Posted by Sloan
Hi everybody,
I wanted to share with you some fantastic text and photos that were thoughtfully sent to us from Urszula, a Winger reader and dance enthusiast who is spending a semester studying in Vienna, Austria.
From Urszula:
“Greetings from Vienna! On the eleventh day of the eleventh month the winter ball season officially begins and last week I attended the 66th Vienna Philharmonic ball at the Vienna Musikverein. The beautiful golden main auditorium is transformed into a dance hall with floral arrangements and red carpet. It is probably most well known as the venue for the New Year’s Concert. This year’s opening ceremony was conducted by Mariss Jansons who led the orchestra with music by the Strauss family, Franz Lehar and Carl Michael Ziehrer.
After the traditional fanfare a specially choreographed dance is performed by couples. In 2000, Mr. Thomas Schäfer Elmayer, of Elmayer-Vestenbrugg School of Dance was appointed as Master of Dance for the ceremony. At the end of the opening ceremony he announces “Alles walzer!”, which is German for “Everybody waltz!” and the guests take to the dance floor.
At midnight he directs the “Publikums-Quadrille”, where everyone can take part in a big dance. In the main auditorium there were waltzes, polka and swing music. In other halls there was also jazz, contemporary music and a traditional “Heuriger” that serves Austrian wine. A very elegant and glamorous Viennese evening!”
Doesn’t it look like a movie? I was extra excited to see these pictures, because just a few days ago I was speaking with a friend who was about to leave for Vienna and Budapest to go to a few of these. I had never heard of these events, and when he told me about them I was instantly intrigued. How can I go to one? I have to apply? How long is the waiting list? It sounds like so much fun! Now after seeing these photos from Urszula, I really want to go. Doesn’t it look and sound amazing?!
She says she also came upon these Hungarian break dancers in a Viennese city square…
Urszula, thank you SO much for sharing and good luck with your studies!
