ABOUT THE 2023 BALLS:
There will be opportunities to attend several balls during Waltz Week
THE OFFICIAL "WALTZ WEEK" BALLS
As a group, plan to get tickets for the "Rudolfina-Redoute" ("The Masked Ball") taking place at the Hofburg Palace on Monday, Feb 20th and the "Berufsfeuerwehr Ball" (The "Firemen's" Ball) taking place at the Rathaus on Saturday, Feb 25th. These will be a delightful start and finish to our week of workshops and play (See details below). PLEASE NOTE: These Balls sell out quickly, so we need to get your payment in before Dec 30th to guarantee you a spot. We will arrange the tickets for you as part of Waltz Week.
OTHER BALL OPTIONS
While not officially part of the Waltz Week line-up, the "Akidemiker Ball" (The "Academic" Ball) at the Hofburg Palace on Friday, Feb 24th is another option if you would like to experience more than one kind of ball at the Hofburg Palace during your time here. We can help you arrange tickets for if you would like to attend, but be forewarned that this Ball is fairly controversial in the Viennese community since it is sponsored in part by far right-wing political groups and you will often see protesters outside the doors as you arrive.
ADDITIONAL BALLS BEFORE OR AFTER WALTZ WEEK?
There are two Balls listed at the bottom of this page that are taking place just before or after Waltz Week that you may consider attending if you plan to come to Vienna early or stay late. There also may be more balls announced as the time draws near -- We will update this site as we learn more. Keep checking back if you are interested in exploring these options. Christine and I will be attending The "Rock that Swing" festival in Munich prior to Waltz Week (Feb 16-19) and are planning on getting to Vienna on the 20th. "Rock that Swing" a fabulous opportunity to see some amazing swing dance teachers and performers! This year they will have 18 bands and over 80 teachers scheduled! CLICK HERE to learn more.
NOTE:
In order for us to buy tickets for you to the Waltz Week Balls, your tickets must be ordered through our website by December 30th. This will ensure enough time for our Vienna team to purchase and collect them as needed. Tickets ordered after December 30th cannot be guaranteed. We will do our best to get them for you, but these balls can sell out quickly once the box office opens. You will be refunded in full for any tickets which you paid for but could not be obtained. Tickets for the Rudolfina-Redoute, the Akidemiker Ball, and the Berufsfeurwehr Ball can be purchased on our registration page. Tickets for any of the other balls can be purchased via the contact information listed below.
NOTE:
If you are planning on going to any of the non-official Waltz Week Balls without a partner, please see the note at the bottom of this page.
THE BALLS:
1. Monday, Feb 20th: The Rudolfina-Redoute ("The Masked Ball") at the Hofburg Palace
Plan to get tickets to the this Ball as this will be a part of our official Waltz Week program.
The Rudolfina-Redoute is the oldest, most traditional ball organized by a student fraternity. Of the many Redoutes that once took place, the Rudolfina-Redoute is the only one that still survives today. Redoute means ‘masked ball’ where the ladies, who come alone or with a partner, wear a mask and can invite the men to dance.
Location:
- Hofburg Imperial Palace, 1 Heldenplatz, Vienna, Austria
TImes:
- Doors open: 7:30 pm
- Traditional Opening Ceremony: 9:00 pm
- End of ball: 4:30 am
Dress code: (see website for more details and photos of appropriate attire)
- Ladies: Long evening gown with mask (no pantsuits, cocktail dresses, traditional costumes)
- Gentlemen: Black tail with white bow tie, black tie (tuxedo) or uniform
Website:
- Click HERE
Tickets:
- $175 Cost per person (includes seating in one of the outer rooms)
2. Friday, Feb 24th: The Akidemiker Ball ("The Academic Ball") at the Hofburg Palace
This optional Ball during Waltz Week would provide you with a second chance to see another formal event at the Hofburg Palace. Be forewarned, however, that because this Ball is sponsored in part by far right-wing political groups in Austria, protestors often form picket lines at the entrance which you will have to cross.
Location:
- Hofburg Imperial Palace (1 Heldenplatz, Vienna, Austria)
Times:
- Doors open: 7:30 pm
- Traditional Opening Ceremony: 9:00 pm
- End of ball: 4:30 am
Dress code: (see website for more details and photos of appropriate attire)
- Ladies: Floor length evening dress (no pantsuits, cocktail dresses, traditional costumes)
- Gentlemen: Tailcoat, tuxedo, black suit with tuxedo bow tie (no hanging tie)
Website:
- Click HERE (in German only)
Tickets:
- $175 per person with seat in the Zeremoniensaal (order your ticket on the registration page)
- There will be an additional cost for coat check at the venue (cash only). Usually around $10
3. Saturday, Feb 25th: Berufsfeuerwehr Ball: ("The Firemen’s Ball") at the Rathaus
Plan to get tickets to the Firemen’s Ball as this will be a part of our official Waltz Week program and a wonderful opportunity to see another beautiful dance hall.
Location:
- Wiener Rathaus (Entrance at Lichtenfelsgasse 2, 1010 Wien)
Times:
- Doors open: 8:00 pm
- Traditional Opening Ceremony: 9:00 pm
- End of ball: 4:30 am
Dress code:
- Ladies: Evening wear requested
- Gentlemen: Evening wear requested
Website:
- Click HERE (in German only)
Tickets:
- $70 per person with seat (order your ticket on the registration page)
- There is an additional cost for coat check at the venue (cash only). Usually around $10
To check for other Ball options in Vienna and nearby cities, you may find the following links useful:
Other Ball Options:
If you are still looking for more options of Balls to attend before or after Waltz Week, in addition to those listed above, here are others to consider (We will continue to update this list as more Balls are announced).
Ball der Wiener Immobilienwirtschaft (Real Estate Industry Ball)
Date: Thur, Feb 17, 2023
Location: Hofburg Palace, 1 Heldenplatz, Vienna, Austria
Price: TBA
Tickets & Info: https://www.immobilienball.at/der-ball/
Ball der Wiener Wirtshaft (Vienese Business Ball)
Date: Sun, Feb 27 2023
Location: Hofburg Palace, 1 Heldenplatz, Vienna, Austria
Ticket – TBA Email: office@hofburg-ball.at
Tickets & Info: https://hofburg-ball.at/
Special Note:
Partnering for the Viennese Ball
Please note: you do NOT need a partner to attend Waltz Week in Vienna. This is one of the main reasons we established this fabulous event -- so that solo dancers and couples coming to Vienna will have partners to dance with! Rest assured that we will be rotating partners throughout all of our classes and during our evening dance excursions, so again, no worries if you do not come with a partner.
That being said, however, outside of our official Waltz Week group activities, if you were planning to come on your own and attend a Viennese Ball in Europe as a single person (or as a single couple), you should be aware of a few etiquette points.
First, at these kinds of events, guests will typically dance only with the partner they came with. That is to say, unlike some of the social dance parties you might have attended in the United States, at a formal European ball, the etiquette of partner exchange is generally not done. For this reason, we highly recommend coming to these balls with a partner in hand. (Again, if you are participating in Waltz Week, this won't be a problem since we will be sharing partners throughout the evening).
If you have signed up for Waltz Week but would like to attend one of the other balls not listed on our group events calendar (i.e., any of the optional pre-Waltz Week balls), we highly recommend that you post your intentions on our "Waltz Week in Vienna" Facebook page and see if you can coordinate to meet up with other Waltz Week participants there.
Hired Dance-Partnering Services (Taxi-Dancers)
Another option for single attendees to the non-Waltz Week balls is that some of the balls may help you arrange for a local taxi dancer to attend as your dance partner. Just be aware that this can be expensive. Hiring a dance escort means that you are responsible for all of their costs, including ball ticket, tuxedo rental (if needed), transportation, meals/drinks, hiring stipend/fee, etc. That being said, ball escorts are typically charming people, lovely dancers, and enjoy being there as much as you do. If anything else, it's a wonderful way to meet a fellow dancer and get to learn more of their local culture and history first hand. Please contact the local ball committee (click on their web page link) to see if this option is available for that particular ball, or continue reading below....
Waltz Week Dance Escorts:
(for attending the optional 'unofficial' Waltz Week Balls)
"The Blue Rose Gentlemen"
Vienna's Premier Dance-Partnering Service:
We are happy to announce that Waltz Week is partnering with Vienna's premier Ball dance-partnering service called "The BlueRose Gentlemen", a group of honorable, very well-trained ballroom dancers & Austrian gentlemen who are offering our female guests their services to accompany them to any of the optional Balls during the week (or even to the "official" Waltz Week Ball if you would prefer to have your own committed dance partner remain with you for the entire evening).
DETAILS & DESCRIPTIONS:
Details about the BlueRose Gentlemen, their philosophy, their training, and their dance-partnering services can be found on their website: http://www.bluerose.at/en/index.php and are briefly outlined below:
COSTS:
For information about pricing for dance-partnering services, please contact: office@bluerose.at
FLEXIBILITY:
The "BlueRose Gentleman" organizers are more than happy to work with you to create your own unique experience for any individual Ball or dance event, and will try to arrange an escort for you that would best suit your needs and budget. Costs may vary depending on the activity and time frame. Please contact office@bluerose.at with any specific questions or requests you might have.
BLUEROSE DANCER CLASSIFICATIONS: A description of the two classes of BlueRose Club members are briefly outlined below. Further details can be found on their webpage:
1) Active BlueRose Gentlemen: These are the men who are presented on the website with photos and details. Most of them are young adults or students under the age of 40 years. All are veteran Ball attendees and competent ballroom dancers. They are the active members of the BlueRose club. All speak English, and are gracious and charming hosts
2) Grandseigneurs (40+): These gentlemen are not presented on the website or considered to be "active" members, but are on call in the event that a guest would prefer an older dance partner or if there is a need for more partners than the active members can support in any one night. These gentlemen are all veteran Ball attendees and competent ballroom dancers. All speak English, and are gracious and charming hosts. Their partnering services are guaranteed up until 1am. Beyond 1am, individual arrangements will need to be made.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Please write to: office@bluerose.at
You can review their website at: http://www.bluerose.at/en/index.php
