for over a thousand years the russians have known that a good party needs don't sink down the centuries rich and poor alike have learned the steps put on the costumes and set off to find love patronage or simply a good time. in this suitably graham building almost two hundred people have gathered to perform the classics from the polonaise to the polka all in front of a live orchestra. you can't help but notice the effort that's gone into their appearance and although i wasn't the only one in my dress i did feel a little out of place.

though i don't see much in the way of life sensory play there but i do know one lady there that may have to get the right heel for a period of review by arena. so we go lots of beautiful costumes here. of course this fall here was first educated to the war of eighteen twelve it wasn't so much about russia as they but it was the first such event that was held after the war a certain degree of courage was required to hold the ball at that time this stance is where it all began. and with several events every year they're becoming very popular even if you're not experienced you are encouraged to join in and there are plenty of helpful partners waiting to show you the ropes. movement in music have always stood the russian soul but now in the twenty first century more and more people seem to be learning these

traditional courtly dances that hark back to a bygone age i wanted to find out what makes them so appealing to a modern nor dns and how long it might take to get an absolute beginner to the book but. there's a school in moscow which claims it can teach anybody how to dance so i am going to put the theory to the test and apparently there are always sorts of men so hopefully this should be a place for me. the richer good evening everyone today will learn the viennese waltz which you can dance at the ball roll. though. it was time to start learning the basics twiddling round by myself everything seemed pretty easy but a solo waltz wasn't exactly going to cut it take the ladies right hand good. the

gentleman's right hand says from the ladies left shoulder blade a little closer. to the time. while the. the as i fought the urge to stare at my feet and count out loud we made a few circuits of the room with only minimal damage to earliest hopes. the idea is to get good enough to actually not look like a total idiot to the board. but. there you go just like birth the u.k. yeah fine. so that's not is how to give a traffic jam. our instructor daemon has been teaching for the best part of twenty years and says he's never seen dancing more popular. though she wasn't the most because of it is important because whenever you go to any public place like

a restaurant there's always room for dancing be just so you get a feeling of confidence when you know that you can invite a lady to the dance floor. raise your hand. and then whisper you know i think that the first true taste for dancing only comes after three months of practice. but. unfortunately for me i didn't have quite that long if i was going to make it to another daunts i was going to need some serious help to have a question there's a pool coming up and i really need a partner. would you come with. a pink or wonderful. one sect myself a great of a heart but clearly i was going to have to get myself properly prepared all culture isn't just about dancing and i was going to have to brush up on my fashion and my etiquette.

most here we see the most authentic russian romanticism of this is a picnic dress it's accentuated with the light shawl and hat only single women were allowed to have uncovered head but it was pushed they had highly decorated hairstyles to married women whether at the ball or at home were required to wear hats they danced in the stress of balls but it would be worn only at a local summer gatherings so summer school if we look at the male costume we see that the dress code was colorful and return to the fashion scene in color courses the shirts of model mostly course. this is the costume for the middle of the nineteenth century. the house that's the sort of thing open with four. by this time they are wearing black coats and black trousers in comparison with very elaborate gowns for the ladies men look like exclamation points bringing

attention to female beauty. and want to remind you that you could make a costume like that for me the core question of course brilliant. excuse me for a moment in this list. that's how the first chance to. courtrooms. on the one hand the boardroom is the most democratic place. almost on the ball you can invite anyone you like your board so just but if you want to invite a lady who is standing next to a gentleman you should ask his permission first ball yet the ballroom is also a very patriarchal place in the past and russia were forbidden but there is one

exception if someone stood on your partner's dress like that you were obliged to challenge him to do it only in that instance did the emperor permit it just the way . that the cooperation women were able to communicate with fans with the man knew what was being directed at them was mostly the final why right arm to the heart without little means i love you. other movements had other meanings this one means i have no interest in when a lady does this it means she likes. you when the lady flaps her family like this that's your signal to invite her to dance.

stand facing one another the gentleman takes a step to the right. that is gentleman embrace your partner. already. off the. bus. are slowly excellent but the walk. the walk you have wonderful shoes train is the new put me on that bus to boast or. ok just try it in front the front and back and three in the prime gap between the couple. it wasn't perfect but it was as good as it was going to get and the next day i

headed to remiss to pick up my cost you. know what company are you we have a dress from the middle of the nineteenth century but that you know this hoop skirt is made of silk taffeta there's about nine meters here at that time flowers were very fashionable just because now i'll show you my pride and joy this. is a carnival gown from the sixteenth century. i'm not saying it's all sun by hand. all silk and silk and bordered fabric such a beauty. and the ball all of this beauty was exempted by the seriousness rigor and restraint in male attire. that's the kind of outfit we've got for you. so this is going to make me hopefully a fresh little gent of the a scene fifty eight now just to see if everything fits but it seems the trend of

the day was for very small clothing. just look at those messages the best needs to be tight even in paintings you'll see that the male figure it's the females. and waist. the small chunks of big kids here ladies for most that we can't put locate james well for the next week. like that. there we go and finally feel oh thanks. james the dandy you schol go to the ball. sure. the women of the time spent about six hours in hair ration for the head dress i had to have a high level of professionalism in order to make such

a hairstyle unless they used ation to greek statues as models. style uses lots of walks and curls concentrating these hairpiece holds these hair out fashion we have spirals at the temples we use crowd it's a very romantic style and very playful. especially in dance when a girl dances and flips her curls it's amazing. and. it's super wonderful thank you but to know you're ready for the ball from the ball that . we would john sing in the more of your old apostle museum a building that's over two hundred years old and that's recently undergone

a long restoration by descendants of its former owners and amazingly everything seemed to go off without a hitch. and . it would take a little break but hey now that we finally got the walls out of the way without too many cups is that what's made you stick with it what you think you close out here is that the feeling down here meeting new people you're done in these at this. here when you say everything together all together it's like a donkey day you get used to it and you get addicted to arrive at a point that they think that. the house used to play host to the aristocracy of the intelligentsia i mean set me truth and in such authentic surroundings and among

beautifully dressed people it's easy to lose yourself. and it's possible i may have got slightly carried away. the stuff. i did most satisfaction. i begin.

live.

wealthy british style. that's what i'd like to find. markets why not. come to. find out what's really happening to the global economy with mike's cars or for a no holds barred look at the global financial headlines tune into cars a report on our. russia would be soon which brightened if you knew more about song from finest impression it's. nice clean stuff totty dot

com.

dollar has been satisfied and as i rode back towards the twenty first century it was finally time to read a message i've been passed at the darts. james i'd like to invite you to join me at the first russian viennese ball in montrose switzerland it should be a memorable event if you like to attend please join me at the imperial tailoring company in moscow next monday at noon you'll need to pick out something elegant hope to see you there victor. there was no way i could pass up a chance like this viennese ball is renowned as the best event of the season and i knew that victor was one of the men in charge.

now it might be a traditional ball but i don't think the eighteen fifty look is going to cut it switzerland so i'm here to meet up with victor and hopefully pick up something a little bit more. picture hi james stuff this is yeah well now we know that she was a huge for you i've already chosen the one for me this one please. picture certainly had good taste it brought me to moscow's imperial tailoring company where they make some of the best clothes in the business. once. well well james you generally look really very good i think fits you perfectly but maybe some small items for example your trousers would be the longer right thing and maybe a fake some more but. this was just you know but in general it's perfect and of

course there's always something about. we did ask a price. of course about work ok. q. this is your theory that you look really perfect thank you very much well i don't think that daniel craig has anything to worry about but you can't help but feel a bit special it's something like this so what's up switzerland because we're coming to get you. a few days in around two and a half thousand kilometers later i'd arrived in the small swiss municipality of montrose and it certainly didn't disappoint. when you use the room just to be very welcome to the film for months or so your room is ready this is a room with a key pick you well this is a bit special isn't it a five star hotel for a five star event

a comic. viennese ball has taken place in moscow under around europe since two thousand and three it's the brainchild of organizer alexander smuggler and i caught up with him to see why he decided to hold this one in montreaux. first of all we never did a ball into the life. we decided to do it and when we're choosing the place we consulted with some. partners from sweden switzerland so they said. look at montreal this is beautiful small town on the lake so they came here spatially to check the place i was impressed so we decided to make both here. more than twenty thousand people have attended alexander's dumpsters and each one is planned down to the last detail how much preparation goes into. my kids you know it seems. there it is

very. easy but it is not so definitely. to make it a real ball you have several levels but. you have to bring distress to august first at least one thing for nick one jess all just seem getters have to get the ball take three downs flaw in order people have to passivity to the dogs because and this is all. i could already tell it was going to be a member of kazan and according to conduct alfred a very multicultural want to. do this evening is really very special because we have different problems to solve and we have singers from russia and we have l.a. phone russia and it will fester from it tell italy and i'm from austria so it's an international event absolutely well we'll let you get back as it was for you need a script thank you very much take it away maestro thank you very much.

was. this the orchestra continued that practice i headed back to my room with just an hour to go i had to get ready but there's always time to enjoy if you like this. past. i think i can say without a shadow of

a doubt the look of it used to this. is. the guests were beginning to arrive but i couldn't resist one last trip to the hotel's engine room. my nose has led me to probably the most important place in the hotel this evening the kitchen where the hiring all of these some could be a little bit careful because i want to get ten angry sets around me. paine i went to meet victor and it turned out he had

a rather unexpected surprise in store. i. told him this is sr and this is myers thanks because as we're having money big problem we're liking the debutante at the moment would like to feel and maybe there are never enough men are that always so many beautiful women and never enough men yes my pleasure if you would if you will have a. great. i had planned to hang back and take part in some of the big group don'ts is this time and i was suddenly very nervous if this risks a new year's debutant it was more important than ever that i didn't mess up still at least i didn't have long to think about it.

with dozens of couples performing the figure waltz we did have a few problems with traffic but with a few well timed whirls we made it to b.n. and then we could really enjoy ourselves. you're loving life you know you you know we find some like you have a really pretty it's like my you tube you made so made you. think. i think i. was a. critic because. i.

but it certainly leaves you out of breath and it gave me a chance to chat with samia about why she had decided to become a debutante amid so many different younger people who seem to be taking to this what is it that appeals to this as opposed to you know the traditional kind of going out on a friday night is that you know culture and that you know. sauce illusion. and it comes from this much and it's not the historical easter also very interesting here because all of us tonight you know these unforgettable bodies is known. as the evening wore on the orchestra was replaced by a jazz band and the music became a little less classical but unsurprisingly no one seemed keen to go home. i think the most revealing thing that i can say is i don't want this whole experience to end and maybe that's why people love it so that is just pure magical escapism

a long way that i can see. as you can. see. i didn't expect my journey into all culture to bring me this far but it has been a fantastic adventure i'm to my surprise i actually don't think i'll be hanging up my dancing shoes anytime soon. we might be two hundred years on from the days of war and peace but there is still pools being held both here and the broad you can imagine even the touch of a stove of the light to attend. the russian dance tradition is alive and thriving my think. is to tolstoy would have been.

do we speak your language any time of the war not a day in. the music programs and documentaries and spanish more matters to you breaking news a little turn to angle us kid stories. you hear. detroit all teach spanish find out more visit i to allahabad all tito it's calm. you know how sometimes you see a story and it seems so you think you understand it and then you glimpse something else and you hear or see some other part of it and realized everything you thought you knew you don't know i'm tom harpur welcome to the big picture.

is he if. you. believe. in the mission of free accreditation free.