Kovler Gym will remain empty as guests of this year’s Dewey Dance, a biannual fundraiser for student financial aid, mix and mingle over Zoom during an adapted variety hour March 6 at 7 p.m. The event, open with free admission to Lab parents, faculty and alumni, will feature student performances and an appearance from magician Dennis Watkins. 

The variety hour will feature pre-recorded performances from U-High students as filmed by a pair of Lab alumni and videographers, along with Mr. Watkins’ live performance. Acts will include Bel Canto and the U-High chamber collective. 

Guests may enter a raffle at a low cost to win gift cards purchased in support of restaurants during the pandemic. 

Attending the Dewey Dance will be free, but guests may still choose to donate any amount to financial aid. Organizers say the virtual format will also make the event more accessible than in previous years. 

“What we’ve done is we’ve tried to make it very community-oriented and very inclusive,” co-chair Holly Warshauer said, “and our hope is that we can have more people than normally would fit in Kovler Gym.”

Along with allowing for greater attendance, the virtual format reduces the cost of hosting the dance and allows for more of the event’s proceeds to be used for student financial aid. Unlike other years, the money raised will only go toward this single cause.

“Financial aid is really needed this year,” said Danielle Broadwater, Associate Director of Special Events for alumni relations and development, “so, we are continuing to ask that people support the schools this year and give financial aid because there are people that possibly may not have ever needed financial aid before that, given everything that has happened, will need financial aid.”

Ms. Broadwater explained how the dance’s theme, magic, ties into the Lab community. According to Ms. Broadwater, “the extraordinary” becoming “ordinary” at Lab brings magic to the community.

“I think everyone has had to do a little bit of their own magic in making things work,” Ms. Broadwater said.

According to Ms. Broadwater, the videographers will also compile coverage of distance and in-person learning for the event.

“It will be reflective of maybe some students [that are] remote and what that experience has been like,” Ms. Broadwater said, “and then, of course, the in-person experience, because again, we’re just speaking towards the magic that is at Lab, and so anything is possible.”