News & Events in Belarus

Palace of Independence hosts New Year's Eve Ball

MINSK, 24 December (BelTA) – In the run up to 2026, the Palace of Independence once again opened its doors to participants of the now traditional New Year's Eve Ball for young people. The event began with a classical segment, attended by Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, BelTA has learned.

The opening fanfare, performed by the National Presidential Orchestra, set the stage for the night's main celebration: the New Year's Eve Ball for young people.

This year it brought together 335 representatives of gifted and talented youth. Among them were students, cadets, and pupils honored by the president's special funds, recipients of presidential scholarships, participants in national scientific research competitions, winners and laureates of international and national art contests and youth projects, awardees of international conferences, as well as representatives of the volunteer movement and sports.

The distinguished guests included the Belarusian president, senior officials of the national and local government bodies and ministries.

The classical segment of the ball was opened by a polonaise performed by the debutantes. This dance is distinguished by its special solemnity and is considered an essential part of all famous balls. For the young men and women who trained for many days for this magnificent event, this was the most thrilling moment. All eyes were on them as they opened the ball, filling the gleaming space of the Palace of Independence with beauty and graceful dance movements to the sounds of the famous Polonaise from Pyotr Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin opera.

Adhering to the strict formal dress code of the ball, the young women wore full-length white gowns. Debutantes had a tiara and a small bouquet of flowers as mandatory accessories. The young men were dressed in tailcoats and military uniforms, all while wearing the obligatory snow-white gloves.

With the first notes of music and the start of the dance, the initial nervousness gradually fades, giving way to confidence, immersion and admiration, both for oneself and for the moment. It can be confidently said that those who made it to the ball are truly the crème de la crème; they have earned this right through their academic excellence, active involvement in public, scientific, and sports endeavors and through their other achievements. Now, they are waltzing in the country's most iconic venue, the Palace of Independence, alongside important public figures and even the head of state himself. Indeed, following the dance master’s call of “Everyone shall waltz!”, both the debutantes and the distinguished guests rose from their seats and filled the vast space of the Hall of Ceremonies. As is tradition, the head of state, Aleksandr Lukashenko, also joined in the waltz.

“Participating in the New Year's Eve ball is an honor. It’s a sign that your work is appreciated, a reward for your long-term efforts and for what you’ve done for the good of the city, the country, and your home university. The emotions are fantastic! We experienced a fairy tale. There’s no other way to describe it. The dress, the lace, the ballroom dancing… It’s the fairy tale we’ve read about in books,” BNTU student Daria Velichko shared her emotions with journalists.

Ilya Vasilets, a BNTU student, admitted in conversation with journalists that he had long wanted to attend the New Year’s Eve ball. And, like a true gentleman, he confidently pursued his goal. “I’ve wanted to attend this ball since my 3rd year, when I first heard about it at university. I began actively participating in university life and became the chairman of my faculty’s student council. When I was offered the chance to be a participant this year, I immediately agreed, despite being busy. I knew it would be worth it. You can manage all your other tasks later, but you have to come here. My dream has come true,” the young man said. “I am genuinely happy to be here. Being among the best, those who were invited, is a sign that what we do, the efforts we make, are not in vain; they resonate and are important for our country. I’m in a fairy tale.”

Speaking about his expectations before the start of the celebration, he stated: “It doesn’t matter what I expected; it will be better than any expectations anyway.”

One might ask why a ball with its classical dances, gowns, and tailcoats is needed for modern youth, accustomed to oversized styles, jeans, and hoodies. Senior Vice-Sergeant Ivan Sheiko from the Mogilev Oblast Cadet Academy has a perfectly clear and logical answer to this question. “A man must be well-rounded; it was like that in the past, and it’s still relevant now. Several centuries ago, all military men knew how to dance; participating in balls was always an honor. If a man could perform classical dances, it emphasized his high status,” he said.

How difficult it really was for modern young men and women to master a quadrille or a minuet was explained by Ruslana Dubrovskaya, a student at the Belarusian State Agricultural Academy: “It is, of course, incredibly hard work. We rehearsed for over a month. We are very grateful to the teachers who put a piece of themselves into our training. I’ve seen balls on TV before, but I never thought I would ever attend one myself. But it happened! And I am incredibly happy! I feel like a princess! Though, I am really nervous and overwhelmed.”

Despite the excitement, everything went excellently, at the highest level. The debutants, distinguished guests, and all participants of the ball beautifully performed all ten dances of the ball program: the polonaise, waltz, mazurka, contradance, gavotte, cotillion, polka, minuet, quadrille, and round dance.

Following the classical program, the free segment of the ball began, featuring more familiar modern motifs and musical pieces. The atmosphere in the hall shifted from strict and ceremonial to more relaxed, allowing room for improvisation. The representatives of the younger generation immediately seized the moment, approaching the head of state to request a joint photo or simply shake hands. The president warmly engaged with the youth before leaving the hall.

It can be said that from that moment on, the Palace of Independence (or at least its largest hall) was given over to the youth for the evening. There were many brilliant musical performances, spectacular stage acts, dances, and fun. At the conclusion of the ball, all its participants were presented with New Year's gifts from the head of state.

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