The Debutante Grand Ball in Venice

Organized by Maestro Silvia Casarin Rizzolo and presented by Elisa Bagordo and the Master of Ceremonies Prince Moris, on 29 April 2024, World Dance Day, the Debutantes' Grand Ball is a revival of an ancient tradition that has its roots in past centuries. An opportunity for young women from the social elite to make their official entry into society, presenting themselves to the world with grace and refinement. The first Venetian edition of the Debutantes' Grand Ball proved to be a resounding success. An event full of emotions, entertainment and great charm, which brought the magic of a bygone era back to life.

Debutants in the Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista

The winners of the Queen of the Waltz and King of The Waltz Awards were Giulia Pampagnin and Matteo Marzaro. Honorable mention also goes to Beatrice Russo and Michele Tolu (second place) and to Aurora Costantini and Quirin Von Sperti (third place). The Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista, with its baroque architecture and sumptuous frescoes, was the perfect setting for this dream event. Soft lights, lit candles and live music created an enchanting and evocative atmosphere. At the end of the parade, the debutantes began the dance, accompanied by their knights. One Viennese Waltz after another, the young women whirled on the dance floor, in a whirlwind of elegance and grace.

Here are the highlights of the Grand Ball of the Debutantes of Venice 2024: The Correr Museum hosted the coronation of the Debutantes, before the Parade in Piazza San Marco. The Grancaffè Quadri, with its four hundred years of history, invited the Debutants for a moment of refreshment after the parade/procession in Piazza San Marco. The Gondoliers of Venice took the Debutantes from Piazza San Marco to the Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista by Gondola through the canals of Venice. Moments of strong pathos for the Debutants.

The ChamberOrchestra4U opened the dance and then accompanied them throughout the evening to the notes of the most famous and loved Waltzers and Polkas in the world. Among the technical partners of the city of Venice there is also AVA (Venetian Hoteliers Association) and VELA Partecipata of the Municipality of Venice for the management of major events in the city. Elisa Bagordo presenter together with the master of ceremonies. Miss World was a partner for the fashion show with its Miss World models/candidates. The Navy Military with its Cadets. The Midnight Defilé is the midnight Fashion Show with the awarding of the "Le Prix de Talent" award every year to important Italian fashion houses. This year the protagonist was Ermanno Scervino.

For the Debutantes, the magic of the Grand Ball of the Debutantes of Venice began the day before the event on April 28th: they performed with their Knight the musical and choreographic rehearsal of the entrance procession parade into the Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista and a few turns of Waltzer with the live orchestra and dance teacher Clara Santoni, director of the Academia Veneta di Danza e Balletto. She graduated as a teacher at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan and at the Royal Ballet School in London.

The coronation of April 29th World Dance Day. For the Debutants it continued, for the VIPs the magic started from here!! from 4.00pm to 5.30pm. In the Hotel dei Sogni, the most famous and iconic in Venice, the Hotel Danieli, escorted by their Knight, experienced the coronation, a glamorous moment in which the Crown of the Debutantes' Grand Ball was placed on the head. The Hotel Danieli has been in the history of Venice the magical place of meetings that have made history such as that of Maria Callas and Onassis D'Annunzio, La Duse and many others.

The parade in Piazza San Marco from 5.30pm to 6.00pm. Coming to Venice and not experiencing the breathtaking beauty of Piazza San Marco is impossible. After the coronation at the Hotel Danieli the debutantes went out in the parade arm in arm with the Knights and passing through the Ponte della Paglia, they admired the Bridge of Sighs, In Piazza San Marco, they passed in procession in front of the precious Basilica of San Marco, at the Campanile of San Marco. The Piazza San Marco Association invited the debutantes for a special pampering after the parade: a moment of refreshment in the legendary Gran Caffè Quadri in Venice, to discover the almost 400 years of history of the historic venue in Piazza San Marco.

After this moment of conviviality at the Gran Caffè Quadri, the debutantes arrived in procession alongside their Knight to the two Columns of the Piazzetta San Marco and there they boarded a Gondola, one of the oldest and most iconic symbols of the city of Venice. In undoubtedly the most romantic means of transport in the world, cradled by the water of the lagoon of beautiful Venice, sailing between streams and canals, they arrived at the Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista, and there they began the magical evening of dancing!

For all guests, VIPs, Debutants and Guests, the arrival at the Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista is preceded by a walk on the Red Carpet. The Debutantes then make their Red Carpet like princesses for a night, and once registered at the reception in the Historic Hall of the Scuola Grande di San Giovanni, they will be able to go up for an aperitif on the first main floor in the Great Hall of San Giovanni. The Red Carpet and the aperitif from 7.30pm to 8.30pm: for all guests, VIPs, Debutants and guests, the arrival at the Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista was preceded by the passage on the Red Carpet.

The Debutantes then made their Red Carpet like princesses for a night, and once registered at the reception in the Historic Hall of the Scuola Grande di San Giovanni, they went up for the aperitif on the first main floor in the Great Hall of San Giovanni. From 8.30pm to 8.40pm The ceremonial announced the entrance of the ChamberOrchestra4U orchestra and its Director Maestro Silvia Casarin Rizzolo, who kicked off the entrance procession of the Debutants with the famous drum roll of the Radezky March. Therefore, arm in arm with their Knight, they made a triumphal entry to the tune of the most famous march in the world into the Gran Salone San Giovanni in front of the international audience of guests.

from 8.40pm to 9.00pm tradition dictates in the most famous edition of this historic and much-loved event, that of the Vienna Opernball, the opening Cameo is danced by the excellence of Dance. The Debutantes' Grand Ball in Venice presented guests with a tribute to Dance, with the dancers of the most prestigious and famous theater in the world, the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, who performed pas de deux and ensembles.After the homage to dance by the dancers of the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Maestro Silvia Casarin Rizzolo began the dances for all the guests. The debutantes danced as protagonists, to the notes of the most famous and loved Waltzers and Polkas in the world... Kaiser Waltzer, Beautiful Blue Danube, Southern Roses, Voices of Spring

At 9.50pm, Tino Vettorello, the official Star Chef of the Venice Film Festival, created the Gala Dinner inspired by the musical theme of the evening. The dinner was held in the lounge on the ground floor. The accompanying wines were from the Le Magnolie winery. The open bar remained open throughout the evening. After the Gourmet Gala Dinner, the Debutants went up to the main floor together with all the guests for a moment of great drama. The Management of the Grand Ball of the Debutantes of Venice, through the nominations and the mandatory completion of the registration form, was able to select the two winners and award the two prizes Queen of the Waltz and King of the Waltz to the couple who stood out more.

The event had the patronage of: Veneto Region, Municipality of Venice, Council of Europe, Navy and States General of Italian Heritage. The list of the Artistic and Technical Partners of the Grand Ball of the Debutantes of Venice: The Dancers of the Teatro alla Scala who danced the opening Cameo of the Grand Ball. The Rubelli Foundation, an ancient and prestigious fabric house, which donated the precious Marco Polo damask fabric for the rooms of the Scuola Grande and for Maestro Casarin Rizzolo.

The Stefano Nicolao Atelier, which created the stage clothes for the orchestra conducting of the evening by Maestro Silvia Casarin Rizzolo with the precious Rubelli “Damasco Today” fabrics. Rene Caovilla, Technical Partner for Maestro Silvia Casarin Rizzolo's outfit. Tino Vettorello, the official Chef of the Stars of the Venice Film Festival, who created the Gala Dinner for the guests inspired by the theme of the evening. The Prosecco Superiore DOCG Consortium, which proposed its range of fine wines.

The 2024 Venice Debutantes Grand Ball was a unique and unforgettable event, which celebrated beauty and tradition. A dive into the past with a look to the future, a way to rediscover the value of refinement and elegance in an increasingly frenetic and chaotic world. A success that bodes well for the future of this event, which has all it takes to become a permanent fixture in the city's social calendar. La Direzione del Gran Ballo delle Debuttanti di Venezia. www.granballodelledebuttantidivenezia.com Cannaregio 3100, 30121 Venezia. Nelle pagine social Instagram Facebook e TikTok l’evento è presente come: The Venice Debutante Grand Ball. - Italian version: www.gidiferroteam.org