By Meghan Durkin ’21
On Saturday, January 26, students arrived at The Westin Governor Morris in Morristown, NJ for Pingry’s annual winter dance, Snowball. Snowball is a “Sadie Hawkins”-style dance, in which girls traditionally ask boys to attend the dance with them. Students, dressed in formal attire, filled the hotel for a night of dancing, music, and friendship.
Last year, The Westin served as the location for Snowball for the first time. The venue turned out to be a terrific space, with a large dance floor, spacious lobby, and plenty of dining tables for students. Because it was so well-received by the community, Student Government decided to hold the dance at The Westin again. Upon arrival, students entered a main lobby where they could check their coats and bags. Up a flight of stairs, there was a buffet along with soft drinks and a dance floor.
The food choices were a highlight of the event, including macaroni and cheese, dumplings, and burgers. Student Body President Andrew Cowen (VI) agreed that “the food was great.” Along with the food, students could take pictures in the photo booth with props, while the event as a whole was photographed by Peter Chollick Photography. Helen Baeck-Hubloux (V) said, “I found the photo booth to be a very good experience for bonding.”
This year, music included both popular songs, like Cardi B’s “Bodak Yellow,” and old favorites, like “Come on Eileen” by Dexy’s Midnight Runners and Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline”. Many students crowded the dance floor throughout the night, including Baeck-Hubloux, who added, “[I] had a wonderful time dancing with friends.”
Students agreed that Snowball served as a great opportunity to connect with classmates. Maile Winterbottom (IV) said that it is a “good time for the school to get together as a community and everyone to just bond over something super cool and fun and to get dressed up.”
Sydney Stovall (IV) said, “Snowball is a great time to get with friends and meet new people. You are all dressed up, so it’s a really fun atmosphere. Of course, it’s a good time to release some stress.” Snowball, once again, provided a time for the student body to come together with dancing, music, and food.