Formal surprises can, it seems, be spinned.Gutwein, who helped organize the Mather formal,said she had difficulties of a genuinely pleasantnature.

"The only issues were where to have it and howmuch alcohol to buy," Gutwein said.

All of the four formals offered open (if you'relegal) bars, and bartenders were kept busy earningtheir keep. For some students, alcohol at Houseformals was a welcome relief from Harvard'sgenerally uptight consumption policy.

"I think our House Masters are great abouttreating us as the 21-year-olds that we are, asopposed to Springfest," said Eliot House residentPutney W. Cloos '98.

Brian C. Fox '99 Cloos' date at the fete, addedthat when it comes to drinking responsibly atformals, "Harvard students deserve the benefit ofthe doubt."

Yet other students at the fete felt that thealcohol policy at spring formals has become morestringent in recent years. In fact, one underagestudent's fake I.D. was seized at the door of thefete.

"Because of the alcohol policy, everythingseems a little stricter [this year]," said Ryan H.Crane '99.

In the end, however, many felt that it wasn'tthe music, the booze, or the atmosphere that madethe formals shine, but something more fundamental.

"I really think what makes a dance is having agood date," said Jesse R. Elzinga '01. "It doesn'tmatter where you are or what's going on.