Issue date: 4/8/08 Section: ARTS & LIFE

High heels, big hair and couples' photos are not limited to high school prom night.

The Gay and Lesbian Alliance of Denton and TWU Pride hosted their Carnevale-themed prom Saturday at the University Union's Silver Eagle Suite.

Between 150 and 200 people attended, said Hector E. Gonzalez, a Brownsville graduate student and treasurer of the alliance.

"It's just a good time to share with each other and forget about the ugliness in our world for a few hours," he said.

Disc jockey Kate Firth, a sophomore at Collin County Community College, played songs by Michael Jackson, Britney Spears and the Sneaker Pimps while masked couples partied on the dance floor.

"Everyone was enjoying themselves, and it was uplifting because I want to entertain people," Firth said. "It was awesome, being a gay person and being able to DJ an event aimed at my peers. I'd be honored to do it again in the future."

Others socialized over cake and punch, taking pictures and watching the slideshow of past alliance activities. Gonzalez said the slideshow included pictures from Texas Women's University's Pride Parade, alliance bowling, camping trips and meetings.

TWU Pride president Nika Stein belly danced, and members of the TWU Danceworks team entertained the crowd with their routines.

"I was really impressed," Fort Worth sophomore Tyler Gastineau said. "It was like America's Best Dance Crew was right in front of me."

In years past, the alliance has hosted smaller prom events in facilities such as Bruce Hall's concert hall.

In addition to partnering with TWU Pride this year, members wanted to create an event that would interest larger groups of people.

"Some of our previous proms were potluck," Gonzales said. "People would bring brownies and macaroni and cheese, but it was all about the community."

Nora Lewis, a Houston senior and activities coordinator for the alliance, added that they used to get about 15 people to show up at the prom.

Coupled with private donations, Gonzalez said that two years' worth of membership dues helped fund the 2008 Carnevale Prom.

"It looked great," Gastineau said. "It looked more professional and elaborate than anything I could picture at Bruce Hall."

Gonzalez said he hopes ticket sales from this year's prom will be enough to ensure a bigger prom next year.

"GLAD and Pride did a wonderful job putting together this year's prom," Austin junior Mallory McKenney said. "Before I came to NT, I'd been to a couple of similar events, and this was, by far, one of the largest."

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