A Night to Remember

As Harvard's residential Houses lose their unique flavors due to randomization, House formals provide a way for residents to come together, assert House spirit and party like rock stars.

More importantly, they are one of the few times when the College exhibits signs of a truly collective social life. This spring season, we set out to evaluate four formals, separating fact from fiction, faux pas from fabulous and clipons from hand-ties.

Yet, after spending four consecutive nights on the town, these two hungover Student Life columnists found every formal remains a different scene, with each House claiming they've got the best party around. Before we begin, we'll let you in on one secret--no House came out clearly on top.

Where's the Party At?

Upon entering the Mather courtyard Sunday evening, it was difficult to escape the feeling that the party was being held in Gotham City. Let's face it--James Bond wouldn't be caught dead in the Mather courtyard.

The first rule in formal-going, it appeared, was location, location. Surprisingly, for the majority of Mather residents, however, the courtyard was a logical formal site.

"Personally, I love having it here," said Lillian E. Gutwein '99, social chair of Mather House Committee of the House formal. "[The location] also shows deference to the seniors, because it's a tradition for them," she said.

While many sophomores opposed holding the House formal in Mather courtyard during a House vote earlier this year, as Gutwein noted, "It's much more convenient, and everyone I've talked to is having an awesome time."

The formal featured a large dance floor under the courtyard tent with a DJ and an open bar. But some still remained dissatisfied with the location.

"For a formal, you get all dressed up," said incoming Mather resident Emily Y. Yang '01. "You just expect it to be somewhere else than your own House."

Mather seniors generally supported this year's location, however, pointing to several strategic advantages.

"This is exactly where I'd love to have it, because you can drink in rooms and come back, and you're forced to be a part of it if it's here," said veteran Matherite Jeremiah W. O' Connor '98.

The Cabot House Formal, held Monday night at the Lansdowne Playhouse in Boston, was a different scene entirely. As in their daily life, Quad residents found themselves far from the rest of campus in an hard-to-find locale.

But attendees at the Cabot formal were rewarded for trekking to the Playhouse with a great bar, good food and a party that--unlike Mather--didn't take place in a tent.

"I think it's a good idea to have it [on Lansdowne St.]. You actually feel like you're going somewhere," said Elie Y. Mystal '00. "It's a good idea to get out of Cambridge."

And as Cabot resident Brian K. Kim '01 pointed out, holding the formal off-campus allowed the party to continue until 2 a.m., an hour past the time campus formals were required to wind down.

Some students, however, had mixed feelings about the location.

"To be honest, it's kind of a nice idea to have it in a club," Christine J. Nyereyegona '00 said, "but I expected the club to be a bit more up-market."

Winthrop and Eliot Houses, the next two formals on our list, both happily hosted residents within their stately River House courtyards.

The Winthrop formal featured a tent housing its open bar, a jazz band in the JCR, and a DJ kicking it in the dining hall.

"I think it's more relaxed here, and [the Winthrop JCR] is a great room for dancing," said Jennifer M. German '00.

Once again, those in favor of the location touted its accessibility, and those who would have liked to go off campus complained that the Houses are too familiar for formal affairs.

"I think they'd get a worse turnout if it were somewhere else, said Nandita Ghosh '01. "But knowing that it's in the dining hall is strange,"

As befitted the reputation attached to their "fete," Eliot House residents expressed unanimous pride in their courtyard set-up, which included a large tent for swing dancing to supplement club music inside the dining hall.

"The fact that [the fete] is here makes it all the much better," said Courtney A. Ermler '99. "The Eliot courtyard itself is absolutely beautiful. There's no reason to leave here."

Alluding to the similarities between the Eliot, Winthrop and Lowell formals, Putney W. Cloos '98 even went so far as to claim that other Houses try to emulate the fete.

"Every other House formal tries to copy us," she said "I think it's flattering."

Into the Groove

In the end, location's important, but atmosphere is what defines the party. From the last waltz to the next volume of MTV's "Party to Go," formal moods can be as different as the spirits of the Houses themselves.

Despite these differences, one recurrent theme was the popularity of pre-parties.

"The fete without a pre-party is like a dog without a leash," said Eliot House resident Richard C. Knapp '98. "It's a Happy Meal without the fries. It's a Pu-Pu platter without the pork."

That Knapp enjoyed his hours before the fete was abundantly clear by his healthy, slightly sweaty, glow.

"We all went to a pre-party and pretty much got hammered," he said. "You want to hang out with your friends beforehand."

Pre-parties may occur across campus, but once formals begin, House character comes to the fore.

Taking a cursory view of the Mather crowd, two details quickly became clear: that randomization has not thinned the House's athletic contingent, and that residents actively embraced the "creative tuxedo" concept.

Several residents were spotted instigating a chin-up contest using the courtyard tent's support bars, while others stood out for their fashion rather than in-your-face fitness image.

"They said creative black tie, and I took it as a command," said O'Connor, who sported khaki shorts and a green shamrock bow tie. "Given the option of creative black tie, there's no excuse for a normal tuxedo. It's boring and easy."

The defining aspect of the Mather formal was not attendees' formal dress, however, but the event's relaxed atmosphere.

"[Mather is] a very spirited house, and I'm impressed by the funkiness," said Emily M. Jin '00, who will make her home in Mather next fall. "People here seem less uptight than other formals."

The Winthrop and Eliot formals, though just ashort walk down the river from Mather, had a moretraditional air.

"[The fete] is very classy," said Katharine M.Gauksheim '01, adding that "the cute old guys thatare playing swing are very romantic."

Yet while the swing tent at Eliot House wasalways full of twirling dancers, the club music atboth Winthrop and Eliot was equally, if not more,popular than the jazz.

"The music is too conservative," said KatherineD. Earls '00 of the Eliot fete. "I'm trying to getdown and...to release some tension that's beenstored up writing all these lame papers. I feellike my father in there."

Others, such as German, were careful to pointout that two types of music are better thanone--regardless of personal taste. No matter howvintage formal music was or how rarefied theiratmospheres became, almost everyone in attendancesaw their House formal as an opportunity to dressup and get down.

"The Eliot House fete is a chance for the Houseto get out, drink a fair amount, shed theirHarvard clothes and get loose a little bit," Knappsaid. "A lot of the kids [in Eliot] who aren'tthat social get out and have some fun."

If loosening up and having a good time was thegoal, the Cabot formal definitely satisfied.Combining the dance fever of Mather with a morestylized club atmosphere, the scene at LansdownePlayhouse could easily have passed as a musicvideo outtake.

As with Mather, there was a strong athleticpresence at the Cabot event.

"The freshman lacrosse team came out in force,"observed Michael J. Passarella `99 at the dance.

Some took issue with the choice of music,however, claiming that it didn't mesh with theatmosphere of the club.

"The waitress said they don't usually play thiskind of music," Nyereyegona said. "You should nothave to go to a formal and have to listen toCeline Dion--ever."

Unexpected Difficulties

Try as they might, no House Committee couldprepare for everything, and many formals suffereddue to unforeseen events.

Winthrop formal-goers endured awful weather.

Despite the tent and indoor dance spaces, thoseattending the formal still had to walk through thecourtyard unprotected in order to reach the dance.But most Winthrop residents put a positive face ondancing through the rain.

"I think [the rain] is getting more people ontothe dance floor," German said.

By the next night the sky had cleared somewhatfor the Eliot formal, but that didn't stop a firealarm from going off a few minutes after the musicstopped. The entire House, including nonfete-goers, ended up herded into the House's tinyfront courtyard.

Although the alarm's cause remains unknown, fogmachines did create a suspiciously thick haze inthe indoor dance floor during the fete. With sucha spooky mood in the dining hall, who knew whatwas going on?

"You never know who's lurking in the haze,"said Perry Wilson '01 of the smoke.

Wilson, who seemed fond of unexpected problems,noted earlier, "Frankly, I've always wanted aformal aboard a ship headed for disaster."

Eliot residents still refused to give up theirclaim to being king of House formals, however,fire alarm and all.

"When you compare [the fete] to other Houseformals, everything else is like 'Hello Kitty,'"said Knapp. "We're definitely in the upperechelon."

Formal surprises can, it seems, be spinned.Gutwein, who helped organize the Mather formal,said she had difficulties of a genuinely pleasantnature.

"The only issues were where to have it and howmuch alcohol to buy," Gutwein said.

All of the four formals offered open (if you'relegal) bars, and bartenders were kept busy earningtheir keep. For some students, alcohol at Houseformals was a welcome relief from Harvard'sgenerally uptight consumption policy.

"I think our House Masters are great abouttreating us as the 21-year-olds that we are, asopposed to Springfest," said Eliot House residentPutney W. Cloos '98.

Brian C. Fox '99 Cloos' date at the fete, addedthat when it comes to drinking responsibly atformals, "Harvard students deserve the benefit ofthe doubt."

Yet other students at the fete felt that thealcohol policy at spring formals has become morestringent in recent years. In fact, one underagestudent's fake I.D. was seized at the door of thefete.

"Because of the alcohol policy, everythingseems a little stricter [this year]," said Ryan H.Crane '99.

In the end, however, many felt that it wasn'tthe music, the booze, or the atmosphere that madethe formals shine, but something more fundamental.

"I really think what makes a dance is having agood date," said Jesse R. Elzinga '01. "It doesn'tmatter where you are or what's going on.

The Winthrop and Eliot formals, though just ashort walk down the river from Mather, had a moretraditional air.

"[The fete] is very classy," said Katharine M.Gauksheim '01, adding that "the cute old guys thatare playing swing are very romantic."

Yet while the swing tent at Eliot House wasalways full of twirling dancers, the club music atboth Winthrop and Eliot was equally, if not more,popular than the jazz.

"The music is too conservative," said KatherineD. Earls '00 of the Eliot fete. "I'm trying to getdown and...to release some tension that's beenstored up writing all these lame papers. I feellike my father in there."

Others, such as German, were careful to pointout that two types of music are better thanone--regardless of personal taste. No matter howvintage formal music was or how rarefied theiratmospheres became, almost everyone in attendancesaw their House formal as an opportunity to dressup and get down.

"The Eliot House fete is a chance for the Houseto get out, drink a fair amount, shed theirHarvard clothes and get loose a little bit," Knappsaid. "A lot of the kids [in Eliot] who aren'tthat social get out and have some fun."

If loosening up and having a good time was thegoal, the Cabot formal definitely satisfied.Combining the dance fever of Mather with a morestylized club atmosphere, the scene at LansdownePlayhouse could easily have passed as a musicvideo outtake.

As with Mather, there was a strong athleticpresence at the Cabot event.

"The freshman lacrosse team came out in force,"observed Michael J. Passarella `99 at the dance.

Some took issue with the choice of music,however, claiming that it didn't mesh with theatmosphere of the club.

"The waitress said they don't usually play thiskind of music," Nyereyegona said. "You should nothave to go to a formal and have to listen toCeline Dion--ever."

Unexpected Difficulties

Try as they might, no House Committee couldprepare for everything, and many formals suffereddue to unforeseen events.

Winthrop formal-goers endured awful weather.

Despite the tent and indoor dance spaces, thoseattending the formal still had to walk through thecourtyard unprotected in order to reach the dance.But most Winthrop residents put a positive face ondancing through the rain.

"I think [the rain] is getting more people ontothe dance floor," German said.

By the next night the sky had cleared somewhatfor the Eliot formal, but that didn't stop a firealarm from going off a few minutes after the musicstopped. The entire House, including nonfete-goers, ended up herded into the House's tinyfront courtyard.

Although the alarm's cause remains unknown, fogmachines did create a suspiciously thick haze inthe indoor dance floor during the fete. With sucha spooky mood in the dining hall, who knew whatwas going on?

"You never know who's lurking in the haze,"said Perry Wilson '01 of the smoke.

Wilson, who seemed fond of unexpected problems,noted earlier, "Frankly, I've always wanted aformal aboard a ship headed for disaster."

Eliot residents still refused to give up theirclaim to being king of House formals, however,fire alarm and all.

"When you compare [the fete] to other Houseformals, everything else is like 'Hello Kitty,'"said Knapp. "We're definitely in the upperechelon."

Formal surprises can, it seems, be spinned.Gutwein, who helped organize the Mather formal,said she had difficulties of a genuinely pleasantnature.

"The only issues were where to have it and howmuch alcohol to buy," Gutwein said.

All of the four formals offered open (if you'relegal) bars, and bartenders were kept busy earningtheir keep. For some students, alcohol at Houseformals was a welcome relief from Harvard'sgenerally uptight consumption policy.

"I think our House Masters are great abouttreating us as the 21-year-olds that we are, asopposed to Springfest," said Eliot House residentPutney W. Cloos '98.

Brian C. Fox '99 Cloos' date at the fete, addedthat when it comes to drinking responsibly atformals, "Harvard students deserve the benefit ofthe doubt."

Yet other students at the fete felt that thealcohol policy at spring formals has become morestringent in recent years. In fact, one underagestudent's fake I.D. was seized at the door of thefete.

"Because of the alcohol policy, everythingseems a little stricter [this year]," said Ryan H.Crane '99.

In the end, however, many felt that it wasn'tthe music, the booze, or the atmosphere that madethe formals shine, but something more fundamental.

"I really think what makes a dance is having agood date," said Jesse R. Elzinga '01. "It doesn'tmatter where you are or what's going on.