This year’s Gillette Gala is taking place tomorrow, March 17, at Anastassia’s in Portageville. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and dinner will be served at 6:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome to come enjoy a night full of food, friends, and dancing.
The Gillette Gala, formally known as Gillette Banquet, began several decades ago as a formal dinner, before dancing was allowed at Houghton. As dancing became more acceptable, it was also incorporated into the event. The Gillette Gala takes place at a new location every year and provides Houghton students an opportunity to enjoy an evening off campus. This year’s Gala will feature a fully catered meal, dancing, music, a photo booth, and a cookie bar. This year’s theme will be “Black and White Party.”
Rebecca Firstbrook ‘18, the assistant resident director of Gillette said of the event, “Gillette Gala has been a long tradition and a lot of fun for many, many years. It’s a time to enjoy a night off campus, to be served a fancy dinner, and to make great memories with friends.”
In addition to a simple opportunity to spend time with friends, the event gives students a chance to get off campus. “It is a time in a new space,” Firstbrook commented, “and hopefully an evening where students can leave their stress behind for a few hours and just have fun. The RAs put in a lot of time and hard work to make it a special event.”
In preparation for the gala, students attended a beginner ballroom lesson hosted by Houghton Ballroom and Swing. Adam Barna ‘19, a regular instructor for beginner lessons, explained that the lesson will cover “East Coast Swing and American Cha-cha because they are fun, peppy dances that are relatively easy to learn. And fun to dance.”
Barna went on to explain the benefits of learning the styles before a school dance, saying, “It’s nice to know how to do more formal dances because it’s easier at times to do something I know and I’m comfortable with. When I’m with my friends who also know how to ballroom dance, it makes it more exciting and fun for all of us.”
At the event, students learned the basic step of both dances as well as several specialized moves. Barna emphasized how formal dances can bring together strangers and friends alike. “Anyone’s welcome to dance,” he commented. “It’s fun and a good way to relieve stress from the day to day in Houghton. It also gives you a great chance to meet new people doing something fun.”