Students Dance to Celebrate St. Valentine’s Day

On the feast of St. Valentine, the patron saint of lovers and marriage, the students at Thomas Aquinas College held two dances full of hearts, bright colors, and brotherly love.

New England

In New England, the cold weather has driven students indoors these last few months and, as a new pastime, many have taken up various card games. Most evenings groups can be found all over St. Frassati Student Center, playing games over coffee and conversation. Inspired by this new trend, the sophomores themed their dance around playing cards and set up the student center with card tables and card-framed photo stations. 

Students arrived in every variation of dress — the attire varied from formal gowns and black ties to suited, sunglasses-wearing card sharks. Tables were spread with fitting Mardi Gras refreshments, and students enjoyed games and cool drinks between dances. There was a ballot election for the King and Queen of Hearts, which went to Will Claeys (NE’27) and Gianna Kelly (NE’27). Then the floor cleared for the foxtrot competition. After several rounds, the win went to Gabriel Livingston (NE’26) and Ada Fernandez (NE’28). 

Toward the end of the night, the dancing paused for a lively game of musical chairs, then resumed in full swing. “The dance was fancy but high energy, and everyone looked fantastic,” said Fiona McNeil (NE’29). “The themes surprise me every time, and the decorations were a lot of fun. The sophomores are so creative — it was very unique and inspired! I had a great time.”

California

The Californians celebrated the feast of St. Valentine with a formal yet spunky swing dance. The juniors embraced their chosen theme, “80s Prom,” and transformed St. Cecilia Hall into an electric dancefloor. Tinsel curtains dangled in the doorways, and in the refreshment area a miniature disco ball spun colorful lights around the room. A paper sign on the stage painted with the word “PROM” in big, bright letters tied it all together.

In between swinging, slow dances, and 80s hits, several seniors took to the stage for the Win-A-Date ticket-draw. Win-A-Date is an annual Senior Class fundraiser in which students have the chance to set up a friend — or themselves — with their favorite eligible senior for a fun group date. At the Valentine’s dance, the lucky raffle-winners are announced and join their date on the stage to shouts and cheers from the audience. “The randomness of the Win-A-Date pairs is one of the best parts of the dance,” said Diego Mota de Alcantara (CA’28). “It’s such a strange but awesome tradition.”

At 10 p.m. sharp, duos took the dance floor for the night’s final festivity: the salsa competition. The pairs showed off their skill over the course of several rounds under the scrutiny of the judges. In the end, Noah Arredondo (CA’26) and Sophia Flanders (CA’27) took the crown.

The remainder of the night was filled with music, mingling, and, of course, dancing. “I had so much fun working this dance, and I love seeing everyone go all-out with their outfits!” said Marceline Denny (CA’27), who served as Head of Food in the dance committee. Joachim Lashutka (CA’29) added, “This has to be my favorite dance of the year!”

More Valentine’s Day Dance photos from New England …

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… and California!