As the sky turned dark and stars began to shine on Dec. 6, students from Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech) and around the district gathered “Under the Moonlight” at The Majestic Ventura Theater for an evening of music, dancing and dazzling lights. From seven to 10 p.m., attendees of the annual Winter Formal indulged in activities and treats provided by the Associated Student Body (ASB) and took to the dance floor of the multi-level venue.
The ASB-led Spirit Week leading up to the formal featured themes such as “Aurora Colors,” where students dressed in the hues of the Aurora Borealis (Northern lights) associated with winter in some northern areas, and “Warm Winter,” where students wore cozy snow-day clothing and received hot chocolate on the stage in the quad.
While doors did not open until the 7 p.m. start time, a line formed out the door of the venue as early as 6:30 p.m., where students greeted friends and compared outfits while ASB put the finishing touches on the event that had been in the works for months.
“We’ve been planning Winter Formal since last year, since the last Winter Formal, but really these past couple of months, since about October,” Ava Barroca ‘28, the ASB sophomore vice president, said.
Upon stepping into the theater space, students were greeted by decorations that combined the celestial theme of the evening with the 1920s Art Deco and Spanish Colonial Revival architecture of the venue. Inside, tables offered water, soft drinks and sweet treats to dancers, and for those not on the dance floor, there were various games and activities, all of which were set up by ASB.
“ [ASB] always show the little details, like there’s cute little stars and moss on the banister and then there’s little mason jars with fairy lights in them … you can just tell that everything is really intentional,” Emily Turner ‘26 said.
Down on the dance floor, DJ 4Eleven directed the musical vibes of the evening, playing popular songs such as ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” and “SICKO MODE” by Travis Scott and periodically bringing out a smoke gun to enhance the stage lights. The only break in the program took place around 8 p.m. for the appearance of Dylan Arevalo ‘26, also known as the artist “Lil Pickle”, as he performed original songs such as “MVP”.
“I don’t get to do this too often, so when I do it’s a pleasure as always, and the crowd was really good. I really like to see everyone jumping to my music. It brings me joy,” Arevalo said.
Students commented on the energy and atmosphere of the dance overall, as well as the community aspect of the dance compared to previous years.
“I feel like this [dance] is just more brought together and like everyone dancing together rather than other people just … sitting on the side. A lot of people went to the dance floor and just danced … so definitely more community in this dance,” Elisabeth Walker ‘27 said.
While the Winter Formal received praise for its improvements over dances of the past, one complaint arose over the similarity of the music.
“The music is the same as it is every year, which is kind of a bummer, but [the dance is] really fun so far,” Turner said.
Despite this feedback, attendees expressed their feelings about the event as a whole, with students gathered from all corners of the district to dance under the lights.
“I’ve only been to dances in my school, and it was like a small little thing … I’m so surprised, this is not what I expected, but I really like it,” Ashley Dowd ‘28, a student at El Camino High School, said.
The evening came to a close as echoes of the final song, “I Gotta Feeling” by the Black Eyed Peas, played through the concert hall, and students filed out the theater doors with smiling faces and calls to meet up for a post-dance meal. The 2025 Winter Formal’s success heralds the beginning of the holiday season at Foothill Tech, while students prepare for semester finals and ASB now points their focus to Prom 2026.
