May Ball

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search
Image:Clare Bridge, May Ball 2005.jpg
The bridge over the River Cam at Clare College during its 2005 May Ball.

A May Ball, despite the name, is a ball held in June at a Cambridge college at the end of the academic year.

They are traditionally formal affairs, requiring evening dress, with ticket prices of around £65 to £160, with some colleges selling tickets only in pairs. The balls are held in the college gardens, lasting from around 9 p.m. until well after dawn, with some colleges offering rides in balloons when the ball ends, and even breakfast in Paris. "Survivors' photographs" are taken of those who last until morning.

Contents

[edit] Colleges hosting balls

Many colleges originally held the balls during the month of May, sometimes in the week preceding year-end exams. Today, they take place in May Week, which usually starts on the second Thursday of June following the end of exams, and which includes Suicide Sunday.

The First and Third Trinity Boat Club May Ball (named after the boat club, but not run by it) held by Trinity College is one of the most famous of the May Balls, always held on the first Monday of May Week, and its tickets are highly sought after. Time magazine once described St. John's May Ball as the "7th greatest party in the world"[citation needed]. The balls operate a strict dress code. Magdalene is the only college which insists on white tie, while either black or white tie is acceptable at Trinity and Peterhouse, and all others are black tie. Other desirable may balls are held annually by Clare, which has some of the most beautiful gardens in Cambridge and Jesus, whose ball is popular amongst first year students. The ball of Gonville and Caius, although only held biennially, continually lives up to its elegant reputation.

Trinity, Clare, and John's are situated directly on the River Cam, along the Backs, as are Queens' and Trinity Hall. As a result, when several balls are held on the same evening, the river is lit up in different colours from the lights and the fireworks, creating a memorable backdrop to the evening's festivities.

Peterhouse (white tie preferred) and Magdalene (white tie) hold biennial balls (alternating years, most recently Magdalene in 2007 and Peterhouse in 2006).

The Robinson May Ball is the first ball of May Week, and is also the least expensive black-tie ball.

Other annual balls are held by Hughes Hall and St Edmund's; while Emmanuel, Corpus Christi, Christ's, Gonville and Caius, Homerton, Newnham, Queens', Sidney Sussex, Darwin and St Catharine's hold May Balls every two years. Most balls are themed, though Magdalene's and Trinity's are notable for their lack of a theme.

Pembroke, Downing returned to hosting May Balls in 2007. Selwyn is holding a special 125th anniversary may ball in 2008. This will be unusual as it is being held on the Saturday of May Week, when balls are normally all held between Monday and Friday.

In order to spread the fun throughout the year, a number of colleges have broken with tradition to hold balls at different times, normally either in the winter at the end of Michaelmas Term, or in spring at the end of Lent Term. Selwyn is notable as the only college to hold a winter ball -- Selwyn Snow Ball -- although as noted above this year both winter and summer balls will be held. Of the Spring Balls, that of Girton is held every other year, whereas Churchill continues to produce an annual ball.

[edit] The Events

Most Balls have fundamental similarities: all will offer guests a variety of food, entertainment, and a bevy of alcoholic drinks. The quality and diversity of all of these vary markedly between different Balls. While all Balls claim to offer "luxury" (and many deliver), some have distinctive hallmarks: Peterhouse is famed for its Ferris Wheel, Trinity for its unlimited champagne, St. John's for having the most expensive fireworks, Magdalene for its dining.

Balls have an enviable reputation for securing private performances from leading entertainers; some notable performances are listed below.

2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001

[edit] Ball crashing

Colleges with larger May Balls pay considerable attention to security and the prevention of ball crashing. With tickets priced at over £100 and in short supply, students often try to gain unauthorized access, climbing high walls, swimming underwater carrying their ballgowns in plastic bags, arriving dressed as gorillas pretending to be part of the evening's entertainment, and posing as journalists. One student was even known to have fired himself into a ball in a homemade cannon[dubious – discuss]. Typically, College porters are joined by Ball student security staff (often drawn from College sports teams), and, at larger Balls, Police to identify and apprehend the crashers. Some Colleges have hired professional security staff, have hidden razor wire in bushes along the river[dubious – discuss], and have painted walls with anti-burglar paint, which stains the crashers' clothes with luminous green paint, making it somewhat difficult to blend in.

As part of the security arrangements, students living in parts of the College and not attending the May Ball are often required either to vacate their rooms or remain in them without leaving overnight, in spite of the inevitable loud music.

[edit] Alternatives

Image:Kings june event 2006.jpg
Guests watching a fireshow at King's June Event

Several colleges host a variation on these balls, such as Trinity Hall, Wolfson, King's and Pembroke (alternating with the full ball), which have a more egalitarian June Event. These are cheaper, tend to be focused on live music and frequently have less formal dress codes, although both the Wolfson and Pembroke June Events are still black tie. Pembroke reverts this summer to holding a full May Ball, to alternate every other year with its Event. Emmanuel has an Event every other year, alternating with its ball. Selwyn has also broken with tradition and holds its Snowball each year at the beginning of December, while Fitzwilliam also holds a winter ball every other year, and Churchill, Girton hold theirs in February and March.

[edit] May Balls beyond Cambridge

Cambridge May Balls have inspired numerous off-shoots at other institutions throughout the UK and abroad. These may differ widely from the original and often come under a variety of names, but still maintain many the traditional elements. Noteworthy examples include:

  • Durham's colleges also hold summer balls; the most noteworthy of which being University College's June Ball, held annually in Durham Castle, the home of the college. The event is white tie, with a secret theme and is similar in nature to May Balls at Cambridge. Tickets are usually in the region of £205 per pair (2007 JB).

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://india.smashits.com/wikipedia/May_Ball"
Views
Personal tools

Toolbox