WEB EXCLUSIVE Students dressed in their best attire for Convent & Stuart Hall’s casino and masquerade-themed Winter Formal dance last Saturday in the Flood Mansion. 

Attendees spent the evening playing casino games including blackjack, roulette and poker with professional dealers, taking pictures in the photo booth and dancing to music deejayed by senior Sean Mendiola.

“Usually they play a lot of rap, but this year they played more pop songs,” senior Isabella Parmenter said. “I thought that was better because some people don’t know the rap songs but everyone knows super popular songs which are easier to dance to.” 

  The formal was both casino and masquerade-themed and the Student Council provided masks for students to wear at the dance.  

“The students decided they wanted it to be like a Mardi Gras from New Orleans masquerade-style party and that impacted the treats and the decorations,” Community Life Chair Paul Pryor Lorentz said. 

Though the theme may have influenced some students’ choice of attire, arriving in masquerade-themed clothing was not required but encouraged. 

“I enjoyed the dance. I played some blackjack with my friends and I thought the music was really good,” freshman Samantha Calvin said. “The theme didn’t influence what I wore but I thought the masks were a fun addition to the dance.” 

The dance commenced at 7:00 p.m. and students and lasted until 10:00  p.m.Tickets were available for purchase throughout the week, sold at $25 online and for $30 at the door. 

“I liked that it was on a Saturday since I did not come from my sports practice,” sophomore Natalie Stans said. “The music and food were also better than that homecoming and I had fun dancing and playing the casino games.”