Cadet ball

A ball is always a holiday, cheerful, bright, colorful, sparkling, shining, magical. Any ball – from children’s to royal – in Russia has always been desired and loved. The ball is a real example of etiquette, noble manners and dance skills of the participants. Balls differ from ordinary dances or discotheques in solemnity and fabulous pomp, stricter etiquette and a classic set of dances following in a predetermined order.

Since the 18th century, dance has become a compulsory subject in all higher and secondary educational institutions, schools and boarding schools. It was studied at the royal lyceum and at modest vocational and commercial schools, at the gymnasium and in the cadet corps. In Russia, many people of various classes not only perfectly knew all the latest and old ballroom dances, but also knew how to perfectly perform them.

It was customary to come to the ball dressed smartly. Ladies and girls dressed up in dresses according to the requirements of ballroom etiquette and the whims of fashion. Cavaliers were ordered to appear in a tailcoat pair, tuxedo or suit, and the military came in dress uniforms corresponding to their regiments.

“The officer’s ball is part of the cultural traditions of the Russian army. Therefore, training in ballroom dancing is necessarily included in the training program for Russian cadets, Suvorov and Nakhimov students, – says Maria Vladimirovna Bragina, ball manager, teacher of additional education at the Hermes Center for the Development of Creativity for Children and Youth, – a large cadet ball has been held at the Victory Museum since 2006 year in spring and autumn. This is an important tradition and our cultural history, because ballroom dancing is an integral part of cadet education. Every future officer should be able to dance.”

Continuing the glorious traditions of their ancestors, about 400 students of the capital’s cadet schools and corps took part in a dance evening at the Victory Museum on Poklonnaya Hill. Young dancers prepared bright and colorful numbers: polonaise, padegras, padepatiner, polka, quadrille and waltzes, and other historical ballroom dances. Before the start of each performance, the host of the ball spoke about the history and traditions of the dance. The guests and participants of the ball were also offered a concert program from the leading creative teams of the city of Moscow.

The ball was opened with musical numbers performed by the Honored Artist of Russia, singer Dmitry Dunaev, the Military Brass Band of the Combined Arms Academy of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the Inspiration vocal ensemble of the Germes Center for the Development of Children and Youth Creativity.

Some dancers already have experience of participating in balls, and some came to the ball for the first time and only mastered ballroom tricks.
Gallant young cadets and graceful girls opened the ball with a classic polonaise. Boys and girls proudly walked around the hall with serious faces, and parents looked at their children with delight and wondered how they distinguished padekatre and padepatiner. Yes, it’s science!

At the wall, a lovely lady wipes her tears. What’s happened? Don’t worry, these are tears of happiness! Arina Vasilievna, mother of two cadets! The happy mother said that her son was finishing his studies and had already been to balls more than once, but her daughter was studying in the cadet corps for only the second year and for the first time this year takes part in such a holiday: “Studying information about the corps before entering, I repeatedly met photos of girls , studying in the corps, in ball gowns, elegantly waltzing with young cadets, represented her daughter … And now the fairy tale has come true, my daughter is among the participants in this wonderful ball.

The young dancers were very excited, they had no time for an interview, but we managed to find out in moments of relaxation that the guys with the choreographer were learning the dances that would be at the ball in advance. For female cadets, teachers invite a hairdresser-stylist who helps to choose a hairstyle for the ball, and at a meeting with a fashion designer, young ladies discuss current trends in the fashion industry and receive recommendations on choosing a dress.

A real ball has an interesting feature: no one can sit still indifferently. So this time it happened, the officers-educators, parents and even volunteers of the Victory Museum joined the dancers. Great spring mood was guaranteed to everyone!

Mikhail Kovalyov.

Author’s photo