November chill is in the air, and with it comes the excitement of the upcoming holiday season. But on the night of Nov. 12, it’s not turkey that’s on Bingham student’s minds. It’s the formal dance of the year, Bingham Ball.

This year’s theme for Bingham Ball was “Fly Me to the Moon.” It took place on Nov. 12 at the Utah State Capitol from 7–9 pm. Only Bingham students were permitted at this event. Despite the half hour drive and the frigid 28 degree weather, there was no shortage of student attendees. Yet interestingly enough, there is far more than the dance that the students look forward to. In fact, the dance only takes a portion of the night. Rachel Thompson, one of the attendees, described the usual agenda like this: “The first thing is the day date. This happens either a separate day of the dance or the day of. Next is getting ready for the dance. Then you take photos and have dinner. After that you go to the dance. And sometimes after the dance you will go to someone’s house and watch a movie or something similar.” 

Most students seemed to have fun at the dance, but unfortunately, Bingham has a recent and embarrassing history of very chaotic dances. Last year’s Bingham Ball got students temporarily banned from the capitol. During this year’s dance, one of the doors in the building was removed. Obviously, it’s become even more important to keep in mind the regulations, which are the same for every dance. You can find a full list of the regulations by visiting the Code of Conduct from the Bingham website, but if you’re short on time, just keep in mind that the general dance environment should be kept safe for everyone. Creating too much havoc can spoil the fun for other people, which no one wants. It’s important to keep the dance fun and worthwhile to everyone around you. That way, we can keep enjoying the dances as a school. 

Unfortunately, our dance history at Bingham has led to a lot of students disliking the dance itself. Even if they enjoy it, it’s usually their least favorite part. Rachel Thompson says that “I think the best part of the dance was either the day date or dinner.” Many students agree with this. The dance can be fun, but it’s usually the date that is most talked about or best remembered. 

Bingham Ball wasn’t the only exciting fall activity. Homecoming took place on Oct. 1 and was an exciting experience for those in attendance. But other than the homecoming game, how does the dance differ from Bingham Ball? According to Rachel Thompson, “Homecoming is a dance that people go to stag, and it is less formal. It is also a guy’s choice dance.” Going stag means going with friends. The dance is fun for everyone because you don’t need to bring a date. It’s a lot more casual too, so it’s important to remember the regulations to keep it enjoyable for everyone. This year’s homecoming theme was “Tangled”. The dance was prefaced by Spirit Week, an exciting event where each day has a theme for students to dress by. Despite the build-up, some students were a bit disappointed by the dance. Bingham senior Luke Campbell said, “We could have done a lot better this dance by turning off the lights and adding more decorations and better music.” (Homecoming quotes and information from staff writer Sara Stevens). Don’t worry! The dances are bound to improve, so make sure to follow the rules and have a great time!