Ever wish that you could do magic? Still waiting on your Hogwarts acceptance letter? Do you only attend CMU because Hogwarts doesn’t accept the FAFSA? This past Friday, 150 muggles who answered yes to all of these questions braved the cold to attend their own Yule Ball. The CMU Society of Women Engineers hosted its annual CIT Ball at the Pittsburgh Athletic Association. Headed by co-chairs Alex Cerny and Yiru Yao, the sold-out event made for a magical evening fit for a Triwizard Champion.
The Planning Committee met for the first time back in January to start discussing how to recreate the iconic scene from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Bringing in several large, snow-covered trees wasn’t exactly feasible, so the committee opted for subtler accents like Hogwarts house-themed centerpieces and Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans. Not so subtle but nonetheless a hit was the guest of honor, Professor Severus Snape (in cardboard cutout form). When Snape wasn’t glaring at guests he thought were up to something or encouraging people to turn to page 394, he was getting down on the dance floor and even did a little crowd surfing.
The CMU Treblemakers kicked off the entertainment for the night with a special version of “I’ve Got the Magic in Me” featuring their own Harry Potter-themed lyrics. Next up were the CMU Soundbytes, looking brave as ever in their Gryffindor red. Finally, the CMU Ballroom Dance Team, reminiscent of the Triwizard Champions and their partners, glided elegantly across the dance floor to their rendition of the well-known “Hedwig’s Theme.” The muggle dance music that followed would have certainly appalled Umbridge, but it didn’t seem to faze the guests, who enjoyed classics like “The Cha Cha Slide” and “The Wobble.”
As the evening came to a close, guests accio-ed their coats and apparated to their Ubers. One lucky freshman got to take Professor Snape home. The talented witches behind the event swiftly cleaned up the ballroom and retired to their dormitories. The event was a magical success, and SWE hopes that you’ll join them again next year.