Rondelet to be on campus, Moulin Rouge-themed

By Margeux Clemmons     2/12/09 6:00pm

Break out your can-can outfits; Rice University's spring formal, Rondelet, will be Moulin Rouge-themed and will take place in the Rice Memorial Center's Grand Hall on Feb. 21, marking the second semester in a row that the Rice Program Council has opted for an on-campus formal event. The decision to keep the dance nearby was a direct response to student input about last semester's formal, Esperanza, which took place in a large tent rented for Rice Annual Fund events during Homecoming, RPC Formals Committee Co-Chair Esra Gumuser said.

"Everyone kept telling us that the best part about Esperanza was the fact that it was on campus," Gumuser, a Will Rice College sophomore said. "Underclassmen said it was accessible, and older students liked that there was an open bar."

With Esperanza selling out its 1,000 tickets and drawing nearly twice the amount of students as last year, RPC hopes the historically less-popular Rondelet will attract at least 550 attendees, RPC President Michelle Kerkstra, said.

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Gumuser additionally cited cost as a factor in choosing to hold Rondelet on campus. Rondelet has a budget of $4,000 outside ticket sales, compared to Esperanza's $6,000 budget aside from the profit it makes on its more expensive tickets. Many downtown venues, as well as being problematic for bussing students, incur rental fees. Minute Maid Park, the venue for 2007's Esperanza, required a $5,000 food purchase for the evening of the dance.

Many of the other locations RPC considered, including downtown's The Houston Club and last year's Rondelet venue, Trevisio Restaurant in the Texas Medical Center, were too expensive, too small or unavailable on the decided date of the dance, Gumuser said. Rice's own Cohen House had a small maximum capacity of 300 and was too expensive for RPC's budget, she added, noting that Rondelet was particularly difficult to schedule this year since there was not much leeway for changing the event weekend due to the short semester.

RPC will incur no charges for renting the Grand Hall, and the venue will come with many of the amenities the RMC offers. Additionally, the venue may accommodate up to 750 students.

The food and open bar will be designed by Central Market and will cost approximately $4,000 to $5,000, depending on how many upperclassmen purchase open bar tickets. Gumuser said the choice in caterers will mean a little more work for those setting up the dance, but that opting for a formal caterer might also cost significantly more. Esperanza's catering bill this year was $15,000.

"The good thing about Central Market, which was not the case with the caterer last semester, is that you can give Central Market 24-hours notice, and they can add to the food and bar," she said. "Last semester, they had to cut off the wristband sales two weeks before to give advance numbers on the open bar; this time, people can still buy tickets the Wednesday before."

Besides an open bar, Rondelet may feature live entertainment.

Lovett College junior Tristan Clement will be the DJ for the event. Clement DJed with last semester's Esperanza's student DJs and will be providing the music for this weekend's Casino Party at Lovett. Gumuser said students reacted positively to hiring student DJs.

"It's so cool to look up and see one of your friends setting the mood, because they know how to make sure everyone's having a good time," she said.

Gumuser said RPC decided on the theme after Student Center Director Boyd Beckwith mentioned the movie Moulin Rouge in a casual conversation, and she thought the red and black colors would accentuate the Grand Hall at night. RPC put a spin on the venue name, calling it "La Grande Salle" for the event.

Lovett senior Trevor Pittinger said the he liked the decisions on Rondelet this year.

"I like the theme, and I feel like having it on campus sort of fits the Rice way of doing a formal," he said.

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