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Nearing their graduation, members of the Thomas Aquinas College, California, Class of 2024 hosted their last TAC dance this past Saturday: the annual Chez Martin. In a celebration of their classmates, the seniors billed the event as a “Night at the Oscars,” turning St. Joseph Commons into an elegant Hollywood venue.

The night began, however, in the St. Cecilia Lecture & Concert Hall, with the traditional pre-dance entertainment. Jack Haggard (’24) directed a short film titled “The Last Gasp,” a darkly funny “what-if” tale, imagining what would happen were the campus to fall prey to a second mudslide, cutting students off from the rest of civilization. What ensued was a minor apocalypse rife with parodies — Dune, Westerns, Jurassic Park, and so on — to the amusement of the students. “I thought it was hilarious,” said Jonas Knox (’27). “My favorite part was the Dune parody.”

Next, the group convened in the Commons for the dance. Many turned out in elegant formal attire, while others dressed up like niche celebrities — such as Dillon Tuli’au (’24) as streetwear Adam Sandler. Decorating the walls were posters announcing various class superlatives, such as “best dressed,” “most artistic,” and the like. Throughout the night, students took a break to enjoy a large array of snacks and desserts while they delighted in the superlatives.

“It went really well,” said Anna Fredette (’24), who led the class’s dance-planning efforts. “I think the people make the dances, and everyone who showed up really put in a lot of effort. That made the experience a fun one.”