I've been going to the black and white ball since it first started, and i must say, every year it's gotten better..except last year. Hopefully we will have a bigger room for it, like in 2010, and that will solve alot. I agree that there was alot of music that felt very 'pop' like and not so much traditional-what-you-would-think b&w ball music, but this is an anime convention so having pop like anime/japanese music i expect. And i love love love that the dress code of actual FORMAL wear is enforced, it just gives it such a GREAT atmosphere. The only thing that really endlessly pissed me off was that i got hassled alot to see my shoes. Now yes, i was wearing a floor length dress (its a ball, so floor length for me

) but i got checked at the door, at the elevator, in the line indoors, at the entrance, after being done dancing, i mean really its why i got pissed and left.
I've read around on the forums here some people being upset about this as well, so i wanted to give my thought or suggestion, i think there should be a dress code checking station. Not at the door where you are right there at the ball but at the beginning, or as far to the beginning as it can be. And at that station have someone or like 3 people (any more than that it becomes a power battle) who are KEEPERS OF THE CODE with rulers in hand, who check your attire and your shoes, and if you pass they give you a stamp on the hand, like a dark stamp so it dosent sweat off or wash off while your there, so that after that other staffers can see that you were checked and cleared. No more 'lift your dress' every 5 min, or confusing between staffers if what your wearing is cool.
Seriously thats my only suggestion, just put something on us so that everyone on the planet knows our attire and shoes were cleared so the only thing the other staffers there have to worry about are rude, overly crazy, etc etc peeps. I love the ball, it's really a highlight for me, and other than that you guys are really really awesome.