hold the Semi Formal dance at a different venue, as Ellas Banquet Halls has been used many times in the past.
On that topic, Lydia noted, “I searched hard for a new venue, but Ellas was the nicest and most affordable. I did not want to raise the price of the ticket any more than I had to.”
Many students enjoyed themselves at Semi Formal. Photo: Jackie Ho
Following the meal, the DJs began playing music, and the dancing portion of the night began. Students crowded the dance floor up until the last minutes of music at the end of the night.
During the week leading up to the dance, students could submit song requests online. In total, students made approximately 100 requests. The DJs were able to accommodate them, and played a large percentage of the requests. However, some still felt that that the music played was not suited to everyone.
Though the music did not suit all students, most enjoyed themselves, and the night was a success.
Student Council will be posting pictures of the event on their Facebook and Instagram pages this upcoming week.
For more details on the issues relating to the lack of ticket sales, read The Reckoner’s article here.
