Semiformal 2004, located in Taper Gymnasium, was not a roaring (â20s) success.
But the better dances of the last three years didnât need to have come at the price of, well, a much higher price.
What has made a difference to the feel of the night is Student Governmentâs 3-year-old lockdown policy. The pack-the-students-in-and-make-them-have-fun method of party-throwing has worked remarkably well, as students from 9th to 12th grade happily hit the dance floor. But the lockdown would probably have been just as successful if implemented in Taper and without a price hike.
And it should be.
We do not go to semiformal to feel the magic of a night at the Ozkars or in a Winter Wonderland. That being said, the student body could have just as roaring a night in Taper Gymnasium, like the good old days of semiformal, as they do in the ballroom of the Universal Sheraton Hotel â and they could save some cash, as well.
Three years ago, when Taper was transformed into a Vegas-style casino, semiformal tickets cost $15, compared to the $48 students shelled out per ticket this year (or $60 at the door).
Admittedly, the casino games â science teachers as blackjack dealers and the history department handing out chips included â may not have had us all feeling like elegant high-rollers, but the night as a whole did not have a feel much different than this yearâs â20s bash.
With a less expensive venue and no provided dinner â which most students would describe as mediocre at best anyway â ticket prices for the evening could be deflated to their 2004 level, a much more agreeable price. Students can decide for themselves (or at least for their 24-person limos) whether or not they want to shell out the cash for an expensive dinner or whether they would prefer hitting up IHOP later in the night. Student Government could even offer tickets with and without dinner included.
Few events bring more of the student community together than semiformal. Still, letâs not pretend that the realization of this achievement must cost $48.
