Masquerade Ball

It is time to plan for our Annual World View Classes Ball. The setting for the 2008 ball will be a masquerade ball taking place in London at the Haymarket Opera House between the years 1710 and 1800. All of our balls are costume balls. So all guest should wear a period costume appropriate to a masquerade ball taking place during this time.

Who is invited?

The Guest list is limited to all students currently enrolled in the World View Classes, alumni of the Classes and Parents are also welcome, but remember the costume!

The Assignment:

Each student that is currently enrolled in the classes is required to research and recreate a historical character that actually lived during this time period and could have possibly attended one of these balls. The character must be between the ages of 15 and 90. Therefore, the character would have to be born between 1624 and 1785. All students will research a character and write a one-page biography of their character and give an explanation as to why they chose the costume they will wear. This assignment is due the week of January 7 on your class day. Some students will not be able to attend due to conflicts in their schedules. Those students still have to research a character and write a one-page biography due the week January 7.

Alumni and Parents attending the Ball are asked to conform to the guidelines of the characters, but they will not have to turn in any biographies.

Time and Place:

The Ball will be at the Eldorado Country Club in McKinney, located at 2604 Country Club Dr., McKinney, TX 75070.

Tickets are now on sale. Cost is $35.00 per person.

The time will be Saturday, February 9, 2008 at 5:30 to 11:00 PM.

The evening will consist of dinner, period dancing and live music.

A History of Masquerade

Masquerade balls first became popular in the fifteenth century Renaissance in Italy, especially Venice. Members of the upper class would dress up and wear elaborate masks and dance. The balls were elaborate public spectacles associated with the tradition of the Venetian Carnival.

In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, masquerade balls spread through Europe and eventually the American colonies. Sometimes the balls were semi-public, while other times they were completely private, held in grand ballrooms built into homes of the day. The Swiss count John James Heidegger is credited with having introduced the Venetian fashion of the semi-public masquerade ball to London from the year 1710 on, the first being held at Haymarket Opera House.

Types of Masquerade Costumes

Appropriate costumes for the ball can be inspired by the heyday of the masquerade, the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. For that reason huge, fancy ball gowns and old-fashioned tuxedoes with long coats or tails and top hats would be appropriate. Attendees during that time would have drawn their inspiration for costumes from the Renaissance era, other European cultures (Spain, for example, with ruffled dresses) even Chinese culture, since there was a lot of trade with China in those days. Other popular choices for masquerade costumes could be king and queen costumes or jester outfits. This should help get you started. Use your imagination.

Masquerade Costume Accessories

Of course, a masquerade would not be a masquerade without masks. Masks can be simple paper or plastic masks that just cover the eyes or a much more elaborate mask with feathers or sequins that covers more of the face. Some masks even do double duty as a headdress. Other accessories that might be appropriate for your masquerade costume include a crown or hat, a scepter if you are dressing as a king or queen, a fan, long gloves, and tons of sparkly jewelry. Masquerade costumes are about going all out and wearing something glamorous and fun. That doesn't mean you have to spend a ton of money, but looking and feeling a little rich is certainly in order.

Some attendees would go all out and come with their identity completely disguised. Whereas, others would come with a simple mask that rarely disguised their identity but they were there for the festivities. How will your character come?