This year was my third and final Montrose Semi Formal dance. Unlike prior years, the dance took place at the Four Points Sheraton hotel in Norwood, which I can attest from past experience that it’s an absolutely incredible venue, and when I found out that the dance would be there, I was jumping for joy.
Once I found a date, who ended up being a boy with whom I used to go to school many years ago, named Mike, I began my dress search. As someone who likes to think outside the box in all I do, including with what dress I wear, finding a dress, which is both flattering, and I like, can be very hard – yes, I can also be quite picky with what I look for in a dress. Shoutout to my wonderful mom for purchasing dozens of dresses in hopes of finding one I’d like – and I did!
The dance took place on the late evening of Friday, January 26th, a slightly-mild day with morning showers, and some drizzles in the afternoon. While some people were able to get ready in just an hour-or-so, it took me around five – from getting my hair and nails done, to putting on makeup, I took almost the entire day.
Slowly but surely, all of the students, along with their dates, arrived at the venue, before finding themselves a seat at one of the many tables, which were adorned with large centerpieces that consisted of glass vases and red flowers, and white tablecloths underneath. Seeing everyone without their uniforms had an initial “shock,” but getting to see everyone’s personal style expressed in their outfits made the night even more special – every single person had a unique dress, from the color, to the length, to the sequins, and the neckline.
Soon after everyone arrived, it was time to have dinner. There were three different options for food, including a taco bar, consisting of both hard and soft-shells, both ground beef and chicken. There was a mashed potatoes bar consisting of both sweet and traditional potatoes, along with toppings such as cheese, bacon, chives, and even marshmallows. Finally, a carving station, consisting of both turkey and roast beef. For drinks, there was a fully-stocked open bar with Sprite, Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, and Shirley Temples. P.S: Dear Four Points Sheraton, PLEASE put cherries in your Shirley Temples! Regardless of the lack of cherries in the Shirley Temples, I can attest that they did taste great.
After everyone ate their dinner, it was time to dance. We all gathered on the dance floor, which was right at the center of the function room, splitting the two clusters of dinner tables. For multiple hours, everyone danced together on the dance floor, jumping up and down, and screaming the lyrics to Pop Culture’s trendiest songs. The only dance breaks came when utilizing the photo booth, which had a gorgeous backdrop, and dozens of props to choose from. Then the ice cream sundae bar opened up, and this was definitely the culinary highlight of the night (hot take: vanilla ice cream is superior to chocolate… lol!!) – the ice cream was a perfect mix of solid, and slightly melted, so you wouldn’t struggle as you fought to get your spoon through it, but it wasn’t soupy. Best of all, there was a large variety of toppings, such as rainbow sprinkles, crushed-up oreos, cherries, M&Ms, the fluffiest whipped cream, warm caramel sauce, and warm hot fudge.
For the rest of the night, everyone danced their hearts out. Fun fact: sophomore year, it unintentionally became a tradition that I show off my jump-split during school dances, a remnant of my days as a dancer, and I even executed it that night to the cheers and support of my fellow upper schoolers. Shoutout to my date, my fellow Montrose students, and the parent chaperones for making the night so special – this was definitely a great way to end my Montrose semi career!
By Kristina Klauzinski ‘24, Sports Editor
