Last Thursday’s “Party on the Edge” was exciting and classy – a definite highlight of the quarter thus far. A good change from the average sticky and sweaty frat party, the annual festivities held in the beautiful Cantor Arts Center offered a new way to be entertained, socialize and, of course, get dressed up.

The jugglers and musicians who welcomed attendees waiting outside were just hints of what entertainment waited indoors. The night’s line-up of acts was tight; every 10 minutes a new student group would perform in one of three locations. Walking through the galleries, it was easy to hear the sounds of a cappella in a nearby gallery or get a good view of a dance performance from the balcony.

Groups such as Alliance Streetdance and Stanford Swingtime were instant crowd pleasers, and their music set an energetic mood outside on the lawn.

Singing groups, including Mixed Company, performed in the Rodin Rotunda – a circular room with Rodin’s smaller sculptures and good acoustics.

“Singing inside Cantor was exciting and different, especially early on in the year as we’re trying to figure out our group’s sound,” said Mixed Company’s Jessica Asperger ’13. “The acoustics were great, and the audience was supportive and energetic. I think the group had a wonderful time singing for their friends and various Rodin statues.”

Other solo performers could be found around the museum in quieter galleries.

The party also encouraged appreciation for visual art with an exciting gallery show on Mami Wata (mother water), an African mythological spirit of a mermaid-snake charmer, portrayed in vibrant mixed media art including sculptures and masks. The bright teal color of gallery walls accentuated the water imagery in the pieces, and made the exhibit very attractive overall. “Mami Wata: Arts for Water Spirits in Africa and Its Diasporas” continues through Jan. 2, 2011.

The main focus of the night, however, was the Student Arts Grant Program. Each grant recipient displayed his or her work with an explanation of their project and intentions as artists, using paintings, photography, film or mixed media art to convey a message. The pieces were diverse – a highlight being an interactive “Hit the Lights” piece by Charity Fluharty ’10. Most of the artists studied visual art extracurricularly – many were biology majors, in fact.

Another crucial factor helped make the event a success – the refreshments. The free food was an immediate attraction for most people, making the lawn a popular and social location.

Analogous to a classy garden party, Cantor filled its tables with bite-size chicken and cranberry sandwiches, an assortment of chips, fruit and warm churros for dessert. To top it off, there was an endless supply of Hot Tamales candies that could be found on tables throughout the building.

Though mainly intended for student’s enjoyment and appreciation of the arts, the event seemed to benefit the museum as well – tables with student membership forms were packed. It seemed that everyone, especially those for whom this was their first “Party on the Edge,” wanted to get involved in more such activities.

“Party on the Edge” was enjoyable for the whole three hours, yet its open house feel made it easy to come and go as one pleased. What a pleasant experience it was to walk through a vibrant exhibit with friends, live music in the background, churros in hand.