The Winter Glow Dance was a fun first for St. Dominic High School. The casual atmosphere, black light bubbles and candy bar were a stark contrast to winter formals of the past.

With low attendance at previous winter formals, student council decided it was time for a change. The dance was a hit for each and every student who came. Walking into the gym was entering another world full of glowing high schoolers and fantastic song choices.

“I don’t know too much on how we got the idea besides it just being suggested but we decided to change it up because the attendance is usually low to the winter formal so we thought we could put a new spin on it to attract more people!” said freshman student council secretary Joe Hogan.

Many students love winter formal because it gives the girls an opportunity to get all dolled up with their friends. Also, the typical low attendance means that the crowd that comes really wants to have a good time. Because winter formal had become such a beloved tradition to so many students, they were apprehensive about a casual winter dance.

“I wasn’t too sure about the change in plans from Winter Formal to the Glow Dance. I still wanted to go either way, but was skeptical at first due to what students had been saying about it,” said sophomore Alli Palmatier.

Many girls bought dresses months prior and were disappointed to find that they wouldn’t be able to wear them to this year’s winter dance.

“I originally thought the idea was really stupid. I like when dances are formal and I was looking forward to dressing up. I can dance around in casual clothes whenever I want, but formals are different- they’re more special,” said senior Kaitlyn Pepper.

However, other students were thrilled to eliminate the stress of hair appointments and dress shopping.

“The stress of wearing super nice clothes and worrying if they get messed up was nonexistent. I loved it,” said sophomore Nate Johnson.

Student council worked really hard to create a fun atmosphere for the dance. The dance featured a DJ, which was a nice change. In the past, student council has made a playlist for winter formal. The DJ allowed students to request songs that included an array of old favorites and new hits. In addition, the entire dance was lit up in black light with a glowing bubble machine. The machine left an iridescent glow on the skin and was the perfect opportunity for Instagram worthy photos.

“I ended up liking it more than I thought. I liked that I didn’t have to spend as much money on it as a formal because the clothes were cheaper. I got to save money,” said Pepper.

“I loved that it was something we have never done before. The whole night I was able to jump around without worrying about taking care of whatever nice dress I was wearing. Plus, I love bubbles,” said senior Ellee Rogers.

All in all, the glow dance exceeded all expectations–some students even called it the best dance in St. Dominic history! Change is good, especially when you glow-up!