On December 16, Saratov State University students gathered for an important event – traditional ball dedicated to the Year of Literature in Russia. This year the ball took place at Saratov school № 67 named after O.I. Yankovsky.
The place changed in the past. This year’s choice is no accident. The school building was constructed in the beginning of the XX century. After the Great Patriotic war there was Saratov University library. Bright walls, big windows, crystal chandeliers helped creating the atmosphere of the Golden Age of Russian culture.
More than a hundred students participated in the ball. They were dressed in tuxedos and ball gowns, had elaborate hair styles and hand fans, they looked like counts and duchesses, princes and princesses. Pushkin’s characters Eugene Onegin and Tatiana Larina visited the University Ball. They were acted by Aleksey Avtaikin and Anna Bulanova.
Among the honorary guests was Vice-rector for secondary professional education and social work O.Ye. Nesterova, Chair of the SSU Student Union O.S. Takunova, Director of the SSU Student Club M.A. Pinkhasik, Saratov Region Duma Deputy M.S. Kozlova, School № 67 Headmistress G.M. Polianskaia.
Vice-rector O.Ye. Nesterova admired the costumes and manners of the participants. “Dear Ladies and Gentlemen! Of course, I see university students in you, although you are dressed in wonderful costumes. I hope today you will get in touch with history and art and get an energy boost. I hope you will get lots of positive impressions, especially this time of the year”.
M.S. Kozlova wished the students a great evening. “There is always a place for beauty even in labor union work. I am glad this idea of the ball came into reality. Remember, there should always be creativity and beauty in your life, no matter what you do”, said she.
Then the ball hostess Princess Ilyinskaia (Elizaveta Belova) announces the first dance, polonaise. That was a presentation of dancing pairs as the dance includes curtseys and bows. Then there were a number of waltzes.
Every year the ball’s program grows. This year it included waltzes, contredanses, mazurka and party games. The participants played a traditional game “Message” where everyone could write an anonymous letter to anyone at the ball. The addressees got the letters at the end of the evening. The ladies told the fortune by reading flowers. Additionally, the participants played charades.
Romantic atmosphere of the evening was created by solo presentations. Polina Kazina presented an extract from ballet “Eugene Onegin”, Maria Lebedeva did the “Russian dance” from “The Swan’s Lake”. There was also romance singing by Maria Vinogradskaya, Alina Kosheleva, Elena Lagutova and Maria Myznikova.
The ball was quite exiting especially for girls. Many of them had their dresses tailor-made. According to the participants, rehearses were easy and interesting. “I enjoy dancing, particularly I like Viennese Waltz with its beautiful music and movements”, shared Anna Kosheleva, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Language Teaching Methods student.
Polina Kazina, one of the ball choreographers praised the participants. She said the students were good learners and dealt with even the most difficult tasks. The dances were choreographed by Egor Svechnikov, Elena Kudriashova, Polina Kazina, Aleksey Poliakov, Elena Lagutova, Andrey Makagon, Diana Apanasova.
SSU has been hosting ball dancing since 2009. Every year the event changes its theme or time period. However, as the Chair of Student Union O.S. Takunova said, the traditional, classic theme proves to be the most interesting. Commenting on the event, O.S. Takunova she was proud of students who had learnt six difficult dances in a very short time and presented them with great success. “More and more young people want to join the ball dancing. This year we even had to hold castings. The action group created a great scenario and they are already thinking about the next party that would probably be dedicated to the Year of Cinema in Russia”.
