Last year, an event that popped up on the St Andrews ball scene and immediately piqued my interest was the Empowher Galentine’s Ball. The prospect of an all-female ball – made by women, for women – was an event I would not miss. The event was incredible, a stunning success, and in its second year running, the Empowher Galentine’s Ball subcommittee did not disappoint us.
Right from wristband pick-up, the intentions were made clear. Not only were you welcomed with a smile, the sub-committee effortlessly guiding the flow of people through the door, but also, along with your wristband, you were given a pink gift bag filled with goodies such as a scrunchie, pink heart sunglasses, a hair clip, a pair of socks and even a handwritten card. The standard was set, and the effort, time, and dedication of the Galentine’s ball director, Ines Tramarin, and the whole sub-committee were evident a day before the event began. To say I was excited would be an understatement.
And the venue itself did not disappoint. Hosted in the swanky upstairs restaurant and bar, Lupo’s, the sub-committee clearly saw space as a blank canvas on which to craft a night to remember. Decked and adored with pink and red decorations, the venue felt like it had taken on new life. Welcomed with the same warm, friendly smiles as with wristband pick up, each guest was handed a raffle ticket and a free drink token, which got you none less than a strawberry margarita (alcohol-free options also offered).
With Taylor Swift playing overhead, the dance floor was full – a blur of pink and red outfits, which was the dress code (only fitting for a Galentine’s event). But what is so special about the Galentine’s Ball that made it stand out is the sense of absolute carefree joy translated onto every face at the event.
Talking to a first-year in the queue for the bathroom, she told me how nice it was to dance without any worries and fears. Just a safe, fun night – it doesn’t seem like much to ask for, but unfortunately, often, it’s something women don’t get to have. The constant and very real fears of spiking and sexual harassment lurk in the background of the events in St Andrews and the UK as a whole. Within this reality, the Galentine’s Ball offers a fun-filled night that the women of St Andrews can enjoy without fear or worry – a space of female empowerment and togetherness.
If the meaning behind Galentine’s is to celebrate female friendships, then I would argue the Empowher Galentine’s Ball creates, even if just for a night, an oasis of uninterrupted female enjoyment and revelry. You can let your hair down and dance in a space where love is spread and felt.
If I weren’t graduating next year, you’d best believe I would be looking to secure a ticket to what has become, potentially, my favourite ball St Andrews has to offer.