If you’ve ever seen a Disney movie, you recognize wondrous balls with people in fancy dresses dancing to the sounds of waltz. You don’t have to go back in time or travel to Vienna in ball season to experience that feeling. Prepare your fanciest attire, get ready for modern music by IE’s most loved DJs, and enjoy the upcoming Spring Ball. Here’s everything we know so far!
What is the Spring Ball?
Organized annually since 2010, IE Spring Ball is organized by the Student Government, gathering students from all three campuses for a fun time of socializing, snacks and dance.
This year’s edition of the Spring Ball will be held on March 16th, in Castillo de Viñuelas (a proper castle!). Shuttle buses will be organized from all campuses, arriving at 14:00 the day of. The bus fare is included in the ticket price.
What can I do at the Spring Ball?
This year’s ball offers opportunities to take pictures with your friends in a photo booth, or by professional photographers in charge of covering the event. With two meals and an “all you can drink” policy on beer and wine, there is no excuse to leave with an empty stomach. Three different DJs covering the event will make sure you have the best possible time.
How should I dress?
The dress code, according to the Student Government’s Instagram account, consists of “spring chic”, with bright colors expected. Ties are optional, and minimum knee length skirts are expected. The Student Government warns against wearing black, as well as casual clothing.
How do I get tickets?
The first round of tickets, with the promotional price of 35€, was released on February 8th. The second round, costing 40€ also sold out, while the third round, of 45€, is supposed to go on sale on Friday, February 16th. If you have a ticket, keep following the Student Government (@ieustudentgov) and the official Spring Ball (@ieuspringball) on Instagram for information!
What does the IE Community think of this?
In a short questionnaire, consisting of a variety of prompts regarding the Spring Ball on a modified Likert Scale (unidimensional scale often used to measure attitudes or opinions), the majority of respondents (Segovia students) expressed that the location and number of activities are fitting for the occasion.
However, just under 70% felt that the ball’s start time was too early to fully enjoy the experience. With buses arriving at 14:00 and leaving at 19:00, students would be left with approximately 5 hours to enjoy the ambience and spend time with friends.
A half of respondents felt the tickets were “a bit expensive”, with one person suggesting that the venue charges for food and drinks instead of the entry, as that will provide the attendees with more freedom to choose what they choose to purchase. This may also be a good alternative for people who do not consume alcohol.
About 38% of respondents also found the dress code to be “somewhat strict”, with one respondent highlighting that organizers mustn’t “turn anyone away for what they choose to wear or how they want to express themselves.”
What do the organizers say?
Isabella Ochoa from the organizational team spoke with us and clarified some of the questions regarding choices made for the upcoming edition of the Spring Ball. She claims the event was moved to afternoon hours because “an evening event in a formal setting would involve a seated banquet and much more formal wear”, and that they wanted to be as “as inclusive as possible.”
The ticket prices were determined to avoid economic deterrents to students, insists Ochoa, saying that their goal was to make tickets affordable while having in mind students will be purchasing formal wear as well.
“Those who do not follow the dress code will unfortunately not be allowed to board the buses and, subsequently, will be denied entry to the venue, as the buses we provide are the only way to access the venue” said Ochoa on the topic of the dress code. “While we encourage creativity within the “spring chic” theme, we kindly ask attendees to avoid attire that may detract from the event’s ambience, such as very short skirts or excessive cut-outs. “
She went on to say that the Student Government is “subsidizing the cost… to ensure that price does not become a barrier to attendance.” First round of tickets sold out in 7 minutes.
With March approaching fast, and carrying with it the promise of spring days and midterms, we hope you find the time to enjoy spending time with other members of IE Community, with Spring Ball as the perfect chance to do just that.
