LONG BEACH - Winter Formal was deemed a success for Warren High as the stupendous venue, array of music, and fun atmosphere all contributed to making this year's "Retro Romance" dance on Jan. 29 at Club V20 a huge hit."Absolutely, I had a blast at Winter Formal this year," said junior Savannah Vilaubi when asked if she had a good time at the school dance. "And the venue was especially impressive, it fit the theme and was a perfect place for this dance. The music was really good, too." Club V20, a popular location in Long Beach, was gorgeously decorated and set up in preparation for the event. The venue had a roomy two-level dance floor for those who wanted to dance the night away, as well as two lounge areas of booths and tables for students to sit down and relax. The bar served ice-cold water, while a large table was filled with snacks ranging from gummy worms to chocolate-dipped strawberries. Of course, there was a photo booth with a professional photographer, as the picture line was open for the first few hours so couples and groups could get their Winter Formal pictures taken. "Winter Formal was so much fun, and I was out on the dance floor with all my friends practically the entire time," said junior Briana Bedran. "There were a lot of people that attended, but luckily the dance floor was spacious enough so it wasn't too crammed. And the DJ played a lot of good music as well." The dance floor was truly something else. With approximately 500 students in attendance, they swarmed onto the floor to dance with their dates and friends, as the DJ played a large variety of popular songs, with the three flat-screen T.Vs located around the dance floor displaying the music video of each song. In accordance to the theme, Retro Romance, there were several songs intermixed during the dance that were from the 80s and 90s. Surprisingly, these "old-school" songs were quite a hit as many students sang along as they danced. Speaking of hits, the night wouldn't have been complete if it wasn't for the Michael Jackson tribute that was played by the DJ midway through the dance. Students cheered as the ever-so-famous "Thriller" and other songs by the King of Pop were accompanied by scenes of Jackson's moonwalk and other performances. As the clock neared 11 p.m., the DJ announced that the dance was coming to an end, as the speakers boomed "This is How We Do It," a still-popular 90s song, as the finale to yet another memorable night for the Bears.

********** Published: February 5, 2010 - Volume 8 - Issue 42