Semi-Formal in Sin City
Semi-Formal in Sin City
By: Jessica Guo and Tom Liu
Photo: Matthew Tse
On 24 February 2017, SAC held the annual Semi-Formal dance at Celebrations Banquet Hall from 5:00 to 10:30 pm. Organized by Social Convener Fariha Haleem, attendees were encouraged to dress according to the Las Vegas theme.
In total, over two hundred people attended the dance, a number much higher than SAC’s original goal of one hundred to one hundred fifty tickets. “It was amazing that so many students wanted to participate,” said Fariha. SAC broke even with ticket sales, bringing in over eight hundred dollars in profits. Most of the revenue went towards hosting DJ Haresh, the venue, decorations, and gift bags.
Upon arriving, attendees completed mandatory bag checks with the teacher supervisors. They were then given beaded necklaces and entered a room decorated with balloons, sparkles, and poker chips, following the Las Vegas and casino theme. There was also a photo booth with props for guests.
SAC kicked off the evening by gathering people to participate in musical chairs, where the winners received gift cards as prizes. As promised, dinner was served in buffet style at approximately 7:00 pm. There were a variety of choices, all Halal to accommodate the attendees. Dessert consisting of ice cream, fruit, and drinks was also offered later in the night.
The dance floor opened promptly after dinner and was crowded until its closing at 10:30 pm. Awards in the form of gift bags were given to Agnes Veres-Sogi and Aamer Said for being the best female and male dancers respectively, Raaba Ahmad and Maria Yousuf for best couple, Sajjel Naveed and Ungabeen Khalid for cutest BFFs, and Akbar Qayumi for best selfie taken.
Semi-Formal was well-received by participants. Compared to the previous year, SAC President Zaid Baig said, “It had the highest amount of attendees and was also the very first Semi to have an agenda.” Zaid also said that it was the first dance with icebreakers and games, an addition he thinks made the dance more enjoyable.
When asked about the dance, student Asma Karodalia said, “I think the food is great. I’m happy that I got to come with my friends.” However, some students also said that they would have preferred a larger dance floor and that they were discouraged by the ticket prices.
Semi was primarily advertised on social media and by word of mouth. SAC also released a promotional video on Youtube of the school mascot, the Cougar, asking different students to go to Semi with him. The first fifty tickets were sold at an early-bird price of thirty dollars, while the rest were sold at thirty five dollars for MGCI students and forty dollars for guests. Ticket sales occurred from 9 February to 23 February during lunch in the SAC office.
SAC had originally planned the Semi-Formal dance to be held in late-November, but there were scheduling conflicts with other events, mainly Key Club’s SCAW night. The organizers decided that February would be the optimal time to have the dance to prevent conflicts.
All in all, the 2017 Semi-Formal was a great success. The good food accompanied the high energy of the dance and it was an amazing experience for both students and teachers. Ms. Goldenberg commented, “I think the organizers did a terrific job and everyone had a good time. It looked fabulous.”
