Prom at Central average

This year, prom looked very different from past events. Because of covid-19, dances were cancelled last year, and this year, schools enforced policies like mask-wearing and a reduction of guests allowed to attend. However, with the generous budget provided to schools, prom this year could have exceeded expectations even more. 

The venue was held downtown, in the Central teacher’s parking lot. Usually, the dance is held in the courtyard, and this year provided a unique chance to break away from that tradition, if only for one time. Instead, it was held on school grounds like year’s past, while other schools like Burke and Bryan are allowed to attend prom at the Lauritzen Gardens and on the waterside. A change in scenery would have been appreciated, but the school still managed to make it look acceptable with the decorations. 

White, peaked tents covered the area. There were lights strung throughout the venue, giving it an added touch of sophistication and charm. The table and tent decorations consisted of palm fronds and yellow-orange flowers, a contrasting detail compared to the prettier and quainter vibe of the lights. Nevertheless, the tropical adornments worked well with the simplicity of everything else. There was also a red carpet for the students and the prom court to walk down, another decoration that felt quite different from the flowers and lights, but it was a source of fun, rather than eye appeal. The modesty of the tents and lights paired with the brightness of the carpet and centerpieces were an interesting choice, but it managed to work. 

The food was catered by Hyvee, and it matched the service. There were cupcakes and overly buttered popcorn, as well as fruit cups and small sandwiches. Nothing was very sophisticated, but it tasted fine. The bottled water added to the “sophistication”. Overall, the food was enjoyable for Hyvee, but there was potential for a much better caterer and food selection. 

The main mistake made at prom was the music. The night started off with overplayed, old pop songs, like Bruno Mars’ “24K Magic”. Students crowded the dance floor but weren’t dancing. As it got later, more rap was played, and the music improved greatly, but during the first hour, it was a failure. In addition, only two group dance songs were played like the “Cupid Shuffle”; the staple of every dance, the “Cha Cha Slide”, wasn’t played. As students warmed up to each other and the music improved slightly, the dance became a huge mosh pit, something Central is well-known for. That is when the mood of the dance shifted and became much more fun. 

Prom was very simple this year, and held in a disappointing venue, but students still managed to enjoy it. It wasn’t anything above average, but it was a nice experience for a year without dances.