By, Jannell Dang
Features Editor
Students from schools through-out the San Gabriel Valley areas gathered at the Pasadena Convention Center at 7:30 p.m. last Saturday for the annual Royal Ball, a semi-formal dance open to participants in the Tournament of Roses Royal Court tryouts.
Approximately 700 young women competed in the first round of the selection process
on Sept. 9 and 11. Each received two tickets to the ball. “The [Royal Ball] brings peo-
ple that normally might never meet each other to have a great time,” stated Dave Link, Chair of Queen and Court Committee. Inside the convention center, there were photo booths, a white, lighted carriage, embellished chairs, and a Tournament of Roses backdrop that people lined up took photos in front of.
A black curtain sectioned off the back half of the room, which was designated as the dance floor. For the first twenty
minutes after the door opened, guests helped themselves to refreshments before the dancing began. Guests trickled in as the DJ got the night’s music started.
“I saw a lot of new faces that I don’t recognize from different schools,” stated Reisandy Lamdjani, Gabrielino High School senior.
“The music was great, the DJ was insane, and they gave Throughout the night, the professional photos that were taken of the girls who participated in the first Royal Court interviews were projected on a wall. Each girl was shown wearing her respective number from the interview, holding a bouquet of roses.
“I was […] proud seeing [the pictures of] my friends and I,” stated Gabrielino senior Tiffany Chung. “The pictures represented our effort and participation in the Royal Court and I’m glad people saw it.”
This year, the Tournament of Roses will celebrate its 100th
Rose Queen. Four of Gabrielino’s five Tournament of Roses student ambassadors, seniors Ciannah Correa, Christopher Lung, Nyah Toomes, and Jared Uenishi were present at the ball. Alyssa Liu, senior, was not able to attend. Student ambassadors volunteer
at Tournament of Roses events in preparation for the Rose Parade, participate in the parade itself, and can even attend the coronation of the Rose Queen. Throughout the night, the professional photos that were taken of the girls who participated in
the first Royal Court interviews were projected on a wall. Each girl was shown wearing her respective number from the interview, holding a bouquet of roses.
“I was […] proud seeing [the pictures of] my friends and I,” stated Gabrielino senior Tiffany Chung. “The pictures represented our effort and participation in the Royal Court and I’m glad people saw it.”
This year, the Tournament of Roses will celebrate its 100th
Rose Queen. Four of Gabrielino’s five Tournament of Roses student ambassadors, seniors Ciannah Correa, Christopher Lung, Nyah Toomes, and Jared Uenishi were present at the ball. Alyssa Liu, senior, was not able to attend. Student ambassadors volunteer at Tournament of Roses events in preparation for the Rose Parade, participate in the parade itself, and can even attend the coronation of the Rose Queen.
