Semi-Formal 2022 was hosted on Saturday, April 2 at Concord Academy. The dance, hosted by the junior class, was highly anticipated, as it was originally planned to take place earlier in the year, but due to COVID-19, was pushed back to allow students to have the best possible experience, with fewer restrictions in place.
Semi-Formal began at 8:00 p.m. in the dance studio, and tickets were sold both online and at the door. This year’s theme for the dance was disco and eighties attire. Attendees were seen in sparkly outfits, bell-bottom jeans, and bold colors that embodied the spirit of that decade. The dance studio and SHAC alike were also decorated according to the theme. With colorful strobe lighting and streamers, the ornamentation certainly did not disappoint.
Along with the colorful decor, there were also plenty of snacks and refreshments laid out. The music played ranged from disco music to pop songs. Students brought all their energy to the dance. All in attendance were jumping up and down, singing along to their favorite songs, and dancing with friends.
Semi-Formal was enjoyable for students of all grade levels. Anika Donohue ’22 shared, “The dance was really fun. The music was a good mix of styles and I think the disco music at the beginning was a great addition. The most fun part for me was dancing with friends. My only critique was that I didn’t love having to take my shoes off.” Students were required to leave shoes outside the dance studio before being admitted into the fun.
“It was extremely loud, noisy, and chaotic,” Irene Zheng ’24 remarked. She applauded the juniors for hosting a successful event noting, “They put so much effort into arranging the snacks and refreshments, decorating the dance studio, and making good music selections.”
“The dance was really entertaining. A few of my highlights were when the DJs played Fireball and the whole school was jumping in sync to the beat of the song and when I got the chance to see my friends outside of the academic environment,” Gabby O’Leary ’25 also observed.
Elyse Barry ’24 added, “The dance was pretty good! The decorations were fun and fit the theme well. The most fun part was when everyone in the dance studio got into one big conga line and danced around the room!”
Overall, Semi-Formal seemed to be a big hit among students. It only adds more excitement to know that Formal, being hosted on May 7, is so soon in the future. But in the meantime, the CA community thanks the junior class for all the hard work preparing, planning, and executing a wonderful evening!