Underneath an array of LED lights and decorations — and next to a robot-costumed dancer — seniors and their dates celebrated this year’s “Rapunzel”-themed prom on June 1 at Venue Westin the West Town neighborhood.
Tickets for the event were priced at $118 dollars each. The dance saw an impressive turnout with 203 students in attendance.
As they walked into the venue, students were met with a table covered in pens and sheets of paper labeled with each students’ name. Students were then asked to write messages on the sheets of paper, leaving their classmates with a positive memento of the night.
The dance also provided students with a photo booth and open bar, serving an array of sodas and mocktails. Senior Celine Derroitte was particularly impressed with the amount of activities available.
“I think that it had a really nice balance of all the factors you would look for in a prom. It was very well planned and executed,” Celine said. “I really liked that the food and activities made it so that everyone had something to do at any given point in the night.”
Admission to the dance included a dinner where students were assigned seats and given access to a large buffet, which included rolls, salad, assorted steamed vegetables, roasted potatoes, chicken and spinach pasta.
After eating dinner, students transitioned to the LED-lit dance floor in the center of the venue. As the music started and lights dimmed, a man dressed in a robot costume made his way to the center of the dance floor. Equipped with a fog machine and lights, the robot danced with students.
“My favorite part of the night was probably the robot on the dance floor,” Celine said. “It was a nice surprise.”
After taking pictures and dancing alongside the robot, students eventually quieted down as the prom committee began announcing the prom royalty. Seniors Brandon Chang and Marlena Leuz received the award, which was voted on by students.
The prom’s “Rapunzel” theme was made clear through fairytale themed lighting and backdrops lining the walls of the venue. Senior Yolo Martinez, a prom committee member, meticulously chose the decorations after learning the budget for the dance.
“The prom theme was Rapunzel and the inspiration was really behind all the decorations we chose once we had a budget established for decorations,” said Yolo.
After spending hours planning the dance, Yolo found that the event succeeded her expectations.
“I am glad to say it was very successful,” Yolo said. “I think many people enjoyed themselves and there were a lot of different things to do. It was far better than my expectations.”
