By Amber Yung ’26 and Rose Lightfoot ’26
The first floor of the Student Activities Center (SAC) was abuzz with excited students, flashing lights, and booming music on September 9: familiar sights for any student who has attended a SAC dance. To kick off the first dance of the year, students gorged on pizza next to the Tuck Shop, belted songs while swaying to the beat, and made new friends on the dance floor.
The event was arranged by the Student Committee on Programming and Engagement (SCOPE), a student-led organization that oversees club life and helps organize events on campus. Events Chair Brecken Cullinan ’24 brainstorms and plans all the SAC Weekend events, which include the three to four dances hosted every term.
While the fall term opening SAC dance and HLF dance have passed, a Halloween-themed dance, a Blue and Gold dance after Deerfield Day, the Holiday Ball, First Hurrah, 3/4, Last Hurrah, and multiple SAC dances sprinkled in between are scheduled to take place this year.
From choosing the theme of the dance to deciding on lighting and decorations, SCOPE works hard behind the scenes to ensure the success of every event. For example, students’ music preferences are communicated to the DJ beforehand to make sure that everyone can sing along to the music.
“The DJ is the same guy every time,” Cullinan said. “If students have certain songs they want to hear, we can get it to the DJ ahead of time.” The requested songs are gathered and sent to the DJ, who downloads the files and plays them during the dance. For example, the Hispanic Latin Forum (HLF) provided songs they gathered from a school-wide collaborative playlist to the DJ prior to the dance they sponsored to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month on October 7. Top picks included Korean pop, Latin pop, Afro beats, and rap.
According to Ms. Alex Long, Director of Student Activities, Choate has established a valuable partnership with Sound Spectrum, a professional DJ and event services company from Wallingford. “They are well-versed in the layout of our venues, which allows for efficient and optimized set up of sound and lighting equipment,” she said.
Depending on the theme of the dance, the lighting equipment used varies every time. However, certain fan favorites always stay the same. “We have different lighting equipment, but most of the time it’s these rotating lights that are in the four different corners,” Cullinan said.
SCOPE is also responsible for brainstorming dance themes during their weekly meetings. Previous themes have included Flannel and Frost for Holiday Ball and a disco theme for Last Hurrah. SCOPE members pitch ideas based on feedback from their friends and peers. “We highly value and actively seek student input when it comes to selecting music and themes,” Ms. Long said.
Ms. Long particularly enjoys themed dances and events because she can experiment creatively with outfits, decorations, and activities. “We’ve been toying with different theme ideas for this year and will announce it soon! Keep your pearls polished,” she said.
