The 2023 Homecoming Dance was held at The Hyatt Hotel on the evening of Friday, September 8th. The ballroom was decorated with dazzling pink-purple flashing lights and students with excited. With a theme of HoCoChella, inspired by Coachella, an annual music and arts festival, students dressed up in elegant semi-formal, on-themed attire. From glittering dresses to shiny tuxedos, our wildcats showed up in a variety of outfits and fashionable jewelry. The venue was covered with bright, Coachella-themed decorations and shimmering chandeliers. 

   When asked about the HoCo theme, senior Jeremiah Chun explained, “I liked the idea of having a music festival as a theme because a dance is heavily integrated with music, and pairing Hocochella with such a famous musical event was a very clever and creative idea.”

   Esi Otoo, ASB president shared, “This was the first year that I was in charge of the whole event, I was helping to supervise and lead others, which was a great experience. We spent a lot of time getting the whole event ready for the students to come and have a blast.” 

   Wildcats were thrilled to attend their second Homecoming Dance at The Hyatt after the pandemic. They were served with a wide variety of mouthwatering desserts, including diverse flavors of cupcakes, candy bars, rice krispie chocolate bars, and brownies. Students also enjoyed refreshing drinks to hydrate themselves during the event. Otoo added, “The food was also prepared with a lot of thought, we tried to go for small and sweet snacks, like candy and little desserts.”

  Students seemed to have a positive response. “The food and drinks were really good,” Chun explained. “I enjoyed them throughout the night. My favorite food was probably this cupcake I ate.”

   There were many different activities planned, including the renowned moshpit, karaoke, photo booths, and classic game machines, along with outdoor games such as Just Dance and air hockey. Wildcats enjoyed these engaging activities, showing off their dance moves, singing talents, and spirit. Laughter surrounded the photo booths as students gathered around to capture their exciting moments. 

   Freshman Jun Kim shared, ”I really liked the karaoke. It was great being able to sing in front of other kids, getting hyped up by them, and being able to sing with my friends on stage was an amazing new experience.”

   Wildcats crowded around the mosh pit, with exciting screams and yells filling up the entire room. The DJ played a list of today’s top hits that kept students dancing nonstop.

  “The decorations and venues were also very cool to look at and overall the Homecoming was a very fun experience for me,” Chun concluded.

    This year’s HoCoChella was an unforgettable night for students.