Hello and welcome to St Hilda’s 2012 May Ball! We know what you may be expecting: black tie, giant tent, disco, with a bit of a theme… so prepare for the unexpected. Prepare for a night of surreal décor and fast-paced vibrancy. Prepare for Fantasmagoria!
Fantasmagoria refers to several things. ‘Fantasmagorie’ was one of the first cartoons to be made, in 1908, and has subsequently come to describe the art of projecting fantastic and disquieting images onto a screen. It also refers to a nonsensical work by Lewis Carroll called ‘Phantasmagoria’, and ties into Disney’s dizzying musical film ‘Fantasia’, whose creator was described by Salvador Dali as one of the “three great American surrealists”. To us, Fantasmagoria is fantastic, surreal, and magical. Yet it is now also a Ball.
On the 5th May 2012, immerse yourself in an interpretation of Surrealism like no other. You will see yourself in new shapes, taste strangely fantastic foods and drinks, and dance through a landscape of mirrors and melting clocks. There will be mirrors, a shisha tent, themed cocktails, strange projections, top DJs, cheap drinks, even time that goes backwards, and more…
Plus, this year we are a charity Ball: a portion of proceedings will go to Helen & Douglas House and WaterAid.
Dress code will be ‘Black Tie with a Splash of Surrealism’. Interpret this as you will, be that a Dali moustache, bowler hats, or anything else that springs to mind. The Ball will take place within St. Hilda’s College grounds, and there will be the option to purchase either a dining ticket or a non-dining ticket.
Check back here and join the Facebook group to keep up to date with progress. We hope you will join us for what promises to be an incredible night of surreal magic next May.