Winter formal- masquerade madness

Zia Eger-Slobig '25

Associate Podcast Coordinator

On February 7, a Masquerade Ball of  maskless faces occurred. The much anticipated Louisville Winter Formal held at the Marriott Hotel of Woodland Hills finally transpired. 

The hotel ballroom allowed for elegant decor, thoughtfully planned out by the junior class council. After greeting my favorite staff members, I entered the black and gold covered room. I was unexpectedly met with an empty dance floor not yet paraded by our extroverts of the school. Like the floor, I took in the yet to be consumed hors d'oeuvres of caprese, ahi and beverages of lemonade and ice water provided. The tables were decorated by masks despite the theme being forgotten by most of the attendees. 

The music was a hodgepodge of throwback hits and classics. The songs were mixed into each other in a way I have never heard before. There were three DJs. Not one, not two, but three! One of the men, sporting a fiddler cap and checkerboard button down, was appreciated by many as the embodiment of Kelsi the piano player, from “High School Musical.” 

Once Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl” played, people ran to the dance floor. Louisville students were proud California girls when Katy’s next hit played. I have never bonded so much with my peers as when I saw them collectively “get low.” Despite the lack of on-theme outfits, a few students took the theme and ran with it by wearing masks such as Batman and Maggie Simpson. Shout out to Maggie who was aggressively breaking it down on the floor. 

Those dying of heatstroke ran to the bathroom for a splash of water. The bathroom served as a sitting room for those tired of the dance. With the heat came immense thirst, making the lemonade a constant hotspot of crowding. Water being accompanied with lemonade was certainly the right choice for this dance.

The last songs were intensely screamed along to. The DJs ended the night with the cult classic “Mr. Brightside.” This beloved song united the students like no other. People were screaming the lyrics at each other. The circles merged into a hectic crowd just for this song. It felt as though everyone could relate to the painfully angsty lyrics. As if everyone has had that time where it “started out as a kiss, how did it end up like this” because they thought it was only a kiss. Once the lights came back on, crowds rushed out the door. Perhaps to escape the overheating room or from exhaustion.

Despite the hardships the dance ended smoothly, with people and their suitors leaving with smiles on their faces.