Fremd Student Council has recently announced that it will be hosting the Winter Gala. As a result of the pandemic, all recent school dances have been held outdoors, making this year’s Winter Gala the first dance to be held in the Fremd High School Main Gym since the Winter Gala of 2020. It is important to note some of the changes and additions made to this revamped version of the traditional school dance. 

The second semi-formal dance of the 2021-22 school year is set to take place on Feb. 26 at 7 pm with the theme of “Winter Wonderland.” Tickets go on sale Feb. 14 for $15 apiece and can be purchased on MySchoolBucks. The Winter Gala is designed to boost student spirit in the middle of a long, cold, and difficult second semester. 

As the Covid-19 pandemic remains prevalent, it is important to note what precautions are being put into place to keep all attendees safe.

While the dance is still a month away and a lot of the logistics remain unknown, science teacher and Student Council sponsor Karisa Andrianopoulos explains some of the measures the school is taking. 

“You may only bring a guest from another D211 school, and masks must be worn with the noses covered at all times,” Andrianopoulos said.

In past years, the winter dance was previously known as “Turnabout,” where students are supposed to “turnabout” the norms of regular school dances by having girls ask boys to the dance. However, this year the Fremd Student Council is stepping away from that title, favoring “Winter Gala” as the name for the dance. There have been many misconceptions about the dance, among them the idea that girls can only go to the dance if they ask a boy. This year Student Council wishes to promote the Winter Gala as a dance for everyone. All Fremd students are welcome to attend regardless of whether they choose to go with their friends, the person they asked, or the person who asked them. 

MC Nook EX of Bizar Entertainment is scheduled to DJ again at the Winter Gala. Nook, who has opened for artists like Ciara, Mike Posner, Bruno Mars, and Jason Derulo, was a big hit among the student body at Homecoming. 

Fremd sophomore Saranya Rajan who attended Homecoming as her first high school dance back in October reflected about the MC.

“The songs the DJ played were all really trendy and upbeat and made the whole experience better,” Rajan said.

While some Fremd traditions are continued at this year’s Winter Gala, the dance is characterized by innovative ideas as a new era of school dances begins.