Masquerade Ball a Hit at Dexter High School

Hundreds of beautiful young ladies and sharply dressed young men stepped out in style Saturday at Dexter High School’s junior/senior prom.

More than 450 students poured into the impeccably decorated hallways and commons areas and were instantly transported to a New Orleans-style masquerade ball. A dedicated corps of more than 100 parent volunteers, led by event chairwomen Stephanie Surfus and Mary Ann Parr, transformed the high school into Bourbon Street at Mardi Gras. The décor was complete with fortune tellers, dance clubs, photo booths and Mardi Gras beads.

Even the boys and girls restrooms were morphed into Gaston’s lair and Belle’s quarters, respectively, references to Disney's Beauty and the Beast.

The hallways were not the only sights to be seen Saturday. The DHS choir room was transformed into the popular "Nearlywed Game." Couples competed with one another by trying to correctly answer the most questions about their dates, modeled after the classic Newlywed Game that first aired on TV in the 1960s.

The music and dance areas were complete with ultra-hip disc jockeys playing all the latest music. There was also a full-blown casino, karaoke and even an entire room transformed into an American Idol-type stage where "bands" could wow and amaze the crowds with their lip-synching and air guitar talents and compete for the highest scores from a panel of judges.

Students who wanted a break from all the excitement and dancing could make their way into the dining area and enjoy some food and drinks prepared by volunteers, led by chairwomen Roseanne Crompton and Donna Verna.

Parr said the entire prom planning process takes a school year to organize.

"Once the theme was chosen, the planning began," Parr said. "We started in October, right after Homecoming.”