Stichting Vladimir Solovjov

Het goede doel van het Slavyansky bal is: het ondersteunen van de culturele banden tussen Oost- en West-Europa, het uitbreiden en verdiepen van de sociale en zakelijke contacten tussen de Russische Federatie en het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden.

Met veel liefde en zorg bereiden wij deze feestelijke bijeenkomst van Nederlandse en Oost-Europese cultuurdragers en cultuurminnaars voor.

	Slavyansky ball	Русская версия
in de nostalgische atmosfeer van een 19 e eeuwse Russische salon met muzikale optredens, een literair intermezzo, een “Tsaren”diner-buffet, ballroomdansen terwijl dit alles omhuld wordt door Oost-Europese blijdschap. Het goede doel van het Slavyansky bal is: het ondersteunen van de culturele banden tussen Oost- en West-Europa, het uitbreiden en verdiepen van de sociale en zakelijke contacten tussen de Russische Federatie en het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden. Met veel liefde en zorg bereiden wij deze feestelijke bijeenkomst van Nederlandse en Oost-Europese cultuurdragers en cultuurminnaars voor. Dit doen wij onder beschermheerschap van de Ambassade van de Russische Federatie in het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden. The history of court and high-society balls in Russia has an old tradition. The first ball in Russia took place on the wedding of Lzhedmitriy and Marina Mnishek, but was forgotten. Peter the Great renewed the tradition, and since then such events became loved and esteemed. Balls - assemblies, introduced in Russia by Peter I, took place in the houses of Russian nobility. They began to carry out them in Petersburg and Moscow back in 1717. Assemblies served not only as means of amusement - “just for fun”, but also as places “for the reasoning and friendly conversations”. Highest officers and princes, noble merchants, high-ranking persons and ship masters could here freely indulge in dancing, flirting with the ladies, consuming strong drinks and other pleasant things “for the good of one’s soul and body". Tsar’s court assemblies often were conducted in the Summer Garden, which was at that time the centre of aristocratic amusements. Wind music sounded at the balls, they danced minuet, country-dance, Russian amusement dances, Polish and English dances. The halls were lit by thousands of candles, stairs were covered with expensive carpets, tropical plants in the tubs ornamented the rooms, and fragrant water flowed from the specially arranged fountains. For dinner they usually served the most rare (at the time) fruits such as pineapples, exotic peaches, grapes, strawberries, enormous fishes and expensive wines from all over the world. In the special rooms they smoked, played chess and checkers. From Peter the Great's edict “about the dignity of assembly guests": “It is appropriate for a guest to be diligently washed and clean-shaven in order to save lady’s tenderness from loss; inflicted by the loathsome stubble. Drink one’s fill of potion (strong drink), if one can still stand. Serve no more drinks to the recumbent, even if requested, in order to prevent them from choking. Those overindulged ought to be laid down aside with great care, in order not to injure and so that they would not interfere with the dances. To lay them down separately, observing the sex, to avoid any discomfiture after the awakening". However, the true glory of high-society balls in Russia was reached in the epoch of Elizabeth Petrovna and Catherine the Great. From this time secular ceremonials and balls occupied here not only their fitting place, but also they began to exceed on their luxury and those of the best European courts. For the entire course of their history the balls composed the essential part of the life of high society. Secular ceremonials, including the balls, were distinctive acts of representation of a noble. And for the youth the ball was a place, where, according to Vyazemskiy, "...we learned to court, to fall in love, to use our rights and at the same time submit to the responsibilities of society. Here we learned respect both for rank and age ". The skill to dance was considered a valuable merit and it could succeed not only on the parquet, but also in the field of an official career. In the second-half of the 19-century the public balls in favour of the poor gained ever-greater popularity in the society. Organization of such events was a kind of secular responsibility of a high society man; the participation in the charitable ceremonials was his moral duty. In 1903 in Snt. Petersburg the last court fancy-dress ball took place. “Almost a quarter of century has gone from that noteworthy night, when I and Nick were watching the appearance of the Tsar- liberator holding the Princess’s hand under the arches of these halls, which had reflected in their mirrors seven generations of Romanovs, - recalled the Grand Duke Alexander Mikhaylovich. - The appearance of the Chevaliers Gardes (Horse Guards) remained still the same, but the face of empire had abruptly changed. A new, hostile Russia looked through the huge windows of the palace. I sadly smiled, when saw a postscript to the text of invitation, which read that all guests had to wear the Russian costumes of 17 centuries. At least for one night Nicky wanted to return to the glorious past of his family ". On the opinions of contemporaries, the ball was a great success. The Ball epoch in Russia began with the denial of the past (under Peter I), and it was completed by return to the traditions of preceding Peter the Great ceremonies ".	Home Introductie Vladimir Solovjov De Zilveren Eeuw Projecten Bestuur Archief Agenda Contact Sponsoren Links

Dit doen wij onder beschermheerschap van de Ambassade van de Russische Federatie in het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden.

The history of court and high-society balls in Russia has an old tradition. The first ball in Russia took place on the wedding of Lzhedmitriy and Marina Mnishek, but was forgotten. Peter the Great renewed the tradition, and since then such events became loved and esteemed. Balls - assemblies, introduced in Russia by Peter I, took place in the houses of Russian nobility. They began to carry out them in Petersburg and Moscow back in 1717. Assemblies served not only as means of amusement - “just for fun”, but also as places “for the reasoning and friendly conversations”. Highest officers and princes, noble merchants, high-ranking persons and ship masters could here freely indulge in dancing, flirting with the ladies, consuming strong drinks and other pleasant things “for the good of one’s soul and body".

Tsar’s court assemblies often were conducted in the Summer Garden, which was at that time the centre of aristocratic amusements. Wind music sounded at the balls, they danced minuet, country-dance, Russian amusement dances, Polish and English dances. The halls were lit by thousands of candles, stairs were covered with expensive carpets, tropical plants in the tubs ornamented the rooms, and fragrant water flowed from the specially arranged fountains. For dinner they usually served the most rare (at the time) fruits such as pineapples, exotic peaches, grapes, strawberries, enormous fishes and expensive wines from all over the world. In the special rooms they smoked, played chess and checkers.

“It is appropriate for a guest to be diligently washed and clean-shaven in order to save lady’s tenderness from loss; inflicted by the loathsome stubble.
Drink one’s fill of potion (strong drink), if one can still stand.
Serve no more drinks to the recumbent, even if requested, in order to prevent them from choking.
Those overindulged ought to be laid down aside with great care, in order not to injure and so that they would not interfere with the dances. To lay them down separately, observing the sex, to avoid any discomfiture after the awakening".

However, the true glory of high-society balls in Russia was reached in the epoch of Elizabeth Petrovna and Catherine the Great. From this time secular ceremonials and balls occupied here not only their fitting place, but also they began to exceed on their luxury and those of the best European courts. For the entire course of their history the balls composed the essential part of the life of high society. Secular ceremonials, including the balls, were distinctive acts of representation of a noble. And for the youth the ball was a place, where, according to Vyazemskiy, "...we learned to court, to fall in love, to use our rights and at the same time submit to the responsibilities of society. Here we learned respect both for rank and age ".

The skill to dance was considered a valuable merit and it could succeed not only on the parquet, but also in the field of an official career.

In the second-half of the 19-century the public balls in favour of the poor gained ever-greater popularity in the society.

Organization of such events was a kind of secular responsibility of a high society man; the participation in the charitable ceremonials was his moral duty.

In 1903 in Snt. Petersburg the last court fancy-dress ball took place. “Almost a quarter of century has gone from that noteworthy night, when I and Nick were watching the appearance of the Tsar- liberator holding the Princess’s hand under the arches of these halls, which had reflected in their mirrors seven generations of Romanovs, - recalled the Grand Duke Alexander Mikhaylovich. - The appearance of the Chevaliers Gardes (Horse Guards) remained still the same, but the face of empire had abruptly changed. A new, hostile Russia looked through the huge windows of the palace. I sadly smiled, when saw a postscript to the text of invitation, which read that all guests had to wear the Russian costumes of 17 centuries. At least for one night Nicky wanted to return to the glorious past of his family ". On the opinions of contemporaries, the ball was a great success. The Ball epoch in Russia began with the denial of the past (under Peter I), and it was completed by return to the traditions of preceding Peter the Great ceremonies ".

Slavyansky ball