Balls in the Russian Noble Assembly (Videoübertragung)
(Daria Sundukova)

The Russian Noble Assembly, founded in 1783, was one of the most fashionable establishments in Moscow. Its regular balls and masquerades during the social season (from November till April) gained an excellent reputation for its refined public and gorgeous dance hall – and highly influenced ball culture all over Russia.

The lecture will follow different aspects of the ball organization in the Russian Noble Assembly (late 18th century – 1840s): site, number of attendants, ticket price, formats of dancing events, musicians, servants, dances, dress-code, refreshments, supper, and security. Who organized the balls, what do we know about income and expenses, what problems did the Assembly face and what ways were chosen to overcome them? Beside these questions, such aspects as social and political environment, the problem of communication between imperial power and noble society during the social entertainments will be revealed. The connections between the Assembly and one of the most famous Moscow dancing masters of the time, Pierre Jogel, will be shown as well.

This research is based mostly on papers from the Russian Noble Assembly collection (Moscow Central State Archive), but also on the Assembly rules, letters, memoires, publications in periodicals, satire works and guidebooks.

Daria Sundukova, Moskau, Russland:

Graduated at the Moscow State University (Department of History), currently doing her research in the history of urban dancing culture in Russia in the late 18th – early 19th century, studies early dance since 2005 (Golden Forests club, Moscow).