What kind of score does a technician need? Feel like an aristocrat! How to get to the ball and how much it costs

Tomorrow is the holiday of Praise Holy Mother of God. On this day, the Holy Synod of Ukrainian Orthodox Church The Moscow Patriarchate established the celebration of the icon Mother of God“I am with you, and no one else is with you,” written in the Leushinsky Monastery and therefore especially near and dear to us.
Last week I received an email with further evidence of the miraculous help from this image. It was written by the servant of God Galina from the city of Kropotkin in the Krasnodar Territory, which stands on the banks of the Kuban River. Previously, this was the Cossack farm "Romanovsky", named after the House of Romanov. But in Soviet times the monarchical name was replaced by an anarchic one. It was in this royal place that the image of the Queen of Heaven, “I am with you, and no one else is with you,” was miraculously glorified.
I quote this precious letter in full.

"Dear Father Gennady!
I want to tell the story of how the icon of the Mother of God “I am with you and no one else is with you” appeared in my life. I had never been an active church member before, although faith in God always lived in me. From May 21 to 22, 2006, I saw in a dream the Virgin Mary with the Baby Jesus in her arms. Image of the Virgin Mary on the background blue sky was the size of the earth to the sun. Her clothes were modest, but bright. She held out the Baby to me, as if she wanted me to take Him. The Baby's feet were near my face and glowing. Realizing my sinfulness, I could not even touch or kiss them. On the sides of the Mother of God on the ground there were two icons with saints...
At the same time, I myself stood at the bus stop and said to people who passed by: “Look what a miracle!” But people walked with their heads down and no one looked at the image of the Mother of God.
The next day I went to St. Nicholas Cathedral in the village of Caucasus. While buying candles and books in a church shop, I looked up and saw in front of me an icon with the image of the Virgin Mary, exactly which I had seen in a dream and was very surprised, because I had never seen such an icon before. I asked what it's called? The candle maker answered me that this is the icon “I am with you, and no one is with you.” I asked to translate the title and received the answer: “I am with you, and no one is against you.” In my family at that time there were big problems. I took the icon in my hands, tears flowed from my eyes and relief immediately appeared in my heart. The woman standing behind me also wanted to buy such an icon, but she was alone. Arriving home, I began to look for information about this icon, but found nothing. The next day I went to this temple again and asked for an akathist to the icon, “I am with you, and no one is against you,” but this did not happen. I asked permission to look in the library and received an answer that it was not there either. But I insisted, and the candle maker allowed me. After searching the shelves and pushing aside several books, I suddenly saw this akathist. The candle maker was very surprised and asked where I got this book. The Akathist was completely new and without a library stamp. Having bought it, I read it from cover to cover at home. This book contained not only an akathist, but also letters from laymen who asked for advice on where to buy an icon and an akathist, as well as a description of miraculous cases of healing and help of the Mother of God. It became clear to me that this incident with me was also a small miracle. Both the icon and the akathist found me themselves.
In 2008 my middle son Philip and his family moved to live in St. Petersburg. On one of my visits to St. Petersburg, I gave my relative the icon “I am with you, and no one is like you.” She told me that there was such an icon at the Leushinsky courtyard, but I did not pay attention to her words. And only after returning home to the city of Kropotkin, I found information about the Leushinsky courtyard on the Internet. It turns out that I was very close to the temple where there was an icon of the Virgin Mary. You won’t believe it, but at that moment I literally wanted to walk to St. Petersburg. I could hardly wait for my next visit to St. Petersburg and immediately went to the church at the Leushinsky courtyard. Upon entering the temple, tears literally took over me and I could hardly restrain myself so as not to cry out loud. At this time, there was only a candlestick in the temple. Seeing my condition, she asked: “Have you not visited us for a long time?” I explained to her that it was my first time here and told her the whole story that led me to this temple. Then she advised me to tell Father Gennady about this. A few days later I saw you and timidly turned to you with a request to listen to me. You listened to me with such attention that tears again came to my throat and prevented me from speaking.
After our conversation, I wanted people in our region to know about this wonderful icon.
Soon I, my son and his family came to the church at the Leushinsky courtyard to the icon of the Mother of God to order a prayer service for health. You approved my initiative. After that, a thought arose in my head: what if one of the believers, to whom I turn with a request to donate funds for painting the icon, asks: “What is the power of this icon and how did it help you personally?” Literally the next day, an event occurred that perfectly confirmed the miraculousness of this icon of the Mother of God and indicated that I was on the true path. And this is what happened. My son Philip works in St. Petersburg at a service station as a tinsmith; he needed to straighten the body of a damaged car on a slipway (a floor-mounted system for straightening a deformed car body, which operates due to multi-ton pressure and tensile forces). Having secured the guy wires, he got to work. And he had just made the first blow when one of the trip wires broke and hit him in the face. He fell and was covered in blood. Everyone who was next to him was frightened and thought that he had been killed, because the blow was enormous power(tension force of the guy wires is several tons). He was taken to the emergency room, where surprised doctors said that there was practically nothing on his face, except for a small cut. He was simply bandaged and sent home. When we took off the bandage at home, we only saw a small scratch under the eye. True, he had a headache in the evening, but in the morning he got up and went to work. When I told the priest about this, he said: “It really was a miracle!”
After that, six months have already passed, I managed to raise money to write a copy of the icon of the Mother of God “I am with you, and no one else is against you” for our church. With these funds, the rector of the church of the Caucasian village, Father George, ordered such a list in Moscow.
When I read on the Internet not entirely positive statements about the icon of the Mother of God, “I am with you, and no one is against you,” I simply cried and I wanted to shout: “I saw the Mother of God in exactly this image, only it is even more beautiful, than on the icon! My granddaughter Eva, who is 9 years old, seeing my tears, says: “Don’t cry, grandma, there are just evil people, don’t be upset. Our Lady is with you." Now we are looking forward to this wonderful image appearing in our church and many people will learn about this icon and receive grace and help from it.
For its consecration, we would definitely like to invite you to our church, Father Gennady, you put so much effort into glorifying the icon of the Mother of God “I am with you, and no one is against you,” as well as all admirers of this image.

Sincerely, parishioner Galina."

Dear Galina!
Thank you for your comforting letter, which testifies that the Mother of God Herself glorifies Her image in the Russian land. I would be happy to visit your church if the rector of the church, Father Georgy, joins your invitation. (When traveling to my homeland in Pyatigorsk, I pass your nice city). As far as I know, the image that is being painted for your church will be the first copy of the icon of the Mother of God “I am with you, and no one else is with you” on Kuban land. (There are lists of it in the Maykop diocese, I wrote about it).
I congratulate you on the feast of the venerated image of the Mother of God, “I am with you, and no one among you.” May the Mother of God always be with you.
With respect - Archpriest Gennady.

Having fulfilled your concern for us, and having united us on earth with Heaven, you ascended in glory, Christ our God, in no way departing, but remaining persistent, and crying out to those who love You: I am with you, and no one is against you.

Today we celebrate this great holiday The Ascension of the Lord and God and our Savior Jesus Christ, who completely imperceptibly approached us after the all-joyful 40 days of the Bright Day of Christ.

It would seem that just recently there was Lent, the joyful holiday of Holy Easter, and now the Ascension. And at this borderline moment we must once again comprehend the fruits of the life, death and resurrection of the Lord. This is once again a confirmation, a strengthening, a reminder to us that our residence is in heaven, as the Apostle Paul said. And he said: just as we bore the image of the earthly, that is, Adam, so we will bear the image of the heavenly. Just as in Adam everything dies, so in Christ everything will come to life. Christ is the firstborn, and then Christ's in the resurrection of the dead.

The firstborn Christ is the firstborn in everything - in birth, in a sinless holy righteous life, the firstborn in long-suffering, the firstborn in crucifixion, the firstborn in resurrection and the firstborn who entered heaven paving the way for each of us.

Yes, there will be life in the next century, yes, there will be a Kingdom of Heaven, yes, there will be life with God, yes, there will be a victory of life over death, yes, there will be a victory of Christ over the devil and evil. The history of this world will end with a new heaven and a new earth, in which truth lives. The Lord will complete the history of this world. He will end with His victory. There is some expression and some opinion among believers and non-believers. Even among non-believers the word apocalypse is used. And when they show science fiction films with destruction, with a tsunami, with a fire, the word “apocalypse” has become a symbol of the end of the world for everyone.

In fact, the teaching of the Church is about the end of the world, about eschatology, (eschaton is translated as completion, not the end) about completion. About the completion of God’s great plan and providence for this world, so that in the end everything can be brought to Himself, brought to God.

For He himself said: I have other sheep that are not of this fold, and these I must bring: and they will hear My voice, and there will be one flock and one Shepherd.. This is the mystery of the Providence and love of God. Everything will end with the victory of Christ over death, over the devil, over evil, and love will reign - the Divine love of man for God and God for man.

And the Feast of the Ascension is once again a reminder to us - look, Christian, your residence is there, in Heaven. That here is only a time of testing, a time of maturing you for eternity. Here there is only a small period of time of 70-80 years, and there is an endlessly jubilant eternity.

The winter is fierce, but paradise is sweet. One of the wise people said: Without air you can live for a maximum of 5 minutes, with air for an average of 80 years; You can live without water for a maximum of 5-7 days, with water you can live on average 80 years; you can live without food for 40-50 days, and with food you can live on average 80 years; Without God you can live on average 70-80 years, but with God you can live eternity.

And about eternity, Blessed Augustine once said: It is not virtue or advantage to live long, not virtue and advantage even to live forever, but virtue is to live piously, and it does not matter whether this life is long or not - it is life with God.

And that's why we are with you happy people that we have found this life with God and now it doesn’t matter at all what the length of this life will be, because a book is valued not for the number of pages, but for its content. Likewise, life is valued not for its length, but for its filling with goodness, faith and love.

Elder Ambrose of Optina commanded us all: “We will be like a wheel,” he said, which constantly touches the ground with only one point, all the rest are directed outward, upward. The wheel touches only one point of the ground. So you, Christian, yes, do the necessary things, yes, take care of your family, your health, your work, your professionalism, your salary, your external affairs, but let all this be with blessings, with prayer, with the memory of God, let all this be dissolved by walking before God, as the Scripture says: Enoch walked with God, pleased Him and was taken up to Heaven alive.

Even unbelievers say: we all walk under God. But the most important thing is to remember this in your life constantly. Let a short prayer and memories of God dissolve our entire lives: Lord, bless! Lord, give me some sense! Lord, thank you! Lord have mercy! before starting any work, in the middle, at the end, remembering His holy commandments.

As you want people to do to you, do the same to them. Anyone who is angry with his brother is a murderer. Let your meekness be known to all people. Come and learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and find rest for your souls. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Judge not lest ye be judged.

Let these commandments of the Lord live in our hearts and minds. The most important thing is in the mind. One of our Optina monks once said, you have heard a proverb: A holy place is never empty. And he, having prayed, said: A holy place cannot be empty.

If your head is empty, if there are only worldly worries and your mind is not illuminated by anything - not the law of God, nor the commandments of the Lord, nor the remembrance of God - such an empty mind cannot be holy. The language of such a person cannot be holy. His thoughts cannot be holy and vice versa. Thy law is light unto my eyes, says the psalmist David. This is how we need to remember and keep God’s commandments.

The brethren of Optina Hermitage, with the blessing of the governor, have developed an algorithm for spiritual life: they have extracts from Holy Scripture, and, along with internal prayer, along with doing the Gospel, with doing the remembrance of God in constant prayer, they repeat to themselves the commandments that they learn by heart. So that, as Anthony the Great said, for every thought, for every word and for every deed, have the testimony of the Holy Scriptures. Some kind of internal or external attack from a brother during obedience, a rude word: “Hey, you dog, come here” - and the monk, before being offended as a worldly person, remembers the words of the Lord: If I, the Lord and Teacher, washed your feet , then you also wash each other’s feet. He runs and says to his brother: how can I be useful? And here, on the one hand, is the readiness to fulfill, and on the other hand, the internal shame of a fellow man who did not find a kind word due to his mood, because of pressure, because of senile sclerosis, which just doesn’t happen in our lives.

If there are one or two people in a family, then in Optina Pustyn there are 150 brethren. And every day there is communication, and every day there is contact, and every day there is relationship, and every day we must behave with dignity, in a Christian and fraternal manner. Watch your words, your language, about which one of the wise people said: how difficult it can be to keep our mighty Russian language behind your teeth. But it is necessary, but necessary for God’s sake. And man remembers the words of the wise Solomon: Many have fallen by the edge of the sword, but even more are those who have fallen by own language his.

If we remembered this, if we lived according to the commandments of the Lord, then our thoughts, our deeds and actions would be sanctified, and we would not do many stupid things, but, on the contrary, we would actually be children of God.
Because the Lord said so: he who had My commandments and kept them is the one who loves Me: he who loves Me will be loved by My Father: I will also love him, and I will appear to him Myself. He who does not keep My commandments does not love Me.

This is what the Lord calls us to out of His love and says that it all comes from the heart. If you love, you will remember love, if you don’t love, you will look for reasons for justification: time, lack, impossibility, vanity. And so on ad infinitum.

Let us love the Lord, remembering His words in order to actually fulfill them. Because if they are not in our minds, these words of the Gospel, if we do not remember them, if we do not learn them by heart, if they do not become the content of our mind and heart, then this will not become the content and property of our life. Our human upbringing will simply drain out of us, our old man will drain out of us, once good, once evil, once sincere, once cunning, once greedy, once chaste, once prodigal. Just like that, depending on your mood, whichever way the wind blows. But the core, foundation and foundation should be the constant remembrance of God.

Therefore, today, on this holiday, which gloriously coincided with the day of remembrance of the great Evangelist John the Theologian, I advise you all, instead of all the rules, instead of all prayers and maybe even evening prayers, to start reading the Gospel of John from this morning. On the road, at work, pensioners generally before lunch, after lunch, during lunch, to be on the same wavelength with this great saint, so that through his prayers they would at least remember something, understand something and thanks to this, performed.

So that there would be a deep prayer to John the Theologian, contact with what he said, and it would enter the heart and soul. And most importantly, on this day we will ask the Apostle of Love to grant us truly Christian love, that is, sacrificial service in relation to each other.

Precisely sacrificial service, because love is not just lisping with tongue, caresses, etc., etc., no, or rather, this too, but this is not the most important thing. Paul said this about this: Let us love one another, not in word or tongue, but in deed and in truth. You also need to love your tongue, good words You also need to speak, you don’t need to say bad words. But just talking is not enough. Therefore, compassion and empathy alone are not enough. This must result in complicity.

Let us love each other not in word or tongue, but in deed and truth. And on this holy day of the Ascension of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, our mind, soul and heart, think and study in the law of the Lord. At least on this day of the Ascension and the day of the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian. And may the holy prayers of the apostle and evangelist of love increase hope, faith and love in us. Amen!

Archimandrite Melchizedek

Oh, what an exquisite ball it was,
A ball like never before
Their Lordships the Count
I met everyone at the entrance,
The countess shone with beauty.
Andrey Makarevich

For school and out-of-school teachers, such a form of communication between children as dance night. Many articles in central publications are devoted to the organization and methodology of its implementation. One of the most important types of dance program remains the ball. The proposed development is designed for participants from 13 to 18 years old.

Connection of times

A dance program (disco, ball) is a specially organized entertainment on one site that involves dancing. IN encyclopedic dictionary I.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron in the corresponding article reports: “ Ball (French) bal, Italian ballo, German Ball from ballare- “to dance”) - currently means a gathering of a large society of people of both sexes for dancing. Balls differ from other dance gatherings by a certain splendor, stricter etiquette and predetermined order.

Their origin dates back to the festivities at the French and Burgundian courts. Balls have retained their true form since the time of Louis XIV, when they took root in all German residences. Since then, balls have formed an essential part of most court festivities. Little by little, initially in France, a certain ceremony was developed for balls, which, despite its shyness, with minor changes was accepted everywhere and only in modern times somewhat simplified.

They (balams) were started by Peter I with the assemblies established at that time.<…>Catherine's balls were distinguished by their special brilliance and splendor.<…>Since then, balls have become commonplace in life. Solemn balls are usually given at courts and in the houses of nobles..."

Preparation requirements

The option of holding a dance program in the form of a ball is very attractive, however, during the preparation, significant difficulties arise: teenagers’ ignorance of the rules of behavior at the ball and ancient dances(polonaise, cotillion, etc.). In order for the guys not to feel constrained during the ball, it is necessary to conduct several preliminary dance rehearsals. Maybe learn a few thematic ones and that's enough simple circuits dances, such as polonaise, figure and Viennese waltz. Another option for holding a ball is associated with a ballroom dance competition, when those interested present their skills to the jury.

Using the ball as a dance program will bring the best results when the life (etiquette, dancing, entertainment) of a particular ballroom era is consistently studied in a children's association.

Holding a ball in the 21st century is an appeal to the cultural patterns of previous eras; in other words, the basis of this event is modeling, imitation - role-playing game. The integrity of the image of the ball is created by the playing roles chosen within the framework of one plot, historical or literary. It is better to organize the preparation so that the participants in the action accept playing roles and get used to the image (teenagers are ready to improvise to varying degrees, so it makes sense to discuss the roles in the children’s group in advance).

The ball is best held in a fairly large group: three or four high school classes or a country camp for high school students. In this regard, collective roles are quite suitable, that is, participants unite in groups of four to five people and play the role of relatives and friends.

Let's clarify the list of the main characters of the ball:

Two stewards;

Host and hostess;

Heroes of the ball with ladies or gentlemen (two or three couples);

Eight patrons;

Organizers of the chess salon, the “Word Play” and “Wit” salons.

Stewards

We need to think about choosing the stewards of the ball. It is advisable that the stewards be a couple: a young man and a girl, and it is better if they can dance all the thematic dances offered as part of the ball. They must set an example for all guests.

Heroes of the ball

Our experience shows that the winners of any competitions and competitions held earlier at the school (camp) will be very appropriate at the ball. In the experience of the Centaur high school camp, the ball goes well with a whole series of events leading up to it competitive programs: Knight's tournament, Circle of knives, Colosseum (competition of boys and young men in game fencing). As a result, real heroes appear at the ball. The fact is that in imperial Russia at the balls the focus of attention was on the really famous and popular people(military heroes, politicians, rich people from fairy tales). It seems that from a methodological point of view it would be bad form to appoint the heroes of the ball by a strong-willed decision. These must be real heroes. Such heroes will deservedly receive special attention during the ball, and people will be associated with them. story line general action - rewarding and honoring.

Any good real educational event should grow out of the life of the child-adult community. It is no coincidence that the definition of a ball contains the formula “a meeting of ... persons of both sexes,” so boys and girls should be placed at the center of the action. We are quite skeptical about the option of choosing the queen and king of the ball. It is better if the right to be the hero of the ball is earned not by the beauty of a suit or face, but by truly important achievements for the entire community.

Patrons

Even when preparing for the ball, it is necessary to select the so-called “patrons”, those who will offer prizes for competitions for the guests of the ball. It is best if the most authoritative teachers and high school students act as patrons of the arts, whose prizes many high school students would like to receive. In this case, you can go in different ways: make the list of patrons open or, conversely, secret. It is worth pre-preparing all those who will give their prizes to participants in ballroom competitions. Let prospective patrons think in advance about what they could give as a gift. Tell them what kind of competition will be held to win a specific prize. It is important that the person presenting the prize prepares a speech that he will give when he awards the winner of “his” competition. Do not forget to warn that the speech should be short, no more than one or two minutes, in it he should say why this or that winner was chosen.

Host and hostess

As history shows, in the era of balls, the owner and mistress of the house where the ball was held each had their own responsibilities. The main task of the hostess was to ensure that the guests' stay was pleasant and carefree, so that all the ladies present were not left without gentlemen. In order not to offend the lonely lady, the mistress of the house had to discreetly point out to the free gentleman the sad lady.

It is also important to warn those who will be dancing the opening waltz so that the participants are prepared and can rehearse the very first and main dance of the whole ball. A situation may arise when not one, but several people differ from everyone else and it will be difficult to determine the winner of the competition. In order not to offend any of the children and not to leave the worthy without encouragement, prepare several additional prizes for competition participants.

It is important to create an atmosphere of anticipation for the ball as a kind of celebration of magic, miracle, beauty and grace. This can be achieved not only by hanging and making posters with the guys, but also by talking with the participants: discussing their outfit, being interested in the choice of a gentleman or lady at the ball, talking about your personal expectations and preparations.

Suits

During the preparation of the ball, there is an important and difficult task - to ensure the appearance of the participants, corresponding to the solemnity of the moment. As our experience shows, a significant part of teenagers, boys and girls, do not really understand how to choose an adequate wardrobe. This gives rise to absolutely sad moments when at some point a girl in boots or a young man in unclean shoes comes up on stage.

Adults also need to take care of their appearance, carefully consider their suit or dress, shoes, hairstyle, and makeup. In addition, it is very important to help children think about their appearance (this is especially important for girls). It is advisable to do this in advance, a few days before the ball. It may turn out that the child does not have clean clothes and will need to be washed and ironed.

“That day she got up at eight o’clock in the morning and was in feverish anxiety and activity all day. All her strength, from the very morning, was aimed at ensuring that they all: she, mother, Sonya were dressed in the best possible way. Sonya and the Countess trusted her completely. There should have been masaka on the decanter - velvet dress, the two of them are wearing white smoky dresses on pink silk covers with roses in the bodice. Hair had to be combed a la grecque (in Greek). Everything essential had already been done: the legs, arms, neck, ears were already especially carefully, like a ballroom, washed, perfumed and powdered; they were already wearing silk, fishnet stockings and white satin shoes with bows; the hairstyles were almost finished.”

L.N. Tolstoy

Behavior at the ball

Stewards and, of course, patrons of the arts should act at the ball as an example of behavior for the children. It is important to go and socialize and invite ball participants to dance. Ladies teachers should remember that there is a ball book and write down all invitations there. Gentlemen-teachers should invite girls to dance, mentioning that the lady should write them down in her book and not forget about this promise.

The owner and hostess need to help the children in the process of participating in competitions. It may happen that a young man enters the competition without knowing (not hearing, not understanding) what exactly needs to be done, and will not be able to complete it (he will not be able to give a compliment, he will be afraid to give flowers) - in this case, you need to help him with advice, example, to encourage him. In addition, it is important announce contestant by name.

Spatiotemporal organization of the ball

One of the most important points when holding a ball - its organicity in the life of the children's and adult community. The situation of a camp or an away gathering of school activists is, of course, more suitable for this matter. However, if there was no talk about the ball throughout the camp shift and suddenly in the last days we decided to hold a dance program in the form of a ball, then it’s unlikely that anything will work out. At school, it is advisable to time the ball to coincide with some event, however, at the end of the school term, high school students may not find the additional strength to prepare for the ball and participate in it.

In our experience, it is advisable to organize a ball for about 1.5–2 hours. Time to spend of this event It's worth thinking through carefully. It is important to remember that the guys must have time to get dressed and get ready for the holiday. It is advisable that even after the end of the ball they do not rush to take off their beautiful outfits and do not rush to “run” to the next, emotionally different event. It is important that the holiday atmosphere stays with the children for a long time. In camp conditions you can conduct this form from afternoon tea to dinner: after an hour of rest, the guys will have time to get dressed and get themselves in order, go to afternoon tea and in half an hour, having dressed, will be ready. Although the most optimal time for the event is from dinner to evening / evening squad circles.

The ball is a rather specific phenomenon and requires effort from the participants, therefore, based on the diversity of interests and emotional moods of the participants, various options for activities should be provided. Simply put, not everyone is ready to dance in the ballroom style or for any length of time. At the same time, these children have a need to spend their free time, communicate with peers, classmates, and friends. Therefore, as part of the ballroom action, it is planned to organize several platforms based on interests:

The ballroom, where the main dance action takes place;

Chess salon, where you can compete in ancient game play chess;

The “Word Play” salon is intended for lovers of poetry (here you can compose a poem about love, write an ode to a beautiful lady - in a word, demonstrate your poetic gift);

Salon “Wit” - this site provides an opportunity to show off your mind and tell a joke. There is one limitation: the joke must correspond to the ball (theme, mood, characters).

Hall decoration and props

When preparing a ball, it is important to provide the props and music necessary for the event. Organizers need to stock up in advance with musical recordings corresponding to the ballroom theme (polonaise, waltz, tango, etc.). You shouldn’t neglect modern slow dances, it’s even good if they are quite famous. This will help the guys feel more comfortable in the new atmosphere of the ball.

Ballroom books there must be more than girls wanting to go to the ball. Because, firstly, all those who were not going to come may come, and secondly, it is possible that one of the ladies will lose the booklet in great excitement, then the teachers should be ready to provide a new one in return.

It is advisable to publish (present orally and writing) evening score , consisting of musical compositions and competitions. Then the guys will be able to plan who and when they will decide to invite to the dance. And accordingly, girls will be able to understand in advance how many gentlemen they are ready to give consent to for a dance tour. The score can be written on a stylized color sheet of A4 format.

It is necessary to take care not only musical arrangement evenings and props, but also about the decoration of the room. Greatest effect will be achieved if the space in which the ball is held is truly a large, bright ballroom. To do this, you can arrange all the chairs around the perimeter of the hall, leaving space for the heroes (they need to be allocated a special, place of honor, it should be well lit, perhaps it will be on a raised platform, for example on the stage). Of course, there is always the option to negotiate with some museum or other cultural institution in the city to rent a large, bright dance hall. When thinking through the arrangement, it is necessary to allocate a place for holding competitions. It is important that to each It was convenient for the evening participant to watch the competition program.

I remember my promise to write about balls. I'm doing it. =)

Since ancient times, people have sought to establish relationships with representatives of various circles of society (of course, within the same social stratum). For this purpose, balls were organized. Ball (from French. bal, Italian ballo, German Ball- dance) - a meeting of a large society of people of both sexes for dancing.

Vladimir Pervuninsky - Ball

History of balls

In Russia, balls began to be organized by decree of Peter I in 1718. They were called assemblies and were given in turn by all the courtiers. At the assemblies they had business conversations, smoked pipes, drank wine, played checkers and chess. The main entertainment was dancing. Our ancestors did not immediately grasp the art of relaxed social communication. At first, during the breaks between dances, everyone sat dumb. And there were few dancers: the dances were tricky, you had to bow and squat. Wide skirts and high heels excluded fast dance steps, however, they allowed one to take various poses, forming elegant pictures. Bows and curtsies were the main elements of the dances.

I learned the art of dancing slowly. We read from A. Pushkin in the story “The Blackamoor of Peter the Great”: “Full length dance hall ladies and gentlemen stood in two rows opposite each other; the gentlemen bowed low, the ladies squatted even lower: directly opposite themselves, then turning to the right, then to the left, and so on." They danced an anglaise, which was a pantomime: a gentleman courting a lady. Gradually the dances became more varied, the Polish polonaise came into use. Its basis made up smooth movements, bows and curtseys. The ball began with a minuet - a slow graceful dance, but complex, only following the example of Elizaveta Petrovna, an excellent dancer, the minuet at the Russian court began to be danced beautifully and gracefully. Danced by the noisy and cheerful Grosfater, very beloved by Peter. An excellent dancer himself , Peter loved a joke and was not averse to stirring up his clumsy courtiers. Having ordered everyone to dance, he stood with his lady in front and performed different steps to a slow melody. Gradually the tempo of the music accelerated, Peter changed the “course” of direction, forcing the dancers to cross the hall in the opposite direction, then diagonally, then in a circle, then directed everyone through all the rooms, then into the garden, along the paths between flower beds and trees, returned to the house again, the orchestra greeted the exhausted dancers with a funeral march, everyone laughed."

Peter oversaw the assemblies. Peter forced rule-breakers to drink the Big Eagle Cup in one fell swoop as punishment. The order established at the assemblies differed from European ballroom etiquette, but participation in the assemblies achieved its goal: Russian nobles gradually became accustomed to new customs, social communication, and polite manners.

After the death of Peter I in Russia, the era of assemblies ended and the era of balls began. Tobacco and alcoholic beverages were a thing of the past; guests were served soft drinks: lemonade, orchard and others. Instead of checkers and chess, they played cards. Craftsmen were no longer invited, court etiquette became more strict. They began to announce balls not with drumbeats, but with special invitations. The dances had their own sequence. In addition to dancing, the ball included additional entertainment: a small concert, live pictures, even an amateur performance. The ball ended with dinner.

The ball season lasted from Christmas until last day Maslenitsa, the rest of the time balls were held on special occasions.

In addition to the imperial family, court officials, diplomats, noble foreigners, and officials of the highest four classes according to the “Table of Ranks” were present at the balls. Guards officers were also obliged to go to court balls - two people from each regiment; the officers were invited as dance partners. All family members had to appear with their wives and daughters.

Vladimir Pervuninsky - Social event

Classification of balls

Balls served various functions, including social ones. Depending on their functions, they had their own varieties.

Courtiers balls, as a rule, were boring. But it was necessary to attend court balls in St. Petersburg. These were official events. There was stiffness and restraint business card similar balls. Thousands of important guests gathered for balls hosted by the most eminent families of Russia.

But secular youth preferred to visit Moscow- much more relaxed, which attracted several thousand people. Such balls provided an opportunity to have fun from the heart.

The ball is a real find
For young dandies and ladies;
The beauty is waiting for him with delight,
It is a holiday for gloomy fathers.
So that my daughter dresses like a doll,
An experienced mother is busy,
And so that she doesn’t stay too long,
Taking her to dance. (F.Kony)

Representatives of the nobility were obliged to give balls for relatives and high-society acquaintances. Young girls of marriageable age began to go out into the world. At the balls, potential brides and grooms met, and matchmaking was planned. “Moscow was famous for its brides, like Vyazma for its gingerbread,” wrote Pushkin.

Public balls were most often held in the provinces. Funds were collected from everyone by distributing lottery tickets. The most relaxed of balls - family. Family balls were organized on the occasion of memorable family dates, for which invitation cards. All kinds of auctions and competitions were held in the halls, and the proceeds went to help shelters. IN feature film"Anna on the neck" main character Anna, performed by the famous actress A. Larionova, was invited to conduct such charity lottery.

Children's balls were holidays for children and their parents. Most often they took place in private houses. Teenage girls danced merrily, starting games. This was the first appearance, an opportunity to show myself.

Masquerade balls were especially loved by society. Mandatory attributes were masks and domino raincoats. The atmosphere of mystery was conducive to relaxed communication.

Vladimir Pervuninsky. To the sounds of a waltz

Noble balls in the 19th century

Balls in the 19th century were a favorite entertainment for the public - both high society, middle class, and even peasant. Everyone gave balls in proportion to their means and capabilities. The whole of St. Petersburg came to see Princess Zinaida Yusupova; only colleagues gathered to see the bourgeois family, but both were called a ball. The ball was a very expensive pleasure for the host party. “I gave three balls every year and finally squandered it,” they say about Onegin’s father. But I will not go into financial and economic details. It’s more interesting to talk about what happened at the balls.

Any ball began with an invitation. “Sometimes, he was still in bed, Pushkin’s notes were brought to him, this somewhat inaccurately reflects the situation: invitations to the ball could not be sent on the day of the ball - the recipients had to receive them three weeks in advance, and write a response - whether they would or not. The invitations were very laconic, for example: “Prince Potemkin asks you to do him the honor of welcoming him to the masquerade, this February 8, 1779, at the Anichkov House at 6 o’clock.” However, all the other information was unnecessary - everyone already knew the other ball conventions.

The order of the ball was unshakable. Guests began to arrive after six or nine in the evening, some arrived at ten or midnight. After the arrival of the guests, whom the owner was obliged to meet, the ball opened with a solemn polonaise, a dance-procession, in which all those invited had to take part, even if they then sat at the card tables all evening and all night. In the second half of the 19th century, the polonaise was sometimes performed at the end of the ball, then the dancing began with a waltz. Then they alternated waltzes, polkas, quadrilles, and mazurkas. In the middle of the ball there was a dinner to which each gentleman accompanied the lady. If a gentleman arrived at the ball without a lady, the hostess of the ball could ask him to escort a lady to the ball (for example, who arrived with a couple of relatives and was therefore not accompanied by a gentleman). When the couple sat down at the table, they took off their gloves and covered their knees with a napkin. Before leaving the table, gloves were put on again, napkins were left on the backs of chairs. Then the dancing continued again. The ball usually ended with a multi-hour cotillion, which at the end of the 19th century was sometimes replaced strange dance called Square Dance Monster.

The ball just began with a waltz, and other dances followed, in particular, they danced the Hungarian, Krakowiak, Padepatiner, Padespan, Padekatr... At balls there was a certain dance order, and everyone knows that the so-called small dances will be followed by the first quadrille, then, following the order, the second, third. After the fourth quadrille and small dances, as a rule, there was a mazurka. It's already special dance. It, like the square dance, was scheduled in advance for all the ladies, and every gentleman, every lady knew when and with whom they were dancing. It should be noted that among all the dances, the mazurka and cotillion were the most “important” invitations to the ball, for the reason that after the mazurka the gentleman led the lady to the table for dinner, where they could chat, flirt and even confess their love. Everyone ate dinner in the side living rooms, at small tables. At each table the guests gathered in their own group. In addition, at the balls there was always a buffet with various dishes, champagne and other strong and soft drinks.

It was the duty of the gentlemen to ensure that the ladies had everything they wanted. At the same time, the gentleman must entertain the ladies and lead with them small talk. During dinner, the guests talked about many things: music, theater, latest news from gossip columns, who is marrying whom or who is getting married... After dinner they always danced a cotillion. Large boxes of flowers were brought to him. The gentlemen sorted out the bouquets and presented them to their ladies. After all this, the conductor of the ball and his assistants on swords brought in a lot of multi-colored ribbons (belts), as well as narrow and short ribbons with bells at the ends. The gentlemen, having sorted out the ribbons, presented them to their chosen ones, and they put one ribbon on top of the other over their shoulders. Moreover, men tied narrow short ribbons with bells to the ladies’ hands, starting from the hands to the elbows. “It was, I tell you, a wonderful experience. You lean towards the lady’s gentle hand, towards her fragrant body and inhale the aroma of enchanting French perfume...”

People came to the ball dressed smartly. Gentlemen wear a tailcoat, tuxedo or suit (depending on the decade), a white shirt and always white gloves. Moreover, in the manuals, a lady has the right to refuse a gentleman without gloves, and it is better for a gentleman to come to the ball wearing black gloves than without gloves at all. A boutonniere was attached to the lapel of the tailcoat. The military came in uniform. The suits of the gentlemen depended little on fashion and were recommended to be sewn in classical forms so that the robes would last longer. Gentlemen wore boots to the ball, and only military men could afford boots, but without spurs.

Ladies and girls dressed in dresses according to the latest fashion, each of which was designed for 1-2 balls. Ladies could choose any color for the dress (if it was not specifically specified - for example, on January 24, 1888, an emerald ball was held in St. Petersburg, at which everyone present was dressed in the appropriate color), dresses for girls were sewn white or pastel colors- blue, pink, ivory. Gloves that matched the dress were matched to the dress or were white (wearing rings over gloves was considered tasteless). Ladies could decorate themselves with a headdress - for example, a beret. Girls were recommended to have a modest hairstyle. In any case, the neck had to be open. The ladies' jewelry could be anything - the main thing is that it is chosen with taste. Girls should appear at balls with a minimum amount of jewelry - a pendant around the neck, a modest bracelet.

The cut of ball gowns depended on fashion, but one thing remained unchanged in them - an open neck and shoulders. With such a cut of the dress, neither a lady nor a girl could appear in society without jewelry around the neck - a chain with a pendant, a necklace - something was required to be worn. Felix Yusupov in his memoirs describes the following incident: his parents, Count Sumarokov-Elston and Princess Yusupova, went to a performance in Mariinskii Opera House. During the intermission, a lady-in-waiting of Empress Maria Feodorovna came into their box and asked the princess to remove the family diamond that was hanging on Zinaida Yusupova’s neck, since the empress had not adorned herself with a diamond of that size that day. The princess immediately performed this, but since she had no other jewelry for her neck, the married couple was forced to leave the theater.

In addition, in the 1820-1830s. It was indecent for a lady or girl to appear in society without a bouquet of flowers: it was carried in hands, in hair, attached to a dress at the waist or on the chest. A fan was a mandatory attribute. It could be left in its place in the ballroom, or it could be held in the left hand (which rests on the partner’s shoulder) during the dance. Small things were put into a handbag (reticule), which was also left in its place.

As a rule, we arrived at the ball a little late. The owner greeted the first guests, latecomers joined the dancers, sometimes even without announcing the persons. Ladies took small books with them to the ball to record the sequence of dances; towards the end of the century, these books began to be given out at balls.

In addition to dancing and dinner at the balls, guests were entertained by games: calm ones, such as cards, funny and active ones, such as forfeits. They often parted ways in the morning: “Half asleep in bed, he’s on his way back from the ball: and restless Petersburg has already been awakened by the drum.”

Within a month after the ball, guests had to pay the hosts a courtesy visit.

Vladimir Pervuninsky - Ball

Ballroom etiquette

Elements of dance etiquette required to participate in the ball

1. Ball participants must monitor their posture and hand position.

2. It is necessary to be courteous both towards your partner and to everyone else.

3. You should avoid collisions with other couples and try not to touch the fixed structures and equipment of the hall.

6. During the dance, it is inappropriate to move too far apart or demonstratively approach each other, as well as openly hugging.

Elements of social etiquette required to participate in the ball

1. Not being late for the official ceremony is disrespectful to the Hosts and Guests of Honor.

2. The clothes of the ball participants should be elegant: ladies in evening dresses, gentlemen in suits, gloves are desirable.

3. Politeness, gallantry, and courtesy are encouraged at the ball.

4. When exchanging greetings, first the gentlemen greet the ladies with a bow, then the ladies, after a bow, can extend their hand for a kiss or handshake.

5. The ball is accompanied by a certain manner of speaking. Loud, harsh conversation is unacceptable, and the use of profanity is prohibited. Gentlemen are encouraged to compliment ladies.

6. At the ball, it is important not only to dance beautifully, but also to walk and stand gracefully. Avoid leaning against walls and columns. Gentlemen should not keep their hands in their pockets. Under no circumstances should you chew! Eating sweets, fruits, etc. should only be done in places specially designated for this.

7. When entering Ballroom should be disabled Cell phones and remove the headphones.

8. Under no circumstances is it allowed to run around the hall, especially through its center.

Elements of ballroom etiquette required to participate in the ball

1. Participants’ clothing must correspond to the responsibility class of the ball.

2. All participants must comply with the requests and requirements of the Main and Hall Master of Ceremonies, the Mistress and the Host of the Ball.

3. The first dance, the waltz of the first part, is opened by the Host and Mistress of the ball, all guests enter this dance after the Host and Mistress have done three rounds of the waltz.

4. An invitation to dance begins with a bow from the inviting person. Replying to an invitation is also accompanied by a bow.

5. After the invitation, the gentleman takes the lady to the dance area in compliance with all the rules of etiquette.

6. When moving “under the arm”, the lady’s hand should not wrap around the gentleman’s hand, nor should it hang on the gentleman’s elbow.

7. At the end of the dance, the gentleman must escort the lady to the place where he invited her or any other place at the lady’s request.

10. It is, of course, necessary to fulfill the requirements of the Main and Hall Master of Ceremonies.

Vladimir Pervuninsky - Waltz

You must appear elegantly dressed for the ball; Especially the ladies' toilet should be distinguished by its sophistication. No luxurious and/or strictly historical attire required. Additionally, we are not trying to reconstruct any particular era, but dress neatly and elegantly for the ball.

A young man, accepting invitations to a ball, at the same time takes upon himself the obligation to dance. If there is a shortage of gentlemen, the responsibility to dance falls on everyone. Expressing displeasure or letting someone notice that you are dancing out of necessity is extremely indecent. On the contrary, whoever wants to become the darling of society must devote himself wholeheartedly to pleasure and dance without exception with every lady.

There is nothing funnier than young people playing the role of old people and not dancing, out of a desire to show that they do not find any pleasure in this entertainment. They then act clearly impolite and indecent, especially when they then dance with the chosen young lady, showing that their aversion to dancing does not exist at all. This manner of behavior offends the other ladies, and the gentleman deserves to be rejected by the lady he has chosen. In any case, it would not hurt the preferred person to take the above advice as a rule - this The best way to let the gentleman feel all the indelicacy, all the funny side of such behavior and at the same time protect himself from the hostile glances of the other ladies.

A gentleman inviting a lady to dance approaches her and, bowing gracefully, makes an invitation in the most polite and delicate form: “Let me have the pleasure of inviting you to [the dance].” If the invitee is well known to you, then simply: “Do not deny me the pleasure of dancing with you.”

It is extremely indecent to invite a lady to whom you have not been introduced. To do this, it is best to either find a person who agrees to introduce you, or, as a last resort, introduce yourself.

When a gentleman invites a lady, she bows her head as a sign of consent, saying: “with pleasure”, “good”, or: “I’m sorry, I already promised”, or: “I’m already dancing”. A lady who does not want to dance with any gentleman should not resort to the trick: “I’m tired,” and then accept the invitation of another. This could get her into big trouble. The gentleman who received a refusal will probably monitor whether the reason was really fatigue or simply a reluctance to dance with him. No well-bred person should allow herself, having refused one gentleman, to immediately go dance with another. If a lady accidentally forgot that she gave her word, and while she goes to dance with another gentleman, the first one appears, then she should apologize. To get out of this unpleasant situation, it is best to completely abandon the dance or let the first gentleman dance another dance with her. In any case, this situation is very awkward and unpleasant, and ladies should avoid it by writing down the names of the gentlemen who invited her on special cards different types and devices, depending on the fashion, hanging on a fan chain or fastened with a hook to the bodice.

To invite a lady and then forget about it is not only the most unforgivable impoliteness, but simply rudeness on the part of the gentleman; V such a case he quite rightly incurs the wrath of the invitee and the strict censure of the entire society.

On the other hand, a lady who is left without an invitation must calmly endure this little nuisance and not show her displeasure: not a single feature of her face should betray her disappointment and bad mood. She needs to look like she is looking at the dancers with great pleasure.

It also goes without saying that a gentleman who has invited a lady and been refused has no right immediately, in the presence of this lady, to invite another to dance. This would be the height of indecency.

When inviting, you should look into the lady’s eyes, then she will definitely understand that you are addressing her. But if your bow was taken personally by someone other than the one you wanted to invite, under no circumstances show your disappointment, and certainly don’t say: “I didn’t want to invite you”; observe the rules of decency and learn to blame yourself first of all for awkwardness, and not others; and even better - do not blame, but come out of them with humor.

In a situation where your acquaintance has invited your companion to dance, you invite his lady so that she is not left alone.

In a dance, a woman is led by a partner, and must take all mistakes personally; If a couple accidentally touches another couple, then the man apologizes - after all, he is the leader. During the dance, partners should not be too far from each other, but they should not be pressed together. When dancing with a lady dressed in a low-cut dress, a man cannot allow himself to hold her by her bare shoulders or back; in this case, the most favorable position for the hands is on the side, at the waist.

It is considered the height of tactlessness to come to the evening with your lady and dance all the time with others. Don't be surprised if by the end of the evening she prefers to have someone else walk her home. However, it is indecent for a lady to dance a lot with the same gentleman; You can accept two or three invitations from one gentleman, especially if this gentleman is one of your friends and if the dances are different. The same applies to men. It is indecent to invite the same lady over and over again.

At the ball, do not forget for a minute that your facial expression should be cheerful and amiable. Dull or angry face at the ball is the same as dancing at a wake.

In general, at a ball you should behave modestly, dance gracefully and strictly observing decency; to jump, to break, to take affected poses would mean to expose oneself in the eyes of some as an object worthy of ridicule, and in the eyes of others as an object worthy of pity.

A lady should not approach the buffet except on the arm of a gentleman, who gives the order to serve her what she desires.

At the end of the dance, the gentleman must bow to the lady and lead her to her place or offer to take her to the buffet. Having taken the lady to her place, the gentleman must bow and move away, but not stay to talk with her. In turn, the lady, taken by the gentleman to a place, should not hold the gentleman to talk with her.

Just as it is considered indecent to talk incessantly over your lady's ear while dancing, it would certainly be awkward and discourteous not to say a few words to her.

At the end of the evening, the gentleman must accompany his lady home.

Vladimir Pervuninsky - Stranger

Also necessary information at the ball:

Fan tongue

the fan is unfolded, the lady waves it off - “I’m married”;

the fan closes - “I don’t care about you”;

one petal opens - "be pleased with my friendship";

the fan is fully open - “you are my idol.”

If the interlocutor asks for a fan (although this is actually a very obscene request):

serve with the top end - sympathy and love;

hand it over - contempt;

serve open, feathers forward - asking for love.

Language of flowers

However, Vienna can be considered the real capital of balls - after the Vienna Congress of 1815, the nascent bourgeoisie began to entertain the secular public with dances and magnificent music. And even today Vienna opera ball is the most important event in Europe!

Balls served various functions, including social ones. Depending on their functions, they had their own varieties.

Courtiers balls, as a rule, were boring. But it was necessary to attend court balls in St. Petersburg. These were official events. Primness and restraint were the hallmark of such balls. Thousands of important guests gathered for balls hosted by the most eminent families of Russia.

But secular youth preferred to visit Moscow- much more relaxed, which attracted several thousand people. Such balls provided an opportunity to have fun from the heart.

The ball is a real find
For young dandies and ladies;
The beauty is waiting for him with delight,
It is a holiday for gloomy fathers.
So that my daughter dresses like a doll,
An experienced mother is busy,
And so that she doesn’t stay too long,
Taking her to dance. (F.Kony)

Public balls were most often held in the provinces. Funds were collected from everyone by distributing lottery tickets. The most relaxed of balls - family. Family balls were organized on the occasion of memorable family dates, for which invitation cards were distributed in advance. All kinds of auctions and competitions were held in the halls, and the proceeds went to help shelters. In the feature film “Anna on the Neck,” the main character Anna, performed by the famous actress A. Larionova, was invited to conduct such a charity lottery.

Masquerade balls were especially loved by society. Mandatory attributes were masks and domino raincoats. The atmosphere of mystery was conducive to relaxed communication.
Photo: Depositphotos

We prepared for the ball in advance. The host and hostess could ask any of the invitees to help. It turns out that even during the time of Catherine II, holiday organizers offered services. Food and drinks were often delivered from clubs or restaurants. Much attention was paid to the external design of the holiday. Florists decorated the premises with garlands of fresh flowers, executive young secretaries sent out invitations.

The balls were held in special halls - apartments, which made it possible to organize ballroom dancing. The ballrooms were surrounded by dining rooms, pantries, and smoking rooms. Particular attention was paid musical numbers. It was a great pride for the owners to have their own orchestra. In every noble house there was a collection musical instruments. In Russia, performances by famous performers were in constant demand. Dinner and musical evening were an invariable component of the ball.

Depending on the occasion, the event program could vary. Refreshments were included in the program of any ball. If it was a large reception, the actual dinner was most often pushed back to late evening, even night, since the ball usually began closer to midnight, and dinner followed the ball. The most ceremonial receptions with an extensive program could begin with a late lunch, then dinner after the ball was absent or offered in a lighter version.

The host and hostess received guests at the entrance. After the greeting, guests headed to the ballroom. During the breaks between dances it was possible to relax. It was customary to court those ladies with whom men sat at the table.

Photo: ru.wikipedia.org

Clothing was given Special attention. Short, knee-length pants were the dress code for men until the end of the 17th century, then a tailcoat with a white bow tie and vest appeared. The lightest outfits were made for the ladies - from silk, gauze, lace. The ball gown was shortened so as not to interfere with the dance. Ballroom dresses for young girls of marriageable age were designed in light colors. Decorations made from fresh and artificial flowers were widely used. In those days it was not customary for young girls to wear expensive massive jewelry. Non-dancing ladies came to long dresses from heavy fabrics. Married women were required to appear in headdresses - light hats, lace headdresses or berets.

By the way, about berets. Remember, Pushkin A.S. “ ...who is there, in a raspberry beret, speaking to the ambassador in Spanish? Alas, I have not been in the light for a long time" Evgeny Onegin, being at the ball, did not recognize Tatyana Larina in a spectacular headdress!

« Oh, the times! Oh, morals!"It's the twenty-first century! And interest in balls has resurfaced, and each of us strives to attend such an event at least once.