Publications in the Traditions section

Games for adult companies

In the secular salons of the 19th century, people not only read poetry, talked about economics and politics, but also spent time playing games. Kultura.RF tells what leisure activities were popular in times when there was no television, no Internet, or even electricity.

Card games

In the 19th century, cards were very popular, but were considered not the most decent entertainment. They were called “the disgrace of drawing rooms,” “corruption of morals,” and “a brake on enlightenment.” Culturologist Yuri Lotman noted that gambling met with “strong moral condemnation,” and in late XVIII - early XIX century was formally prohibited as immoral. At the historian Nikolai Karamzin’s evenings, for example, they never played cards. However, in many other parlors, card games flourished. Decembrist Mikhail Bestuzhev-Ryumin recalled that the owners of the salons often cheated during games: they discussed gestures in advance and “pulled” a hundred rubles from the players.

Books on social etiquette, for example “Rules of Social Life and Etiquette: Good Form” by Yuriev and Vladimirsky, warned young people against gambling addiction, which led to debt and bankruptcy: “We have seen many examples when this sad passion was the cause of the death of an entire family; when it, this passion, finally killed all moral principles in a person".

But despite this, cards were played everywhere: “...everyone: ladies, girls, and boys, preferring the green field to dancing. This is of course a sad phenomenon, but what to do: “live with wolves, howl like a wolf”, - stated the compilers of the collection of secular manners.

In society, it was customary to distinguish between gambling card games, in which chance dominated, and those where winning depended on the ingenuity and attentiveness of the players.

Yuri Lotman, in a book about the history of Russian culture, wrote that in Russia XIX century most popular games there were Pharaoh and Stosse (Shtoss), in which victory was determined by chance. Brother Fyodor Dostoevsky Andrei recalled that his brother’s card parties always ended gambling in shtoss.

The popularity of this card game is also reflected in Russian literature. Stoss was played by Hermann and Chekalinsky in “The Queen of Spades” by Alexander Pushkin, Arbenin in “Masquerade” by Mikhail Lermontov, Khlestakov in “The Government Inspector” by Nikolai Gogol, Nikolai Rostov in “War and Peace” by Leo Tolstoy and other characters.

Rules of the game of shtoss (based on the book by Yu. M. Lotman “Conversations about Russian Culture”)

The players are divided into a banker, who throws cards, and a punter (pont - “increase the bet”). The game can be played one-on-one or with the participation of several punters. Each player receives a deck of cards. Punters choose one card from the deck, on which they bet an amount equal to the one announced by the banker. Next, cards from the banker's deck are revealed one by one, and a match with the hidden card brings victory to the punter. As a rule, the banker and punters are located along different sides an elongated rectangular table covered with green cloth, which is used for recording bets and debts. All calculations are made on the same green cloth.

Outdoor games

In many homes, it was customary to have fun with “innocent games” between dancing and music, as they called petits-jeux(from the French “little games”), short-term outdoor entertainment. Most of such games were a copy of the street games folk entertainment. For example, the young gentleman Alexei Berestov - the hero of Pushkin's story “The Young Lady-Peasant Woman” - played burners with the girls - a traditional folk pastime.

Henryk Semiradsky. Chopin playing the piano in Prince Radziwill's salon. 1887. Private collection

One of the most popular petits-jeux- forfeits - has survived to this day. According to the rules of the game, each player puts forfeits into a hat. Afterwards, the presenter, with his eyes closed, takes out the forfeit and gives the owner a variety of tasks: singing like a cock, jumping on one leg, and the like. In the book “Rules of Social Life and Etiquette: Good Form. A collection of advice and instructions for various occasions in home and social life” contains examples of several more popular outdoor games for adult groups.

Rhymes

The players sit in a circle. One of the players throws a handkerchief to someone and at the same time says the word, and the other must catch the handkerchief and answer in rhyme - and so on in a circle. The more difficult the hidden word, the more unexpected and funnier the rhyme turns out.

Birds are flying

The players sit around the table on which they place their index fingers. One of the players begins to list animate and inanimate objects that can fly, and the others must raise their fingers up. If a player raised their fingers when the name of an item that cannot fly was announced, they lost.

Game of mail

Everyone participating in this game is given a piece of paper, on which everyone writes a question. These pieces of paper are placed in a hat and mixed, then, in turn, each of the players takes out one piece of paper and, without reading the question, writes the answer on the back, after which he puts the piece of paper in another hat. When all the answers are written, the papers are taken out and the questions and answers are read aloud - inconsistencies between questions and answers become puns.

Double recitation

One girl sits on the lap of another, who is completely hidden by a blanket, and reads poetry. The second girl tries to stop her with various gestures and make the observers laugh. The game ends if the person reading the poetry laughs.

Toilet

The players are called by different items of clothing, and the leader takes turns calling them. At the command “Entire toilet!” players must quickly get up from their seats and change them. Whoever does not have time to take a place becomes a loser. There is a known case when in the Nicholas Palace the manager of the game was Nicholas I himself, and one of the players took the chair before the empress, but was only encouraged by the emperor for that.

Board games

In the 19th century, it came into fashion Board games: They, as now, had a playing field, figures that players moved, and a die that determined the number of points or “steps.” It is believed that the predecessor of this fun was the ancient game “Goose”, in which you had to reach the finish line the fastest, collecting the most geese along the way.

Games of the 19th century became a kind of travel: for example, in “Journey through Russia” you had to get from Odessa to Moscow by locomotive as quickly as possible, independently developing a route through Kyiv or through Kursk. And the game “To Paris for an Exhibition” had to be in time for the beginning of the world exhibition of economic achievements in Paris.

Often board games were educational in nature. In the historical strategy “Battle of Sinop,” players were asked to role-play a theater of military operations. One spoke for Russia, the other represented the military interests of Turkey. There was also a variant of the game called Goose, which required impeccable mathematical skills to win. The playing field consisted of many cells with tasks: you had to quickly multiply or divide two and three digit numbers. For a correct answer, the player received “money” from the common bank; for a defeat, he contributed his own money to the common treasury.

Lotto

Lotto came to Russia from Italy in the 18th century and immediately became very popular. It was played not only on social evenings, but also within the family circle. The heroine of Chekhov's "The Seagull" Irina Arkadina said: “When the long autumn evenings arrive, they play lotto here. Take a look: the old lotto that our late mother played with us when we were children.”.

Over the years of the game's existence, its rules have not changed. Participants receive cards with numbers, the presenter pulls barrels out of the bag and calls out the numbers. The first one to close the horizontal row wins. The game reached its peak of popularity by the 1840s: then lotto was often played for money in secular clubs. The passion of the players reached the point that hundreds of rubles were lost per game. The fashion for gambling lotto has led to the fact that the game in public places declared illegal. However, this did not affect the people's love: lotto is still played.

Puzelya

Puzzles, or as we call them today, puzzles, were invented by the English cartographer and grapher John Spilsbury. He glued a geographical map to the board, sawed it into pieces (puzzles) and asked the children to assemble the complete picture from memory. Puzzles came to Russia in the 19th century and became a parlor game. They were called "puzels" in German or "puzels" in French. At that time, they no longer collected cards from beads, but small ones. scenic paintings depicting a landscape or still life. In his book “The Defense of Luzhin,” Vladimir Nabokov wrote about the new hobby of children and adults: “That year, English fashion invented folding pictures for adults - “puzzles”... cut out extremely whimsically... Luzhin felt an amazing excitement from the precise combinations of these colorful pieces, forming a distinct picture at the last moment. Aunt asked: “For God’s sake, don’t lose anything!” Sometimes my father would come in, look at the pieces, extend his hand to the table, say: “This, undoubtedly, should go here,” and then Luzhin, without turning around, muttered: “Nonsense, nonsense, don’t interfere.”.

Game activities performed in the ballroom to complement and diversify the dances. They can be carried out both during the dance department and during a break between dances, as part of the so-called divertissements.

Examples of ball games and fun:

Group imitation by ball participants of any mise-en-scène famous painting for the selected plot. It is carried out with the greatest possible approximation to the artistic original. Usually several “living pictures” are shown in a row, one after another. The demonstration is accompanied by musical sound. Sometimes viewers are tasked with guessing the title of the painting and the name of the artist who painted it.

Blind Man's Bluff

Fun in an open circle when the leading player, blindfolded, tries to touch one of the other participants. When he tries to reach his victim, other players behind him try to distract his attention by clapping or clicking with their hands. The one he touches becomes the leader himself.

BEATING A LADY

When performing Polonaise, there was a funny custom of “beating off the lady,” which is described in the memoirs of N.V. Sushkov: “... the men who did not get into the Polish, one after another, stop the first couple and, clapping their hands, beat off the lady; the gentlemen of the won ladies go next, moving from one to the other, and the gentleman of the last pair remains alone. Sometimes he stoically endures ostracism and goes to the bosquet or to one of the card tables to take a break from his exploit, and sometimes, pursued by offensive words from all sides: “tired!”, “retire!”, “retire!”, he desperately runs to the first couple and beats off the lady.”

THEFT OF THE FAN

A common pastime at balls in the 19th century. The fan was stolen, and then the lady bought it back for a dance, a poetic compliment, or a comic kiss.

KIDNAPPING OF THE DANCING CAVALIER

IN era XVI-XVII For centuries, changing a partner in a group dance was presented as an unexpected “kidnapping” of the dancing gentleman. The methods of “kidnapping” could be different, the main thing is that they do not cause conflict. Often it was simply a mutual exchange of partners. Sometimes the dancing couple was “kidnapped”.

FANT GIVEAWAY

Fanta collected in different games, put in a hat. Then they are taken out one by one, having assigned the owner a random punishment in advance: read some poem, sing something, say something nice to someone, whisper something secret to each player, portray a statue, be a mirror (reflect various gestures and facial expressions), answer all questions “I completely agree with your opinion,” etc.

TRUCK

Collective figure ballroom dancing. Performed in a column formation in pairs. The front pairs form a “gate” through which, one after the other, the pairs from the end of the column pass. There is also a “Reverse Stream” figure, in which they pass through the “gates” in the opposite direction, starting from the first pair. In this case, the dancers can move either forward with their faces or forward with their backs.

DANCE JOKES

Special dance control techniques that excite fun. For example, at balls late XIX century, during the performance of the third Quadrille, it was customary to confuse the figures and make “accidental” mistakes, which invariably caused confusion and laughter.

FANTS

A favorite pastime of noble gatherings in the 19th century. The participant in the game needs to answer a simple question or complete a simple task. But his actions must obey tricky rules: “Don’t take black and white!”, Don’t say “Yes” and “No!” etc. If the rule is not followed, the respondent must give away his forfeit - some small thing.

FLOWER MAIL (Cards-Flirt)

A system of communication using special cards with images of flowers. Each flower is assigned a specific verbal phrase. For example, a gentleman sends a lady a card with a picture of a resida flower, which means the question: “Are you angry?” And she sends him a card with a picture of cornflowers - this is the answer: “What nonsense?”

Balls in the 19th century were a favorite entertainment for the public. Everyone gave balls in proportion to their means and capabilities. The ball was a very expensive pleasure for the host party. “I gave three balls every year and finally squandered it,” they say about Onegin’s father. But I will not go into financial and economic details. It’s more interesting to talk about what happened at the balls. Balls were given all year round, but the season began in late autumn - the time of greatest concentration of representatives high society in an urban environment - and lasted throughout the winter period, with the exception of periods when it was necessary to fast. Often in one evening it was necessary to attend two or three balls, which required considerable strength from the dancers, besides, many balls ended in the morning, and the next day it was necessary to pay visits and prepare for the upcoming amusements.

Any ball began with an invitation. “Sometimes, he was still in bed, Pushkin’s notes were brought to him, this somewhat inaccurately reflects the situation: invitations to the ball could not be sent on the day of the ball - the recipients had to receive them three weeks in advance, and write a response - whether they would or not. The invitations were very laconic, for example: “Prince Potemkin asks you to do him the honor of welcoming him to the masquerade, this February 8, 1779, at the Anichkov House at 6 o’clock.” However, all the other information was unnecessary - everyone already knew the other ball conventions.

The order of the ball was unshakable. Guests began to arrive after six or nine in the evening, some arrived at ten or midnight. After the arrival of the guests, whom the owner was obliged to meet, the ball opened with a solemn polonaise, a dance-procession, in which all those invited had to take part, even if they then sat at the card tables all evening and all night. In the second half of the 19th century, the polonaise was sometimes performed at the end of the ball, then the dancing began with a waltz. Then they alternated waltzes, polkas, quadrilles, and mazurkas. “The Mazurka was such a wonderful dance especially because it brought out those qualities of men and women with which they most attracted each other. Each played his part: the lady easily rushed forward, and the very turn of her head, since she had to look at the gentleman over her raised shoulder, gave her a teasing aura of incomprehensibility, while the whole initiative of the dance remained in the hands of the gentleman. He rushed her forward, now snapping his spurs, now twirling her, now falling on one knee and forcing her to dance around him, showing his dexterity and imagination, his ability to show himself and control her will." "The Mazurka is the soul of the ball, the goal of lovers, the telegraph gossip and gossip, almost a proclamation of new weddings, the mazurka is two hours, calculated by fate for those chosen as a deposit of happiness for a lifetime." One of the final dances of the ball was the cotillion, "the longest for lovers, like the mazurka "Cotillion, an endless waltz with figures , lasted three hours or more...” In the middle of the ball there was a dinner to which each gentleman accompanied the lady. If a gentleman arrived at the ball without a lady, the hostess of the ball could ask him to escort a lady to the ball (for example, who arrived with a couple of relatives and was therefore not accompanied by a gentleman). When the couple sat down at the table, they took off their gloves and covered their knees with a napkin. Before leaving the table, gloves were put on again, napkins were left on the backs of chairs. Then the dancing continued again. The ball usually ended with an hours-long cotillion, which in the late 19th century was sometimes replaced by a strange dance called the quadrille monster.

The ball just began with a waltz, and it was followed by other dances, in particular, they danced the Hungarian, Krakowiak, Padepatiner, Padespan, Padekatr... At the balls there was a certain dance order, and everyone knows what the so-called minor will go dancing the first quadrille, then, following the routine, the second, third. After the fourth quadrille and small dances, as a rule, there was a mazurka. This is already a special dance. It, like the square dance, was scheduled in advance for all the ladies, and every gentleman, every lady knew when and with whom they were dancing. It should be noted that among all the dances, the mazurka and cotillion were the most “important” invitations to the ball, for the reason that after the mazurka the gentleman led the lady to the table for dinner, where they could chat, flirt and even confess their love. Everyone ate dinner in the side living rooms, at small tables. At each table the guests gathered in their own group. In addition, at the balls there was always a buffet with various dishes, champagne and other strong and soft drinks.
Ballroom dance program 1874
Polonaise
Waltz
Polka
Lancier
Gallop
Waltz
Frances
Polka
Gallop
Lancier
Waltz
Frances
Cotillion

It was the duty of the gentlemen to ensure that the ladies had everything they wanted. At the same time, the gentleman must entertain the ladies and conduct small talk with them. During dinner, the guests talked about many things: music, theater, latest news from gossip columns, who is marrying whom or who is getting married... After dinner they always danced a cotillion. Large boxes of flowers were brought to him. The gentlemen sorted out the bouquets and presented them to their ladies. After all this, the conductor of the ball and his assistants on swords brought in a lot of multi-colored ribbons (belts), as well as narrow and short ribbons with bells at the ends. The gentlemen, having sorted out the ribbons, presented them to their chosen ones, and they put one ribbon on top of the other over their shoulders. Moreover, men tied narrow short ribbons with bells to the ladies’ hands, starting from the hands to the elbows. “It was, I tell you, a wonderful experience. You lean towards the lady’s gentle hand, towards her fragrant body and inhale the aroma of enchanting French perfume...”

People came to the ball dressed smartly. Gentlemen wear a tailcoat, tuxedo or suit (depending on the decade), a white shirt and always white gloves. Moreover, in the manuals, a lady has the right to refuse a gentleman without gloves, and it is better for a gentleman to come to the ball wearing black gloves than without gloves at all. A boutonniere was attached to the lapel of the tailcoat. The military came in uniform. The suits of the gentlemen depended little on fashion and were recommended to be sewn in classical forms so that the robes would last longer. Gentlemen wore boots to the ball, and only military men could afford boots, but without spurs.

Ladies and girls dressed in dresses according to the latest fashion, each of which was designed for 1-2 balls. Ladies could choose any color for the dress (if it was not specifically specified); dresses were sewn for girls white or pastel colors - blue, pink, ivory. Gloves that matched the dress were matched to the dress or were white (wearing rings over gloves was considered tasteless). Ladies could decorate themselves with a headdress - for example, a beret. Girls were recommended to have a modest hairstyle. In any case, the neck had to be open. The ladies' jewelry could be anything - the main thing is that it is chosen with taste. Girls should appear at balls with a minimum amount of jewelry - a pendant around the neck, a modest bracelet.

Cut ball gowns depended on fashion, but one thing remained unchanged in him - an open neck and shoulders. With such a cut of the dress, neither a lady nor a girl could appear in society without jewelry around the neck - chains with a pendant, necklace - something must have been worn

In addition, in the 1820-1830s. It was indecent for a lady or girl to appear in society without a bouquet of flowers: it was carried in hands, in hair, attached to a dress at the waist or on the chest. A fan was a mandatory attribute. It could be left in its place in the ballroom, or it could be held in the left hand (which rests on the partner’s shoulder) during the dance. Small things were put into a handbag (reticule), which was also left in its place.

As a rule, we arrived at the ball a little late. The owner greeted the first guests, latecomers joined the dancers, sometimes even without announcing the persons. Ladies took small books with them to the ball to record the sequence of dances; towards the end of the century, these books began to be given out at balls.

In addition to dancing and dinner at the balls, guests were entertained by games: calm ones, such as cards, funny and active ones, such as forfeits. They often parted ways in the morning: “Half asleep in bed, he’s on his way back from the ball: and restless Petersburg has already been awakened by the drum.”

Within a month after the ball, guests had to pay the hosts a courtesy visit.

General rules of behavior at the ball and ballroom etiquette

Invitations to the ball are sent at least 10 days before it starts.
At the height of the season, this period increases to 3 weeks.
In the first 2 days after receiving the invitation, you should inform the organizers of the ball about your decision.
A ball gown should be elegant and at the same time refined, meet fashion requirements and specially tailored for the next ball.
Color precious stones must match the color of the dress.
Pearls and diamonds or rubies and diamonds - for pink fabrics; pearls and diamonds or sapphires and diamonds - for blue fabrics.
Ladies were recommended to hold a small bouquet of flowers in their hands.
During the ball, neither ladies nor gentlemen took off their gloves, with the exception of dinner and playing cards.
A young man, like a girl, accepting an invitation to a ball, at the same time takes upon himself the obligation to dance. If there is a shortage of gentlemen or ladies, the duty of dancing falls on everyone. Showing displeasure or letting anyone notice that you are dancing out of necessity is extremely indecent. On the contrary, one who wants to become the darling of society must devote himself wholeheartedly to pleasure and dance with any partner.

At the ball, do not forget for a minute that your facial expression should be cheerful and amiable. A sad or angry face at a ball is the same as dancing at a wake.

When arriving late to a ball, you must first greet the hosts, and only then start conversations with your acquaintances (the latter can be greeted with a nod of the head).

You can invite people to dances in advance (including at the ball). However, it is polite to arrive at the ball, promising in advance no more than three dances

Chief in dance hall- manager of the ball. You need to obey him unquestioningly, not argue with him and not make scandals. The manager is responsible for order in the hall.

Gentlemen must look after the ladies, bring them soft drinks and entertain them in every possible way. Conversations should be kept quiet and not touch on difficult or serious topics. Any manifestation of buffoonery should be avoided. Gentlemen who take pleasure in making themselves laugh are to be pitied.

Disputes and disagreements that arise between gentlemen must be settled outside the ballroom.

Ladies should not slander, on the contrary, they should behave pleasantly, sweetly and benevolently. In addition, ladies should avoid any manifestations of bad humor, which may cause disapproval. Most main enemy ladies at the ball - this is jealousy, which is always noticeable. Ladies should move softly and silently, both at home and in society, and leave the impression of the soft steps of a fairy.

Loud laughter, noisy quarrel, rude words, immodest looks, in general, everything that diverges from the laws of beauty should be avoided with special care. A lady's behavior towards a gentleman should always be measured and modest, but ladies should not refuse gentlemen who invited them to dance - a recognition worthy of any attention.

In general, at a ball you should behave modestly, dance gracefully and maintain decorum; to jump, to break, to take affected poses would mean to expose oneself in the eyes of some as an object worthy of ridicule, and in the eyes of others as an object worthy of pity.

Invitation to dance (engagement)

A gentleman inviting a lady to dance approaches her and, bowing gracefully, makes an invitation in the most polite and delicate form: “Let me have the pleasure of inviting you to [the dance].” If the invitee is well known to you, then simply: “Do not deny me the pleasure of dancing with you.” It is also possible to invite the lady you like, approach her, bow and serve right hand(it is not necessary to say anything). The lady, accepting the invitation, gives the gentleman left hand.

If the gentleman’s bow was taken personally by someone other than the one he wanted to invite, then a well-mannered gentleman in no way shows his disappointment, but observes the rules of decency and blames himself first of all for the awkwardness, but rather gets out of the situation with humor.

It is indecent to invite a lady to whom you have not been introduced. To do this, it is best to either find a person who agrees to introduce you, or, as a last resort, introduce yourself.

At a masquerade ball, the mask has the right to invite strangers, others can only invite acquaintances.

If the lady is not alone, but in the company of a companion or friends, it is necessary, based on general norms of behavior, to first apologize for the interrupted conversation, if necessary, ask the companion’s consent, and then invite the lady to dance.

It is strongly recommended that when you come to an evening with a lady, you dance with her the permissible number of dances (usually 3). It would be the height of tactlessness to dance with others all the time. Don't be surprised if by the end of the evening she prefers someone else to walk her home.

However, it is indecent to dance a lot with the same partner. With a partner other than the bride/groom, you can dance no more than three dances per evening, and you cannot dance two dances in a row.

When a gentleman invites a lady, she bows her head as a sign of consent, saying: “with pleasure”, “good”; in case of disagreement, the lady is also allowed to remain silent and respond to the gentleman’s invitation only with a gesture, or: “I’m sorry, I already promised”, or : "I'm already dancing." But at the same time, the lady can offer the gentleman another dance of her choice or the choice of the gentleman. Insisting on an invitation or finding out the reasons for refusal is unethical and stupid. It would be wise to bow very politely and move away without any comment, without expressing your displeasure.

You can decline an invitation to dance if:

• the dance has already been promised;
• the lady has already danced with this gentleman three dances in the evening or the previous dance;
• the lady wants to skip the dance - not to dance, but to relax;
• inviting gentleman without gloves.

In any other case, the lady was obliged to accept the invitation. If she refused without reason, she had no right to participate in this dance at all.

If a lady accidentally forgot that she gave her word, and while she is going to dance with another gentleman, the first one appears, then she should apologize. To get out of this unpleasant situation, it is best to abandon the dance altogether or invite the first gentleman to dance another dance with her.

But for a gentleman to invite a lady and then forget about it is not only the most unforgivable impoliteness, but simply rudeness; in such a case, he quite rightly incurs the wrath of the lady he invited and the whole society.

In a situation where your acquaintance has invited your companion to dance, it would be gallant to invite his lady so that she is not left alone.

Finally, having invited the lady, gallantly escort her to your chosen place in the hall and bow slightly to her, since the music of many dances will not allow you to do this in time.

Rules of conduct while dancing

The lady must strictly ensure that the gentleman is on her left side, both during dancing and when walking with her around the hall. Neither ladies nor gentlemen take off their gloves during the ball, much less dance without gloves.

The lady easily places the man's left hand slightly below the shoulder. Depending on the fashion, a fan and an elegant handkerchief are held in the same hand, or the handkerchief is hidden, and the fan is hung on a chain, cord or ribbon attached to the belt. The purpose of a fan is to bring coolness to yourself; hiding behind them to make it more convenient to talk and laugh with a gentleman is indecent. Young, very lively ladies should also note to themselves that it is not good to lose flowers from the hair or from the dress and pieces of the dress itself and its trim. This always indicates unrestrained, abrupt movements and a lack of neatness and modesty.

During ceremonial dances (polonaise, minuet), you should only stand behind the couples already standing. This rule does not apply to the master of the ball. The optimal distance between couples is at least a meter. If there is too much steam, you should stand to the side, forming another line. If the hall is free, the gentleman should lead the lady to the dance in front of him, but if it is crowded, he should go ahead himself, so that the crowded space does not cause inconvenience to the chosen one. Don't get too close to the dancers, avoid collisions. If a collision occurs, you should apologize and show attention. It is considered polite to bow to your partner again before starting the dance. In general, the dance usually begins with a bow from the gentleman and a curtsy in return from the lady.

In the dance, the gentleman leads the lady, and he must take all mistakes personally; if a couple accidentally touches another couple, then the gentleman apologizes, because he is the leader.

During the dance, the gentleman and the lady should not be too far from each other, but there is no need to cling to each other. When dancing with a lady dressed in a low-cut dress, the gentleman cannot afford to hold her by her bare shoulders or back.

The dancing gentleman never looks at his feet, even to make sure that he is performing all the steps correctly. The gentleman should stand straight and with dignity.

The lady should also dance with her eyes raised, only occasionally allowing herself to glance briefly at the floor. However, no one can prevent a dancing lady from shooting glances at the gentleman she likes!

Just as it is considered indecent to talk incessantly over your lady's ear while dancing, it would certainly be impolite not to say a few words to her. The conversation between the lady and the gentleman should be extremely polite and pleasant. Speaking banalities and discussing other guests at the ball is bad form. If you have nothing to say while dancing, it is better to remain silent.

In a dance that has a strict sequence of figures, watch the previous couples, especially the first, and do not do anything before them.

During free movement dances, for example, Viennese waltz, do not rush to get into a couple right away, first wait for the music and bow to it, fortunately the music here allows this. While dancing, move along with everyone else, try not to move, or move along regular line dance, in the outer circle. If you are dancing more or less on the spot or for some reason have lost your way, then it is better to move to the center of the hall, but not outside, and especially not to stay on the dance line.

At the end of the dance, the gentleman bows to his lady and accompanies her to the place from which he invited her, or wherever the lady wishes, simultaneously thanking her for the honor that she did by dancing with him in tandem.

All couples, apparently, perform the same movements, but the attentive observer can find in them a lot of features that serve to accurately characterize not only each individual couple, but also the individual. From the harmonious movements of a separate couple, which seems to be one, one can often unmistakably conclude that there is sympathy between the persons. The graceful, light, seemingly soaring movements of a young girl are always attractive; They always allow themselves to laugh at the imperfections of movements, without at all taking into account that the cause is often the gentleman.

Indeed, the latter’s task in dancing is much harder and more important than that of the ladies. He must be able to dance so well that he can cover up his lady's little awkwardnesses. Therefore, a young man should take care to be able to dance well; then he can be sure that he will not receive a refusal; on the contrary, he will be eagerly welcomed everywhere and invited to balls. “Once Princess E.P. Beloselskaya-Belozerskaya violated etiquette. She appeared at the court ball in a dress lilac color with inappropriate decorations, which immediately attracted the attention of those present, it was a kind of challenge to the world. And such a gross violation of etiquette was discussed in the world for two weeks."

Current Mood: amidst the noisy ball

Current Music: J. Strauss-son-waltz Liebeslieder (Songs of Love)

“The life of a landowner is a curious page of history... No matter how much I study ancient estates, I can never feel tired and satiated,” wrote the famous researcher of the Russian noble estate Yu.I. at the beginning of the 20th century. Shamurin.

The culmination of the art of receiving guests was the ball - an event in life person XIX century special. This is both a “bride fair”, and therefore a reason for concern not only for the young lady, but also for her parents, and a “place for confessions”, and an opportunity to express yourself, to take the first steps towards a successful career.

“The ball is life in miniature,” wrote one of Lermontov’s contemporaries, “with all its seductions, intrigues, oddities, intrigues, with everything that is sweet and bitter in it.”

Traditionally, the ball season did not last long: from Christmas until Lent. But often balls were given both in summer and autumn to celebrate some event, for example, the arrival of an important person. The organization of the ball was associated with “major preparations” and its anticipation in a house adapted to the bliss of a quiet family life, it often became “a misfortune for a whole week” due to the “washing, polishing and cleaning” of all the rooms. In addition to these troubles, the hostess had to take care of gentlemen “very in advance” for the invited ladies and young ladies.

Organization of balls before mid-19th century, it was subject to a fairly strict routine; the system of dances, as well as their sequence, were strictly defined. Not only men's shoes and trousers, but also ladies' toilets and their hairstyles did not allow excessive freedom, especially in the presence of noble persons. An inopportunely sewn bow or a misplaced flower could ruin the “successful future” of a young girl forever.
It is no coincidence that the ironic and insightful Pechorin was convinced that “a woman at a ball with her outfit makes up something whole, inseparable, special...”.

G.G. Gagarin. "Ball at Princess Baryatinskaya" (Lermontov in the center)

The ball began with a solemn polonaise. This dance introduced all the guests, gave the opportunity to look at the ladies, their hairstyles and toilets, and the host and hostess walked as the first couple. For its unhurried rhythm and simplicity of movements, it was defined as a “walking conversation.” But for many ladies it turned into a very reluctant test - it was not at all easy to walk in front of those present “with grace and nobility,” touching the gentleman’s hand only with the tips of his fingers.

The second dance was often a quadrille, which even allowed “some liberties.” One of Lermontov’s contemporaries, a certain Wurchholz, recalled this dance: “Ten or twelve couples tied themselves with handkerchiefs, and each of the dancers, taking turns, walking in front, invented new figures. The ladies especially danced with great enthusiasm. When it was their turn, they made their figures not only in the hall itself, but also moved from it to other rooms, some were taken to the garden, to another floor of the house, and even to the attic. In a word, they were not inferior to one another. During all these transitions, one musician with a violin had to constantly jump in front and suffered to the extreme.”

The games and variations that were part of the quadrille made it possible to show what the dancers are capable of - it is not without reason that in the manual for this dance the author of the manual indicated possible options steps (chasse, croisé, glissé, pirouettes, etc.), capable of making the ball a real adventure, because its participants did not always know how to behave.

The everyday writer of the “old life” Pylyaev M.I. described a “funny adventure” that happened in an ecosaise (a type of quadrille): “Finally, in order to fully enjoy this dance, someone came up with the idea that in the first knee a lady with a whip would chase her a gentleman to strike, and in the second, the pursued and the pursuer triumphantly make a promenade, throwing the whip to the next couple.”

After the polonaise and quadrille, it was time for the waltz. It came into fashion at the beginning of the 19th century and immediately became so popular that already in 1825 the following was published in the “Rules for Noble Public Dances”: “It would be unnecessary to describe how the waltz is generally danced, since there is almost no one who would not dance it himself or see how it is danced.” Young people were especially infatuated with him, while Old Believers grumbled that he was “indecent and too free,” seeing a young, half-dressed young lady in the arms of a man.

Decency could be maintained by strictly following the following recommendations written in the “Rules...”: “... do not dance too close to each other, which would offend decency; not too far away, which could interfere with turning, ... neither the lady nor the gentleman should turn their heads away from each other, ... the eyes should be neither too raised nor lowered, but pleasantly open. Moreover, keep your legs extended, dance on your toes, avoiding the slightest shuffling, round your arms, of which the lady’s left should be deftly placed on the gentleman’s shoulder, and the gentleman’s right should embrace the lady from the waist...”

“A musical poem in sweet forms”, “a dance of lovers”, “monotonous and crazy, like the whirlwind of a young life” - such epithets were awarded by contemporaries to Lermontov’s waltz, the too fast and airy steps of which, in the opinion of foreigners, the Europeans could not stand and therefore considered unsurpassed masters it is performed only by Russians.

The culmination of the ball was the mazurka - the favorite dance of military youth. It was in it that the dancer’s skill was manifested in all its brilliance, and therefore the mazurka was looked upon as solo performance, the rest became spectators appreciating the skill of the dancers.

The ball ended with a cotillion. This is a kind of quadrille danced to the tune of a waltz. Dance is a game, the most relaxed and playful. It included “figures with jokes, and giving cards, knots made from handkerchiefs, and deceiving and bouncing off one another in a dance, and jumping over a handkerchief, and, most attractive of all, the gentleman clapping his hands after the waltzing couple, so that they would stop dance,” wrote dance master L. Petrovsky, explaining why many young people wanted to go to the ball: “Only to dance the cotillion.”

The tasks before the dance masters were not easy, and the first thing that the teacher and the not always obedient spoiled students strived for was the “correct portrayal of a person’s appearance” in dance.
The “image” in the “Rules for Noble and Public Dances” was described as follows: “The head should not be raised too high, which would show a proud person who does not want to look at others, nor lowered, which shows humiliation of oneself, and should be kept straight and even. The eyes, serving as the mirror of the soul, should be modestly open, meaning pleasant gaiety, the mouth should not be open, which shows a satirical or bad temper, and the lips should be arranged with a pleasant smile, without showing teeth.”

There were no less concerns with representatives of the fair sex: “First, you need to keep your body and head straight without coercion and establish yourself on the lower back, the neck movement should be free and easy, the look should be cheerful and affectionate, the shoulders should be lowered and pulled back, the hands should be near body and leaning forward a little so that there is almost no distance between them and the body, place the hands one on top of the other...”

The ball was a very, very expensive event. Pushkin’s remark to Father Eugene Onegin confirms the above: “...he gave three balls every year and finally squandered it.” Lighting also required a lot of expense. Hundreds of people were supposed to be burning in the hall and other rooms throughout the evening. wax candles, which were quite expensive. The maintenance of a home orchestra was also expensive, and its presence was considered one of essential elements at the ball. Dancing under the piano was not considered a ball.
Most often, estates simply held “dances” to entertain guests.

The melodies of polonaise, mazurkas, waltzes, quadrilles and in Tarkhany sounded - “when the neighbors came.” Lermontov’s second cousin recalled this.

I remember one of my dance evenings A.V. Shchepkina: “When dances were held, the music influenced, enlivening. They seemed so beautiful dancing couples, smartly dressed, and spectators from the guests gathered around the dancers. It was light in the large hall; the dancing began before dark. I, a ten-year-old girl, liked it when older people invited me to a square dance - adults were pleased to please the child and not be embarrassed to engage such a lady in conversation...”

In those days, in addition to fashionable dances, willingly danced the Grosvater and Ecosez. Couples dancing the Grosvater (translated from German - German dance) walked through the whole house with a crane gait with laughter and noise, walking to the accelerated tempo of the music... And starting into the ecosaise, they hurried to line up in two rows and pair after pair flew through the middle of the hall. .. These were holiday evenings, and all the visitors became animated and played pranks, pleased with the hospitality and treats of the owner.”

Materials from the exhibition "Pictures of Russian life in the first half of the 19th century". Lithographs, engravings, fashionable pictures, captured by foreign artists: G. Engelman, D. A. Atkinson, G. Arney.

Games were an indispensable part of secular living rooms. Parlor games, called petit-jeux, created an atmosphere of ease and humor. The players demonstrated quick reactions, the ability to improvise, and sometimes rhyme.

The most common games are “rhymes”, “mail”, “biography”, “public opinion”, “friends”, “letter”, as well as charades and puns, tableaux vivants.
The game was also popular. There was another variation of this game called "Cupid's Jokes."
Young nobles were fascinated by more active entertainment with an element of pranks and light tomfoolery - “musical chairs”, “feather”, forfeits.
One of the most favorite games was theatrical charades. Participants were divided into two groups: “actors” and “spectators”. The actors conceived and acted out a riddle on stage, and the audience guessed it.
For example, three small performances were created from the word chu-gesture-satchel, each of which depicted a separate part of the word. The audience tried to guess what each scene could mean; if this failed, the actors were asked to imagine the whole word, and then the fourth performance was played. Charades brought the joy of acting, gave the opportunity to invent costumes, decorations, and find use not only of one’s talents and abilities, but also of antiques stored in heavy chests and cabinets.

Forfeits are a parlor game, the meaning of which is to perform so-called penalty tasks for forfeits (players who drew a card).
The nobles wrote down various tasks on paper, and then passed the hat with them in a circle, forcing the ladies and gentlemen to pull out a random forfeit and carry it out. This game was also revered at hussar parties.

There is another variation of this game - one of the players takes on the role of manager. Approaching each of the players, he offers a series of questions or comments that must be answered, but with the condition not to use the words “yes” and “no” in your answers. The one who utters any of these words pays the manager a “fanta,” that is, gives him one of his things: a ring, a watch, etc. When all the forfeits have been collected, the manager sits down and, taking one of them, asks : “Whose forfeit?” - "My!" — the owner of the thing answers. “What should we do with it?” - “Whatever you order.” When taking it out, the collector says: whose forfeit is taken out, he must be, for example, a mirror, or an oracle, or funny, etc. When all the forfeits have been taken out, then the guilty ones one by one go around all the players and everyone offers what he is ordered to be. The one appointed to be the mirror goes around everyone and invites them to look into it; the oracle offers to predict fate; the funny one tries to make everyone laugh. Sometimes, when redeeming forfeits, it was necessary to compose a whole story, which had to contain several obligatory words, or to compare each of the participants in the game with a flower and explain the similarities. After the order is executed, the forfeit is returned according to its ownership; the same thing is repeated with other forfeits with a variety of orders.

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In some living rooms they played incredibly exciting and completely harmless games. In the 70s of the 19th century, the venerable Elizaveta Petrovna Makulina was in the service of Empress Maria Alexandrovna and, among other things, was in charge of the Empress’s wardrobe and diamonds; her apartment was located in the building Winter Palace, above the Commandant's entrance and overlooked Palace Square almost opposite the Alexander Column. On Wednesdays, jourfixes were held here - ladies' receptions.
These were fashionable evenings where the golden youth of St. Petersburg gathered. In addition to dancing and other entertainment, there was always playing in Elizaveta Petrovna’s living room.
“Her weekly parties on Wednesdays usually attracted, in addition to her family... quite a few acquaintances: artists, painters and golden youth - officers of the guards regiments... Only occasionally, and then at the end of the evening, in the hostess’s cozy boudoir, separated by a fancy drapery from her bedroom, a small but serious party was being drawn up - a small one at a time for preference.”
We stayed up past midnight and set the table at about 12 o'clock. Then they played preference, drew, and got into charades and charades.

The young people, separately, a parte, entertained themselves by playing “cab-pulls and crosses,” a simple game in which there were many funny situations. According to the rules, the number of players was unlimited. Circles were drawn on the table with chalk from the center to the edge. Each of the players had to place a ring, token, coin or any small object on the first circle from the edge.
“The cards were dealt by the one who opened the smallest one, which was considered a trump card. Each of those present took turns pulling a card at random from the neighbor on the right, and when it was the dealer’s turn, the cards were revealed, and whoever had the smallest trump card moved forward one circle, dealt cards to everyone except himself, and did not take part in the game until until the cards again revealed a substitute. The main and almost the most interesting and significant interest of the game was speaking on familiar terms with those with whom they usually spoke on familiar terms, and vice versa.
Everyone tried to catch on to this, force them to move forward one lap, and whoever got to the center first would give a forfeit. The jury selected from the notes awarded forfeits, which were played at the end of the game.”
One day, two young artists had the chance to divide the table in half and depict a woman’s head. Both of them coped with their task with extraordinary talent, and everyone felt very sorry to erase such successful drawings and it was a shame that it did not occur to anyone to offer pen, pencil and paper. Sometimes the jury assigned a poetry reading, a card trick, an impromptu musical performance, or a puzzle solution as a forfeit. This game caused a lot of noise and laughter.
E. Keller "High Life in the Interiors of Capital Mansions."
"Russian games for all ages"