Every February, Seven Hills students look forward to the Winter Formal: a night of dancing, incredible food, and endless memories with friends and peers. This year, however, the dance took a turn. Instead of being held at the Kalnow Gym like in previous years, it moved to The Palomar. Opinions across the student body were overwhelmingly positive. After attending this year’s dance and speaking with classmates, I have concluded that this year’s Winter Formal was incredible, but there are a few things I wish were different.
Let’s start with what made this year’s Winter Formal special. The venue itself was stunning, elevating the overall ambience and making the event feel unique. Junior Ryann Tennyson captured this sentiment well: “It was more exciting than just being in the gym. It was a really pretty venue.”
And then there was the food. Senior Neal Kohli mentioned how out-of-this-world the food was: “My favorite part of the venue was the food. They had really good brownies and great drinks, that was the best part of it.” At The Palomar, tables were designated for treats and small meals, including chicken parm, pasta, brownies, and cookies. Tennyson agreed, noting that the food and open bar were among her favorite aspects of the night. Senior Gordon Yu echoed this enthusiasm: “I thought the food was really good. They had really, really good kebabs and good snacks.” Overall, there was unanimous agreement that the food and drink bar was one of the best additions to this year’s Winter Dance.
The designated dance floor was another highlight. Unlike the open gym floor of previous years, The Palomar offered a clearly defined space for dancing alongside tables where students could sit and socialize, something Tennyson appreciated: “The designated dance floor was nice and had tables,” she said.
While most of the Winter Formal at The Palomar was incredible, there were some things missing from previous Seven Hills dances. One staple of our Kalnow Gym dances has always been the games: Spikeball, chess, and massive Jenga. At The Palomar, those options were largely absent. Yu reflected on this: “One thing the venue was missing compared to other dances was that there were a lot of chairs and not a lot of places for games, like Spikeball and everything.” Interestingly, Tennyson was less bothered by this: “I never really used the games when it was at school, so I thought it was fine.” The divide in opinion suggests that while games aren’t essential for everyone, having them available adds something for students who aren’t on the dance floor.
Parking and increased payment was another friction point. Tennyson noted that the lot was icy and difficult to navigate, a logistical hiccup that, while minor, is worth addressing for future off-campus events. Additionally, entry into this winter formal was $30 compared to the $10 for past winter formals.
Another thing that can make or break a dance is the DJ. In the past, Seven Hills has been fortunate to have standout performers such as DJ Etrayn who was so well-received that students have privately hired him for their own events. This year, however, the consensus was that the DJ fell short. Kohli reflected on this: “I didn’t really like the music. The DJ was something I thought could have improved.” Tennyson agreed: “The DJ was fine, but the transitions really sucked.”
My position is that a beautiful venue can make a dance infinitely better, but the energy starts with the DJ and the activities. For future dances, Student Council should continue choosing off-campus venues. It creates memories rather than recycling the same gym two or three times a year. But the music needs to match the setting. I would love to see an SHS student take on the DJ role, since they know their peers’ taste and can cater directly to our audience. A stronger lineup of activities for students who aren’t on the dance floor would also go a long way.
Overall, the Winter Formal at The Palomar was awesome, and it will stay in my memories for years to come
