Are you disgusted by the school dances of today?! Are you begging for mercy at the monotony of pop music?! Are you shaking your head in shame at what teenagers call dancing, or possibly questioning whether they know the difference between tops and dresses?! As fun as those dances might have been in high school, there comes a time in everyone’s life where they realize they have outgrown their rebellious teenage stage; Or maybe you’re in search of something different – something screaming sophistication and class. Saturday, November 1st was the launch date of an event to change the course of dance history here at UW-Stout. The Menomonie Sunrise Rotary Club teamed up with Stout Events Society, Stout Swing Club and Stout’s Dance Ensemble to put on the bash of the century: UW-Stout’s 1st Annual Masquerade Ball! Not only was it the classiest event Stout has seen in a long time, but girls were happy to get one last use out of their old gorgeous prom dresses, and guys are always elated to strut their stuff and rock their ties.
From six until seven, Dance Ensemble, with help from theStout Swing Club, was offering entertaining lessons on traditional East Coast Swing, the Waltz, and the Foxtrot. Students and community members alike enjoyed mingling and bonding in their love of music and dance.
People were then ushered into the Great Hall, appropriately decorated with only the classiest lighting and table settings.
Stout Events Society offered a photo booth, complete with silly props and all, to capture the classiest – and not so classiest – memories of the event! Maria Lewis took the photos for the event, to be posted on the Stout Events Society Facebook page later this week. Who doesn’t love snapping silly pictures with the people that made your night?
Promptly at 7:30, the line wrapped around the room for a hand at the delicious catered hors d’oeuvres, which included stuffed mashed potatoes, barbecued cocktail smokies, and fruit and veggie platters to taste!
One hundred and eighty three people danced the night away to the sweet sound of the Dean’s List, a seventeen piece big band from Rice Lake, Wisconsin. This band began its legacy in 1967, performing for many of UW-Barron County’s events throughout those years and raising over half a million dollars for various student organizations, says UW-Stout graduate and long-time member of the group, Joe Erickson. “The best thing about this group is that these people come from all walks of life, bonded together by their love of swing,” provided Larry Jess, substitute member of the band for 20 years. This band performs Glen Miller era jazz, along with some Latin inspired pieces and classic vintage tunes. This bred the perfect atmosphere for showing off those moves learned at the weekly swing club! The night of the masquerade ball, there were five saxophones, four trombones, four trumpets, a piano, string alternating with electric bass, drums and a singer.
In the few fifteen minute breaks the band required to recover, students could break from formal dance for a few pop numbers and dance-line classics, such as YMCA, The Cha Cha Slide, The Cupid Shuffle and many more! This made for the perfect blend of new and old music, and attendees were loving every minute of it!
With so many of our events and occasions closed to the public, I think many students agree that it was about time for us to do something as a community. Rotary members and other citizens danced beautifully to every number, and taught us a thing or two about ballroom dance in the process! This brought our generation’s one step closer and invoked a new sense of appreciation in all.
Allison Uy, an active and enthusiastic first year member of the Stout Events Society, shared, “We’re really hoping to make this an annual thing! I’m paying attention to the details that people are responding positively to and looking for areas to improve for the future.” Well, Allison, we think it was a hit!