As the elevator doors opened on the 17th floor of the Manhattan Penthouse, guests were transported back in time to the 1920s.

Upon entering the dance, girls clothed in lace and sequins chose from a table of free accessories, the perfect feathers for their hair and guys chose hats to complete their costumes. Some girls were clutching thin gold cigarette holders.

Each year, the formal is held at a different location and after looking at six different venues this year, the council chose the Manhattan Penthouse by unanimous vote. Oh said it was because of it’s convenient location for students and because of the view of both the Freedom Tower and the Empire State building. Last year, it was held at the Union Square Ballroom underground.

At the coat check, coats were removed to unveil attire directly from the era of the classic novel “The Great Gatsby.” Flapper dresses were commonplace.

The occasion was the annual College of Arts and Science Formal, sponsored by the the CAS student council. This year, the event unexpectedly sold out all 250 tickets, up from the 175 tickets sold in 2012.

Event host Yena Tess Oh, a CAS sophomore, said that the theme was chosen in an effort to find something current that the students could get excited about. The rest, she said, fell into place.

“I hope the months of planning pay off and people have fun because really it’s an event for the students,” Oh said.

Bartenders in suits served virgin piña coladas, strawberry daiquiris and shirley temples. Next to the bar, a live band called Noah Hyams Quarter played. The atmosphere for most of the evening was reminiscent of a light cocktail party, with jazz music and soft pop. Only towards the end did the dance floor erupt for a brief transformation into remixed versions of recent songs.

Couples chatted on stools at tall tables, at the more traditional clothed dinner tables, or on the window sills while sipping their mocktail drinks and listening to the music.

Yee Ting Wu, CAS student council president and other council members observed the scene, trying to inspire attendees by quoting lines from the classic novel.

“You cannot repeat the past,” Wu said a tip of his hat as he passed by in the ballroom.

Julie DeVito is foreign correspondent editor. Email her at [email protected].