Fancy feeling like you're in a dream? In Vienna, every fairytale can become a reality in just one night. The best time of year begins for ball-goers and dance fans on November 11. The Vienna ball season starts punctually at the beginning of Carnival with public dancing of the waltz in the city center, and thus invites you to magical and unforgettable evenings in magnificent, imperial settings.
The magic of every single night at the ball usually begins in the early afternoon. When the ladies wrap themselves in shawls and the gentlemen tie their bow ties, then you know that this is the beginning of a dreamy evening. A glass of sparkling wine is raised to get everyone in the mood for the evening, before they head off to one of the many magnificent locations for an unforgettable event.
Having arrived in the decorated hall, they take their place in the somewhat pricey boxes or mingle among the crowd in the room, depending on the type of ticket they have. From there, they can marvel at the most important ceremony of all traditional balls: the arrival of the young ladies – and groups of young men – a dream in black and white, which unwinds almost hypnotically to the rhythm of the music. As soon as the dance master calls "Alles Walzer!" (Let the waltz begin!), everyone is invited onto the dancefloor and dances in three-four time – or shakes a leg to disco beats in the neighboring room.
In the intervals, they can stroll freely through the rooms, refresh themselves at the buffet or cocktail bar, and before you know it, the midnight interlude begins, which often consists of music or show acts.
The greater the fun, the faster the time passes, and there is also a traditional end to the ball. While the light in the room is dimmed, the band strikes up a slow waltz and everyone who is still brave enough steps onto the dancefloor for one last dance of an unforgettable night. As a Grand Finale, many people head for a good bowl of goulash soup at a coffee house or for a hearty refreshment at a nearby sausage stand, to chat again about the wonderful evening and to give their tired feet a rest.
As Vienna's ball season offers over 2,000 hours of dancing pleasure, every dream dancer is sure to get their money's worth. Whether at the Hunters' Ball (January 27, 2020), the Vienna Coffeehouse Owners' Ball (February 14, 2020) in the Imperial Palace, or at the sweetest ball, the Bonbon Ball (February 21, 2020), where sweet temptation meets lively dance music at the Wiener Konzerthaus. Perhaps the best known ball, however, is the Vienna Opera Ball (February 20, 2020) at the Vienna State Opera. This "ball of balls" creates opportunities for encounters between artists, politicians, businesspeople, and ball enthusiasts, and is broadcast on TV to an audience of millions in Austria and abroad.
Dream on at www.vienna.info/en/music-stage-shows/dance/ball-season
