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Revelers were whisked away to a whole new world of sensual décor, music, and food fit for a sultan's pallet Friday night during the Middlemarch Ball.
The traditional masquerade ball, organized by the O'Connell House managers, took on an "Arabian Nights" theme, complete with belly dancers and Arabian music that greeted dance-goers as they entered the ball's secret location at Moseley's On the Charles in Dedham, Mass.
Since its removal from the O'Connell House on Upper Campus due to overcrowding issues and fire concerns, the ball's location has been kept a secret from all those who attend to add to the mystery.
"I was a little skeptical when I saw the outside of the building but when I saw what they had done to the inside, it came together better for me," said Kevin Sawyer, A&S '06.
Justin Barrasso, O'Connell House manager and A&S '05, said the venue often surprised people due to its plain exterior.
"When you look at it from the outside it's not breathtaking but when you walk inside, we hope that the belly dancers, music, and decorations would be the things that really set the tone for the night," he said.
Moseley's is a medium-sized, square, banquet hall on the Charles River with a beige exterior. A stage was set up for the turntables and stereo system and the entrance to the building was draped with scarves. Small tents housed the food.
John Serpico, BC '04, recognized the theme's presence in every facet of the event.
"The food is pretty authentically inspired and so is the music," he said. "There's only so many times you can hear 'In Da Club.'
"I'm always impressed with their dedication to the theme. So much money goes into realizing it and it turns out great," Serpico added.
Though some expected many similar costumes, several people opted for the less traditional getup.
"I expected a lot of princes and princesses, but there are original costumes here," said Sawyer. Some costumes included Genie from Disney's Aladdin, a snake charmer, NASA astronaut Tony Nelson and Jeannie from I Dream of Jeannie, palm trees, and genie lamps.
Barrasso was satisfied with the amount of thought students put into the costumes.
"Some people are really decked out," he said. "The theme didn't seem to limit people at all because it's pretty open-ended. No one is dressed as anything inappropriate like Saddam Hussein so I'm pretty happy about that."
Students dined on falafel, rice, seasoned chicken, and pasta but were not treated to alcoholic beverages due to altered University policy after problems at Homecoming. As of now, no school events are allowed to serve alcohol, a change that some people didn't mind.
"I'd like to have the option, but it's not necessary to have a good time," said Sawyer.
Few disciplinary problems arose, according to Chris Darcy, assistant dean in the Office of the Dean for Student Development (ODSD).
"We've had minimal problems, but any that we've had have been handled by our staff," he said. The O'Connell House managers, Dedham police department, four security professionals, and members of the ODSD staff were on hand to respond to any problems.
Out of 275 available tickets, only 145 pairs were sold, totaling a turnout of about 320 people. Though Middlemarch did not draw as large of a crowd as past years, Barrasso was still happy with those who came out for the event.
"There's a lot going on right now with the ALC [AHANA Leadership Council] Ball, basketball, and hockey," he said. "But we knew the people who really wanted to come would come."
"[The O'Connell House staff] really tries hard to keep the spirit alive, and I would hope someday it would return to [the] O'Connell House," he said.
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