Carnival competition: Vienna ball season is wild not mild

For many, the very words may conjure images of the uptight and upright plow-horsing through rigid waltz maneuvers and stilted conversations that … zzzzzzzz.

The reality is far different.

Dance parties like the winter-long ball season in Vienna don’t last for centuries because they’re dull and stodgy.

They last because they’re a blast, at their best a spectacle of music, dance, drink and high-octane experience.

It’s true, with debutantes in white dresses, waltzing couples and formal attire, Vienna’s balls might seem like a rarefied world off-limits to the uninitiated.

Ball season, however, is anything but stuffy.

The some 450 balls held in the city make it the highlight of winter for the Viennese — balls are typically rip-roaringly good.

The opening ceremonies are a stage production in and among themselves.

Attendees are dazzled by famous singers, prima ballerinas, acrobats, dance numbers, songs and whatever else hosts can put on the program.

After the opening ceremony, guests dance to a variety of music including, but not limited to, salsa, jazz, techno, blues, and, of course, classical music.

Life Ball

The antithesis of Viennese balls, this is a mix of a Broadway theater production and West Hollywood on Halloween night.

The ball is a fund-raising event for AIDS charities and is attended every year by former President Bill Clinton.

Dress code is either a costume with as little clothing as possible or black tie.

City Hall, Friedrich-Schmidt-Platz 1, Vienna; +43 1 595 56 00

Ball essentials

If packing a tuxedo or a ball gown seems like a strain on suitcase space, you can always rent proper attire.

Kleiderverleih Rottenberg (Porzellangasse 8, Vienna; +43 1 317 61 55) is an established house for rental costumes.

Shopping for ball gowns can be fun. A good store to visit is Peek & Cloppenburg in the Inner City (Karntner Str. 29, Vienna; +43 1 8904888 0).

More information about the ball season can be found at the official Vienna Tourism website: http://bit.ly/1ADVha1

Britta Pichler is an American living in Vienna, Austria. She’s been published in the Los Angeles Times and other outlets.

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