With chances of rain rising and temperatures falling, the last-minute switch to an indoor dance floor introduced an element of uncertainty to Maggie Walker’s 2023 Homecoming Dance. Nonetheless, by the time the long-awaited night arrived, Dragons poured onto the floor with the same infectious energy they bring every year. 

Before the dance began, students took pictures at a variety of locations, including the University of Richmond, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and the Main Street Train Station. While Natalie Shannon (‘24) was “disappointed that it was cloudy,” she still “enjoyed the atmosphere” at U of R, where she and her friends took their pictures. After pictures, many Dragons headed to dinner for a meal before continuing their night of fun. Shannon had dinner at La Grotta, an Italian restaurant downtown, and Alice Bowman (‘24) ate at Edo Squid, another Italian restaurant in the Virginia Commonwealth University area. Bowman enjoyed a “hanger steak with burro e parmigiano and fennel,” which she described simply as “lit.” Finally, students made their way to Maggie Walker for the main event– the dance.

When asked about the relocation of the dance venue to the gym, students' opinions were mostly positive. Erin Cotman (‘25) stated that “the decorations were better because we were inside,” and Bowman liked that the “locker room was open because [she] could charge her phone” during the dance. Students also complimented the food provided at the dance. Bowman thought that “the Gelati Celesti was excellent,” and Cotman appreciated the “sugar cookies and water downstairs.” However, Cotman felt she was “constricted to a much smaller space” in the gym and “almost lost [her] life on the dance floor when hype music was playing,” because of the crowd of students surrounding her. Additionally, Bowman disliked how “humid it was on the dance floor” and how she “didn’t get to walk around the track” as she usually does when the dance floor is outside.

Opinions on the DJ are always a hot topic after MLWGS dances. Bowman felt that the DJ was “not the best because they played songs for way too long.” She added that there were “too many strings of the same genres, especially when three slow dance songs in a row were played to their full.” Shannon shared a similar experience, saying, “I liked the music, I just thought it was played for too long.”

Students left Homecoming with new, unforgettable memories. Cotman said her most memorable moment was Martina Ribera, who “brightened [her] day.” Shannon stated that “getting ready with [her] friends and making the bouquets” was her favorite part of the night. When asked about her Homecoming highlight, Bowman fondly recalled the gelato. Despite the initial worries about inclement weather and the generally busy atmosphere at Maggie Walker during this time of year, Homecoming provided a great chance for students to blow off steam and enjoy a noteworthy night with friends.