Opinion Editor Zahrah Santos Califano and Arts and Culture Editor Ella Guy review 2024’s Bailey Ball.
It was the promise of pizza that kept John’s students dancing, eating, and surfing for twelve hours straight. The 12 hour phenomenon is one that we had the privilege of partaking in, as we attended our first Bailey Ball. Whilst we have taken a few days to recover from the event which is no doubt the most energy draining of the year, we have finally mustered the energy to recount what we bore witness to that night; the laughter, the dancing, the movie watching, and the indomitable human spirit which powered the survivors to the promised pizza.
12 hours till pizza…
On arriving at the ball, guests were immediately transported into the world of Atlantis. The Bowes house corridors were tapestried with fabrics and adorned with seaweed paper chains, leading to the marquee outside, where the drinks reception was busy with excited guests who headed directly for the professional photographs on entering, and then for the drink of the night, ‘Floral Atlantis Fizz’, which was definitely a hit and despite some inevitable awkwardness of polite conversation, there was a buzz of anticipation for the night ahead.
11 hours…
After checking the seating plan, guests were then ushered through to their respective venues for the meal. Leech Hall was especially impressive, the room submerged with decorations and lit in a way that made for a truly underwater experience. With an introduction to the ball from John’s Principal, Jolyon Mitchell, seats were taken up and drinks were poured. The ‘Profiterole Clam Shells’ starter was no doubt the best course, and the mozzarella pearl was a very fun touch. One guest was especially happy that, being vegetarian, she was able to eat the same starter as other guests, and while she was a little underwhelmed by the vegetarian duck, this was made up for by the well-received addition of risotto. The chocolate mousse was also delicious – many plates were polished!
9 hours…
Dinner was only the beginning. We were ushered from Leech Hall, down the unrecognisable corridors into the Marquee, where Atlantis-themed entertainment was waiting for us. We had a fair amount of goes on the surf simulator, which although we lasted all but 20 seconds, we felt gave us an experience that we are sure is no less exhilarating than surfing on the open ocean. The inflatables were a great way of breaking the ice of formality from dinner to the party section of the night; who can remain serious when using an inflatable pillow to knock someone to a bouncy castle floor? After taking as many opportunities as possible to go absolutely berserk on the inflatables, the well-thought use of WhatsApp announcements alerted us to the opportunity of face painting and balloon animals, which felt like a welcome reversion to childhood birthday parties.
8 hours…
We made our way back into Leech Hall, which had once again been transformed from a dining hall to a live music venue. Both student bands, ‘Magnolia’ and ‘The Quays’ got everybody dancing. The event did amazingly at bringing together Johnians from all stages of their university careers, as flashes of blues and purples and greens from first years to third years swirled around Leech Hall. The choice to use student-led bands as the live entertainment was a choice we enjoyed, as we continued with Basement Jazz. DJ Leskow continued the party, playing tracks that bridged us into the late night, and people were confronted with the most important choice of the event; give in, and go to sleep, or try to survive until 5:30am, to reach the end goal of the ‘Survivors Photo’.
A short break from the music helped to regather our sanity and decorum. We made our way to the endless supply of candy floss as well as a gorgeous chocolate fountain, which we think it is safe to say was well enjoyed. The photo booth no doubt recorded countless memories of the night.
4 hours…
Upon making our way back to Leech Hall, each person was given a pair of headphones. Harry, who put together one of the playlists, told us how ’We all needed to be able to bring the vibe all night, seeing as the silent disco makes up a significant portion of the second half of the night. Old and new favourites plus a few curveballs kept everyone entertained (and on their toes!)’.
3 hours…
As the hours stretched on (and the numbers depleted), many first years retired to their rooms for a nap. Walking through the corridors, a world away from the magical atmosphere of the ball itself, and certainly a lot quieter, it was evident that the odd room gathering was becoming popular; amidst the general quiet, one particularly tiny room was packed to the brim with a mass of people all discussing the events of the night and their shared experience of deliriousness. On a smaller scale, movie watch parties were also good for a break from the festivities, and from subsequent conversations, with Christmas becoming more and more on theme, in at least two cases ‘Love Actually’ was the choice of the night.
And the main event ensued…
Pizza was served: we had made it! The crowd was surprisingly numerous. It is dubious how many had truthfully stayed awake; accusations were made and some were of the opinion that if the dancing hadn’t made your feet hurt, were you really there at all? All were tired beyond measure but present all the same. Conversation was dwindling and everyone was ready for the survivors’ photo to be taken. The zombified crowd made their way to Leech Hall and just about managed to stay awake enough to smile for the photo, then the room quickly cleared as guests hurried for bed. Meanwhile, decorations that had been thought about before term had even started were taken down overnight. Breakfast unsurprisingly resembled a ghost town, made evident by the excess of cheesy croissants continuing to be served at brunch, but perhaps a lucky few woke in time to watch the snow falling as the night drew to a close and a day of partial recovery began.
Images: Amelia Dove and Oliver Irons
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