The annual Winter Formal dance was canceled this past Saturday, Feb. 1. These events make the winter formal the first dance that has been canceled in the past four years.
The winter dance, more commonly known as “Formal,” is a dance like any other held in the New Gym usually on some date in early February. This dance is meant to be something to look forward to after the holidays, and increase overall school spirit. Due to a lack of ticket sales for the dance this year, it was canceled.
“This year our ticket sales have been lower than past years, specifically just for winter formal,” Body of Student Affairs (BOSA) vice president Lily Gustafson said. “We always have strong ticket sales for prom and homecoming, but for winter formal, usually, we start out strong, and then throughout the week it goes down a little bit. Towards the end we get more, but this year it’s just been steady and not so many ticket sales.”
Schools such as Carlmont, Menlo-Atherton and Sequoia hold their Formals at the Fox Theatre in downtown Redwood City. Woodside formal is usually held in the gym. Freshmen specifically, who’ve never attended formal, had the lowest ticket sales out of all the grades.
“A lot of it has to do with the dialogue around the dance,” Gustafson said. “[In leadership we] always talk about how there’s a cycle. A lot of people talk down [on] the dance because they’ve heard from upperclassmen, especially, [that] in past years that the dance wasn’t as good or there was a lower attendance. [It] encourages lowerclassmen to not go.”
The leadership class main goal with these dances is for students to have fun. Staying on budget is another factor that goes into play, while also trying to maintain low ticket prices.
“The Winter Dance costs us approximately $8,200,” activities director Leslie With said.
Gustafson mentioned how the money raised from the Winter Formal goes directly to the sophomore class in order for them to raise money for their prom. Because the dance was canceled and money was refunded to those who did purchase a ticket, it leaves a financial disparity for the sophomore class.
“This is a dance,” With said. “It’s about having fun with your friends, getting together and [also] supporting your school’s student activities.”
