Viennese Ball in Kyiv: Getting Increasingly Popular
This year’s event gathered some 2,000 guests. Compared to last year’s ball at the National Opera, this one was less on the protocol side and more chamber-like and democratic, although the attributes of the high society event of the year were observed. A company of honor guards met the guests at the entrance, and classical music sounded in the foyer. The ball was opened by the debutants, who danced to Tchaikovsky’s Polonaise.
Another pleasant aspect was that the improvised dancing class (the seats in the parterre were removed and replaced by parquetry) was kept busy. Guests of all ages were eager to dance, and the waltz, polonaise, foxtrot, and tango were the most popular numbers. Few guests could master the polka. Only one pair of businessmen from the Daniel Bank mustered the courage to do a galoppe (fast polka) and was awarded with applause. Yana Bezzubna told The Day that she had studied folk dances when she was a girl but had not taken any lessons before the ball. “Polka is a lively and merry dance; it brightens your mood.”
Pairs of guests danced to the accompaniment of the National Radio and TV Orchestra. The dancing session was led by Hryhorii Chapkys and Olena Shoptenko, a member of the jury and the winner of the Dancing with the Stars TV show. This was followed by concert numbers starring the ballet dancer Anastasia Volochkova, the famous Ukrainian tenor Volodymyr Hryshko, and dancers of the National Opera of Ukraine (with the emcees Maria Yefrosyna and DJ Pasha).
The guests learned about ballroom dance fashions from 500 years ago after watching a parade of theatrical costumes designed by Maria Levytska. Another pleasant surprise was a performance by the participants on the TV show Dancing with the Stars, Olena Shoptenko and Volodymyr Zelensky, who demonstrated their best dance, “Chaplin.” Among the guests were their colleagues Vitalii Kozlovsky and Ksenia Horb, and Daria Dovhaleva, who danced with various partners because Ostap Stupka could not attend the ball because of a film shoot in St. Petersburg.
The good thing about this ball was that many of the guests danced, not just foreigners and professionals, as was the case last year, and quite well, I might add. One can assume that Dancing with the Stars provided a stimulus for some who remembered a bit about dancing and others who decided to learn ballroom dancing. There were also many beautifully dressed guests. Practically 95 percent of those present had observed the dress code: ladies in evening or ballroom dancing dresses and gentlemen wearing dinner jackets or tail coats complete with bowties, as well as servicemen in full dress uniform.
High society fashion is setting in slowly but surely. Although the political leadership was not in attendance again, their absence had no effect on the festive atmosphere. Seven hours passed in a blur. The proceeds from the sale of tickets, auction, and lottery will go to charity and will be spent on medical equipment.
