The Pushkin Ball at school is an unusual, vibrant, creative event that will long be remembered by both high school students and guests. The purpose of such an action could be the idea of introducing students to the corresponding historical era, teaching the basics of etiquette and “secular” circumvention, creating an atmosphere of Pushkin’s times for visual immersion in Russian history and culture.
Who are the participants?
A traditional autumn ball at school can be held with a bias in Pushkin's theme. High school students are involved in the preparation of the event - usually from the 9th to the 11th. To create a plausible historical atmosphere, they will need to re-read literary works not only of A.S. Pushkin, but also of his other contemporaries, biographies of famous people, eyewitness accounts of how balls were held, etc. All this, without a doubt, broadens the mind. students and contributes to their familiarization with the origins of culture.
In addition to acquaintance with literary sources, the organizers of the ball will need to learn the dances of that era - waltz, polonaise, polka. It can be agreed that each class prepares and submits a certain dance to the court of society in advance.
What to look for
One of the most important roles is assigned to external correspondence to historical types at such an event. Girls should take care of long elegant evening dresses. Hairstyles for a Pushkin ball should correspond to those adopted in that century. Makeup - not too bright or aggressive. The dress for the Pushkin ball is designed to emphasize the softness, elegance, nobility and sophistication of the young lady, which is sometimes not enough for modern beauties.
The young men that evening are called upon to be gallant, helpful - true gentlemen. They are supposed to put on suits of strict cut, with bow ties or frills, at the Pushkin ball, as option - military uniforms corresponding to the era.
Not only schoolchildren participate in the event, but also parents, teachers, invited guests. Everyone should be able to play the chosen role, show off their costume and manners, find a partner for the dance.
Why all this is needed
Thanks to such events, many goals can be achieved immediately. This is a deepening of knowledge about the work and life of the great poet, acquaintance with the culture of the 19th century, the formation of a sense of patriotism and pride in our great country, aesthetic education.
In the process of preparing and conducting the Pushkin Ball, adolescents expand their horizons, get an idea of the most diverse aspects of life and life of certain circles of Russian society of the period that later became known as the "Pushkin era".
Another important task is to help develop children's creativity by participating in theatrical performances, dancing, making scenery and making costumes.
When preparing the event, you can use presentations, portraits of historical persons of that era, even create a semblance of a mini-museum from the corresponding household items.
How to organize everything
As a rule, the leader of the Pushkin ball is a couple of presenters (a young man and a girl) whose task is to organize an event according to a previously thought-out scenario. Of course, they can not do without the active help of a creative initiative group, which should include readers, performers of musical works, actors involved in dramatization.
The guests of the ball are teachers, director, parents.
The hall where the event will be held should be designed accordingly - it is advisable to arrange "old" armchairs, small tables around the perimeter, and create cozy lighting. The atmosphere of the era is best recreated by characteristic details - flower arrangements, candles in curly candelabra, small figurines.
Music for the Pushkin ball is selected from the classical works of composers of the time - Mozart, Glinka, Strauss, Tchaikovsky. As you know, balls of that time were decided to be opened with a dance called a polonaise - the organizers should also take care of this.
Pushkin Ball - scenario of the event
Classical music is quietly played in the festively decorated room. A couple of hosts come out, gallantly greets the audience: "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!" Further, all communication proceeds in a "secular" style using the literary vocabulary of that era.
The presenters announce to the audience the idea of the event - to introduce students to the culture of the Pushkin era, undeservedly forgotten forms of communication. It briefly describes the role and significance of balls as social events of that time.
The Pushkin era dictated its conditions to contemporaries. The life of the Russian nobility of the 19th century was unthinkable without worldly receptions, which served not only as entertainment, but also as the main form of social life. At such events, public opinion was formed on a particular issue, and diplomatic and important state problems were discussed. The ball was a meeting place for potential partners for marriage and a way to make many necessary contacts.
Presentation of those present
After a short introductory speech, the hosts (the music during it subsides or sounds a little audible) introduce each other to the sounds of fanfare, bow, then move on to the guests of honor. As such, the director and administration of the school, dressed up in old costumes, are acting.
It is advisable for each of the guests of honor to come up with a title in advance and designate its role in the celebration. For example, "Sovereign Empress", "His Excellency …", "Prince and Princess are such and such …". To create a reliable image, it’s nice to stock up on ancient wigs and costumes as close as possible to historical ones. It is possible to rent them.
The audience welcomed the honored guests with applause. Then, those leading to soft music go to the literary and cognitive part.
Let's talk about the Pushkin era
The presenters offer guests and all those present to get acquainted with a pre-prepared presentation on the theme: “Pushkin Ball through the eyes of contemporaries”, the purpose of which is to introduce participants to the atmosphere of that era, to create a suitable mood. On the slides can be the works of painters of those years, illustrations for famous literary works, photos of museum exhibits - costumes, dishes, interiors of the corresponding historical period.
Creating such a presentation is a creative process and unprecedentedly exciting! To recreate the spirit of the era, photographs of famous architectural monuments, the covers of old books, and engravings are also suitable. Thanks to her, you can well make the theme of the event, for example, a ball at the Pushkin Museum.
After that, the presenters offer those present to temporarily leave the modern world of the Internet, cars and high technology and immerse themselves in a completely different time. The evening program is announced.
Dancing, dancing, dancing
As you know, dancing at balls of any era served as the main occupation of those present. It is around the dance itself that it makes sense to build the "plot" of our event. It will be a good idea to organize an evening in the form of a ballroom dance competition of those years. Each class prepares a specific dance in advance (waltz, polka, minuet, etc.), then at the end of the evening a strict jury sums up the results.
The winner does not have to be any particular “team”. It would be appropriate to choose the most beautifully dancing couple - a young man and a girl. Undoubtedly, those participants who have at least some kind of dance training will have an advantage. However, learning the waltz at the Pushkin ball is within the power of most of the guys.
Many young people today are fond of ballroom dancing. Being good at performing the European program of ballroom dancing (slow and Viennese waltz, foxtrot, slow Fox), these dancers can be an invaluable find for such an event as a Pushkin ball at school.
If there is at least one experienced pair of dancers among high school students (most often a partner or a partner goes to another school and is invited to the ball as guests), then they can organize demonstrations - a couple of spectacular dances performed at a highly professional level. In addition, these guys, as a rule, have luxurious costumes in the form of a dress coat and a real ball gown embroidered with rhinestones.
What else is going on at the ball
In the intervals between the dances themselves, the hosts can both tell about the history of their occurrence and performance features (while the dancers are resting), and alternate them with no less spectacular, but at the same time more calm and static numbers. As such, first of all, various contests are suitable.
Each of the competitions should not only be in tune with the spirit of the era (that is, remind similar ones held in those days), but also have additional functions, in addition to entertaining the participants. This may be a deepening of knowledge about the work of the great poet and his contemporaries, and acquaintance with the basic rules of noble etiquette, and the aesthetic education of students.
What contests can the script of a Pushkin ball at school contain?
Literary contest
It can consist of two parts independent of each other. One of them is in the form of a contest of readers performing excerpts from the works of A.S. Pushkin. Fragments for recitation can be selected both in verse and in prose. A strict jury sums up and at the end of the evening awards the winner with a thematic prize, such as a book of poetry.
A competent jury should consist of literature teachers and high school students participating in the school literary circle. You can go even further and announce a quiz on knowledge of the poetry of those years. The participants will have to guess the author of the works, excerpts from which are performed. Works should be selected in advance from among little-known, not included in the school curriculum.
As you know, among the ladies and gentlemen of that gallant time, it was customary to "indulge" in rhymes. Amateur literary creativity flourished in 19th-century salons. To recreate the atmosphere of a bygone era, the burime contest is the most opportune - composing poems for predetermined rhymes. Such comic competitions are able to reveal literary talent and the ability to improvise in children. The results can also be summed up at the end of the evening with the presentation of humorous prizes - say, a fake inkwell and a goose feather for creativity.
Acting Competition
In the course of the evening script, the presenters remind those present that in the Pushkin era, an indispensable attribute of any ball was the performance of invited artists, as well as the numbers prepared by the participants of the ball. Boys and girls sang and played music on various instruments. Everyone could show off talent. Arranged "live pictures" and even whole amateur performances.
So at a school ball, both comic everyday scenes of a bygone era and staging of whole excerpts from literary works of those years (preferably not very long) would be appropriate. To do this, you can organize an impromptu scene or a corner in the style of a living room of the 19th century. It will help to decorate a small school play with a real curtain and simple decorations invented in advance in the form of objects of an ancient interior.
Such a mini-performance (or "live pictures") can become the highlight of the evening and a respite for dancers.
Fashion show competition
Of course, the efforts of the ball participants to create an old look, to choose a hairstyle for a Pushkin ball, costume, make-up, to learn secular manners should not be wasted. It will be quite justified to hold small competitions on the ability to hold on, gallantly treat ladies (for boys), accept compliments and witty answer them, move gracefully (for girls).
An unobtrusive "look" in old outfits can also be organized. It will be reasonable to distribute prizes in several categories - for the most original solution to the costume, for maximum historical compliance, for the greatest entry into the image.
And, of course, it will be quite natural at the end of the evening to choose the most wonderful “Pushkin beauty” and the most gallant gentleman.
What else can you come up with
A good idea is a vintage drawing contest. Artists can compete during the evening in predefined genres - portrait, landscape, ancient interior. At the end of the evening, a competent jury summarizes.
For the competition of portraits, you can invite as models present participants in old costumes. You can simultaneously take photographs of posing and later compare with the resulting portraits. In any case, the drawings presented as souvenirs will subsequently serve as a wonderful reminder of the evening.
At the end of the ball, you can slightly depart from the traditions of antiquity and arrange a real contemporary photo shoot. The photo gallery, located on the stands in the lobby of the school, will not only preserve wonderful memories, but will also stimulate students to other similar events.
Scenario Pushkin's ball for children in the kindergarten
So far, we have talked about holding a Pushkin ball for school students, mainly high school students. And what about our kids? Is something like this possible in elementary school or, say, in kindergarten?
Of course, it is unlikely that it will be possible to arrange a “real” ball with the kids - the age is not the same. But it is quite possible to hold an autumn ball for kids in the form of a wonderful theatrical holiday, dedicated, for example, to the birthday of the great poet. It is only necessary to approach the matter, taking into account the age of the young participants.
As a basis for such an event in kindergarten or in the 1-2 grade of a school, you can take a script based on Pushkin's fairy tales. In this case, the task of the holiday will be to consolidate the knowledge of the kids about the work of the great poet, and unobtrusive emphasis for educational purposes inherent in the heroes of fairy tales, both positive and negative traits.
