Grab your tux and gown, ball season has begun
The German Press Ball in Berlin is one of the first balls of the season. Here are some of the most important black-tie dance galas coming up. Some are charity events, others are about seeing and being seen.
German Press Ball
One of the first balls of the season takes place late November. The German Press Ball welcomes some 2,500 politicians, media representatives and celebrities to its glamorous annual gala in Berlin. The 2018 edition saw political and journalistic foes again put their differences behind on the dance floor. The ball was held in Bonn for many years but moved to the new capital Berlin in 1999.
65 years of Germany's biggest press party
The German Press Ball initially took place in the small spa town of Bad Neuenahr, but was moved to the country's then-capital, Bonn, in 1959. Pictured here is the ball in the Beethovenhalle concert hall in 1969 - complete with horn-rimmed glasses, beehive hairdos and simple sheaths. After reunification, the German government completed its move to Berlin in 1999; the ball followed that same year.
Semper Opera Ball in Dresden
Germany's most prestigious ball is the Semper Opera Ball in Dresden, next held on February 3, 2017. The 2,500-guest event brings together celebrities and members of high-society, and is even broadcast live to thousands of spectators outside the opera house. One highlight is the opening choreographed performance by 100 debutantes, pictured here.
Sport Ball
While the German Press and Semper Opera Balls both include charity raffles, the Sport Ball in Wiesbaden was designed to raise money for the foundation that financially supports high-performance athletes in Germany. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier is pictured with his wife Elke Büdenbender at the event, which will draw some 1,600 invited guests on February 4, 2017.
Germany's fittest and fastest
Former German ski jumper and gold-medalist Sven Hannawald is pictured here with his girlfriend Melissa at the 2016 Sport Ball in Wiesbaden. Proceeds from the ball go to the Deutsche Sporthilfe, a private organization that financially supports Germany's high-performance athletes so they can pursue their athletic careers full-time. Over 750,000 euros (more than $800,000) were raised this year.
Vienna Opera Ball
While a handful of important balls are held in Germany, Vienna is by far Europe's ball hub, holding dozens each year. The most famous among them is the Vienna Opera Ball, which dates back two centuries and is next scheduled for February 23, 2017. Here, the dress code is strict: long gowns for women and tails for men. Pictured is the highly anticipated debutante performance of the Viennese waltz.
Kim in Vienna
Kim Kardashian clearly didn't participate as a debutante, but she was a guest at the Vienna Opera Ball in 2014, which regularly draws top stars - because Austrian business man Richard Lugner (right) pays them. Kardashian later complained that Lugner was treating her poorly and that a comedian in blackface tried to imitate her now-husband Kanye West. It was likely Kim's last ball visit.
Vienna Academic Ball
Not all balls are simply merry events. The right-wing populist FPÖ party took over the organization of the Vienna Academic Ball in 2013. Previously known as the Ball of the Viennese Union of the Incorporated, the event's connections to far-right politicians from around Europe has drawn protests for years. Not only debutantes, but also Viennese police will stand ready on February 3, 2017.
Hunters' Ball (Jägerball) in Vienna
Nearly a century old, the Hunters' Ball in Vienna is unique because guests show up in traditional garb: dirndls for the ladies and hunters' suits for the men. The event was founded in 1905 by the Green Cross charity organization to support hunters' and their families who were in need. The next ball is set for January 30, 2017, and tickets start at just 30 euros ($32).
Medical Doctors' Ball in Vienna
The 67th Vienna Medical Doctors' Ball is scheduled for January 17, 2017. This time it's marked by the rather non-Viennese theme "Chicago Blues Night," which organizers call "soul medicine." Like other traditional Viennese balls, this one observes the custom of the "Damenspende," where the organizers give the ladies a gift. The present used to be a decorative dance card, but is now a party favor.