By Christina Savopoulos
After a successful debut of their university ball in 2024, Melbourne University Greek Association (MUnGA) continued the event with the 2025 ‘Encore’ ball.
Held on Friday, 4 April, hundreds of university students entered the beautiful Aerial event space in South Wharf for an evening filled with Greek dancing, cocktails, laughter, and a fun photo booth. The space was elegantly decorated with floral centrepieces, sparkling fairy lights, and a view of Melbourne’s skyline.
It’s rare to find an event where you’re greeted with nothing but beaming faces everywhere you turn, but this year’s MUnGA Ball was just that. All attendees I saw on the night were buzzing with excitement as the night flew by.
For Angeliki Katahiotis, this year’s “amazing” MUnGA Ball was her first university ball, and she raved that “the atmosphere was electric.”
“It was so lovely seeing our Greek culture and customs being maintained through traditional Greek dances and music,” she said.
The evening included a mix of Greek and English music, with an obvious emphasis on traditional Greek music which was accompanied by the ever-talented bouzouki player Antonis Pistikakis.
In addition to the music and dancing, the MUnGA committee impressed their attendees with an array of raffle prizes. The prizes highlighted their connection with many Greek Australian businesses.
Countless Greek restaurants in Melbourne had vouchers up for grabs, including the newly opened Taverna in Brunswick East, The Greek Providore, Bahari, and The Golden Fleece Hotel. Other prizes came from The Hellenic Museum and Greek brands like Voir Vodka and Thematikos. The most impressive prize of the evening was an art print by Thalassea valued at over $1,000.
2024/2025 MUnGA President Jamie Gallos reflected on the evening: “We had an opportunity to make a sequel to our now established event that will hopefully be ongoing in the MUnGA calendar.”
Jamie emphasised how the sold out nature of the ball and the presence of Greek youth “shows there’s an avenue for continual growth in our university spheres… separate to NUGAS and the Greek clubbing scene.”
MUnGA’s Vice President Kanella Pirpiris added that “the energy of the guests… [and] the flow of the night” made the ball “memorable and enjoyable.”
Kanella also referenced the four major sponsorships the club received from Moray & Agnew, LV Furniture, Accountancy Group, and Active Orthoapaedic Clinic.
“We are deeply grateful to all our sponsors for their generous donations and to our committee for their hard work in putting together a magical event,” she said.
MUnGA Ball attendee Xen Papas attended MUnGA’s event last year and spoke highly of this year’s ball. He said the MUnGA Ball is “without a doubt my favourite Greek night of the year! Can count on [it] to always be full of the best music, dancing and parea.”
Towards the end of the evening, I overheard another guest remark that the ball was the “pinnacle of Greek events.” The classy nature of the MUnGA Ball has most definitely set the standard for the remaining 2025 university balls.
*All photos copyright Renée Zafiropoulos.
