The HSE First Spring Ball at Izmailovo Kremlin
On April 12, 2014 the first HSE spring ball, organized by HSE students from the Faculty of Economics, took place at the Izmailovo Kremlin. About 150 elegantly dressed young ladies and gentlemen danced the waltz and Polonaise, Quadrilles and other ballroom classics.
HSE lyceum students also joined the celebration and took part in the ball opening. They prepared for waltzing in a week, having attended three individual master ballroom dancing classes. The participation of lyceum students in the ball made the event even more historical; beginning in the age of Peter the Great ballroom dancing was a compulsory subject in all Russian state educational institutions.
‘I dreamed of organizing an authentic 19th century ball when I was studying at the HSE Faculty of Pre-University Training. And now my wonderful dream has come true. The theme of this event has the gorgeous Anna Karenina as the hostess of the ball. Ironically my name is also Anna, and the other coordinator’s name is Natalia Kirsanova, so everyone call us Karenina and Rostova* as a joke,’ says Anna Gosteva, a second-year student in the Faculty of Economics and one of the event’s organizers.
The ball brought together not only HSE students and alumni of the Faculty of Economics, but also those from other HSE faculties. All participants (about 75 couples) attended courses on ballroom dancing beforehand and learned to dance the Polonaise, Madigras, Moscow quadrille, Cotillon, Waltz, Padespan, Shapeluaz, and many other traditional noble dances.
‘I really like the relationships between students and teachers in the lyceum. Our teachers act as friends and tutors, they always support you and never look down on you. Besides that, we take part in the university life, that’s why we feel like we’re almost university students at the lyceum,’ says Anton Boichenko, one of the participants.
At the end of the event the participants chose the best couple. Irina Arkhipova and Oleg Georgievsky, students of the Faculty of Economics, won this title and got special souvenirs from the organizers. The ball ended with a performance of a classic romantic piece and fireworks.
Anastasia Chumak, HSE News Service
Photos by Nikita Benzoruk