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Will there be
a dance lesson at the ball?
No.
However, six free dance lessons will be offered in
advance of the ball, including one on the afternoon of the ball.
In addition, a four lesson sequence on the Modern
Viennese Waltz will be offered in December.
Can I attend
the dance lessons if I have not purchased a ticket?
Yes! All
are welcome to attend the dance lessons, including
prospective attendees, and even those who may not be
able to attend the ball.
Can I attend
the dance lessons without a partner?
Yes! In the
lessons we frequently rotate dance partners, so everyone
will be dancing with a partner. This could be an
ideal opportunity to be introduced to prospective dance
partners for the ball.
How many
dance lessons should I attend?
Each of the free
lessons covers the same material, so you are encouraged
to attend at least one, and you are welcome to attend more
if you would like additional practice. For the
Modern Viennese Waltz lesson sequence all four lessons
are recommended.
I have two
left feet!
This is not
Dancing with the Stars! If you can walk then at
the dance lessons you
will find yourself mastering the Grand March, Fledermaus
Quadrille and galop within minutes. You will also
rapidly pick up the polka, which is also very easy.
And although some practice may be required, you will
also be surprised at the simplicity of the 19th century waltz.
Can I attend
the ball without a partner?
Yes! Ball
etiquette dictates that all men should also ask unescorted
women to dance, and that couples should also dance
with others. When a gentleman asks a lady to
dance at a ball it does not always indicate that he is
madly in love with her. A true gentleman will also
do his part to make sure that there are not any
wallflowers.
Is it
acceptable to cut in?
No.
Contrary to Hollywood etiquette, a gentleman should wait
until a couple has finished a dance before inviting a
lady to join him for the next dance.
If a gentleman
asks a lady to dance, is it acceptable for her to
decline?
It is acceptable
for a lady to temporarily decline a gentleman who has
asked her to dance if she is momentarily tired or has
already promised this dance to someone else.
However, unless she is permanently out of commission,
she should request a later dance with the gentleman.
Accepting an offer to dance does not necessarily
indicate any sense of attachment to the gentleman.
What should I
do if I find myself dancing with a partner who is having
problems?
Try to make the
experience as pleasant as possible for your partner.
If they are having problems then try to keep things as simple as possible.
If you are having problems with a waltz, then move to
the center of the ballroom where you can dance more
slowly without blocking other couples. It may be
best to avoid offering too much dance advice to them on
the ballroom floor if they do not asks for help.
If they do ask for help then step
away from the traffic of the ballroom for a few minutes
to assist them.
Will
we also be singing at the ball?
We would love for
all attendees to join our soloists from Portland Opera
Studio in singing the chorus for Champagne! We
will be using the
Martin translation:
Orlofsky:
Champagne’s delicious bubbles, tra-la-la-la-la-la!
Scatter all our troubles, tra-la-la-la-la-la!
It mellows politicians and betters
world conditions.
All diplomats and rulers should keep it
in their coolers!
We toast Champagne, the essence of the
essence,
The King of Effervescence,
The King of Effervescence!
All:
A toast, A toast, A toast!
Orlofsky:
His majesty we celebrate, celebrate,
long and late.
Joyously together we toast Champagne,
the Great!
All:
His majesty we celebrate, celebrate,
long and late.
Joyously together, Champagne, the
Great!
A toast to Champagne, the great
Mon---arch!
Eisenstein:
Champagne is so majestic, tra-la-la-la-la-la!
Foreign and domestic, tra-la-la-la-la-la!
It makes the world we live in, a better
place to give in!
All "good and jolly fellers" should
keep it in their cellars!
We toast Champagne, the essence of the
essence,
The King of Effervescence,
The King of Effervescence!
All:
A toast, A toast, A toast!
Eisenstein:
His majesty we celebrate, celebrate,
long and late.
Joyously together we toast Champagne,
the Great!
All:
His majesty we celebrate, celebrate,
long and late.
Joyously together, Champagne, the
Great!
A toast to Champagne, the great
Mon---arch!
Adele:
Champagne is so romantic, tra-la-la-la-la-la!
Glorious and gigantic, tra-la-la-la-la-la!
It makes the world look thrilling, and
men become more willing!
All girls who long for sables, should
keep it on their tables!
We toast Champagne, the essence of the
essence,
The King of Effervescence,
The King of Effervescence!
All:
A toast, A toast, A toast!
Adele:
His majesty we celebrate, celebrate,
long and late.
Joyously together we toast Champagne,
the Great!
All:
His majesty we celebrate, celebrate,
long and late.
Joyously together, Champagne, the
Great!
What is a
Polonaise?
A Viennese ball
traditionally begins with an opening ceremony that is
performed by a large number of young couples in long
white dresses and black suits. It commences with a
polonaise, an elegant procession onto the ballroom
floor and into formation for the first dance of the
opening ceremony. There is an additional polonaise
in order to move between each successive dance formation of
the opening ceremony, which concludes with the opening
waltz.
What is Line of Dance?
For the waltz and polka couples will
be rapidly dancing counter-clockwise
along the walls of the ballroom.
This is the fast lane, so if you
would like to dance more slowly, you
will want to move to the center of
the ballroom, rather than along the
outside!
What is the Fledermaus Quadrille?
The Fledermaus
Quadrille is a "called" dance to music from Die
Fledermaus. Everyone lines up on the
ballroom floor with each couple facing either the left
or right side of the ballroom, each gentleman (M) to the
left of his partner (F), and both approximately six feet
across from an opposite couple.
In Vienna the
Fledermaus Quadrille is always danced at midnight, and
sometimes again at 2 AM. Although there are six
movements to the quadrille, most balls dance the
first,
second, and
sixth movements, with the major balls including all
six movements. At this ball we will dance the
sixth movement, which will be called by the dancemaster.
What is a
Galop?
The Galop is a
very simple couple dance from the beginning of the 19th
century. It consists of a chasse (ballet terminology) or
"fencing" step to music in 2/4 time. Immediately
following the Fledermaus Quadrille everyone will galop
counter-clockwise around the ballroom until the
dancemaster announces "Reverse!" At that point
everyone will galop clockwise until the next Reverse is
called. After a few reversals the dancemaster will
announce "Tunnel!" and couples will begin to form long
tunnels that our couples will galop through.
Will the ball
be on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day?
This ball will be
on New Year's Day.
Is the ticket
price per couple or per person?
The ball and
dinner party prices are per person.
Can children
attend the ball?
Although there
are no age limits for ball attendees, younger children
should be under the supervision of responsible adults.
As an alternative to Champagne, we will also be serving sparkling cider.
Will there be
an auction?
The dinner party
and ball will be auctioneer-free zones. These are
primarily social events, although proceeds from the dinner party
will benefit
Portland Opera Studio and the
Portland Columbia Symphony Orchestra.
Are tickets
still available?
As of December
15th, quite a few tickets are still available.
However, only a limited number (300) will be sold.
Can tickets be
purchased at the door?
Yes.
However, tickets for the dinner party must be purchased
in advance.
Where can I
find information about Viennese balls in Vienna and
around the world?
The website
VienneseBall.org
has a calendar that lists a large number of Viennese
balls at various locations around the world, in addition
to images, video, practice music, impressions,
interviews, and references to other websites.
Other
questions?
Nelson
Bridwell
503 740-5102
NewYears@WaltzingTillDawn.com
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