The Opening Performance of the Viennese Opera Ball included a specially prepared cotillion of young ladies in long white gowns and young gentlemen in white tie. Viennese waltz lessons and training sessions for the polonaise for the young participants were held at the Embassy of Austria, 3524 International Court, NW, Washington, DC 20008. The Viennese waltz lessons for the cotillion were taught by dance instructors Herbert and Carol Traxler. The lessons included Viennese waltz (Linkswalzer, Rechtswalzer, hesitation step), posture, dance etiquette, and the Handkuss (hand kiss), as well as an introduction to the Viennese Balls and to the Viennese waltz music of the Strauss dynasty. The waltz lessons were held for eight weeks 6:30 - 8:30 pm on January 8, 15, 22, 29, and February 7, 11, 19, 26. Additional training sessions for the Opening Performance were held on March 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 at the Embassy with choreographer Mme. Christina Klein of the Vienna Opera Ball Ballet. Final rehearsal for the cotillion was held at 4 pm at the National Building Museum on March 14, before the Ball.
Three additional series of Viennese waltz lessons for the public were arranged by the Austrian Embassy in response to the great interest shown by the public. Also taught by the Traxlers, these Viennese waltz lessons were also held at the Austrian Embassy. Weekday Waltz Lessons were held 8:30 - 10:00 pm on January 8, 15, 22, 29, and February 7, 11, 19, 26. Weekend Waltz Lessons were held 2:00 - 3:30 and 4:00 - 5:30 on January 4, 11, 18, 25, February 8, 15, 22, and March 1. The final lessons (on February 26 and March 1) included dancing to a festive medley of Viennese waltzes, polkas, marches (semi-formal).
A professionally edited videotape of the Viennese Opera Ball in Washington 1997 has been prepared from several amateur videotapes made at the ball. It is available to the dancers in the cotillion for $25. It is 55 minutes in length and focuses on the Opening Performance, the opera and ballet interludes, and the dancing. For details about the videotape, available in NTSC (American and Japanese standard) and PAL (European standard), contact Carol Traxler at 5817 Runford Drive, New Carrollton, MD 20784; telephone 301-577-3503 (home). The videotape had a premiere showing at a party and photo swap for the cotillion and interested others at the Embassy of Austria on August 30.
"Aussie Dips Demonstrate Waltz" by Harry Dunphy, Associated Press Writer, Wednesday, November 20, 1996.
"Go for a Whirl" in The Reliable Source, by Ann Gerhart and Annie Groer, Thursday, November 21, 1996, Page C03, The Washington Post.
"Opernball-Ableger soll Washington im Dreivierteltakt beschwingen", by Uwe Knüpper, in Welt Spiegel, Saturday, November 23, 1996, page 25.
"Wiener Opernball erstmals am 14. Maerz 1997 in Washington: Oesterreichische Botschaft organisiert Walzertanzkurs", Friday, December 6, 1996, Page 6, Washington Journal.
"Viennese Waltz: A New Boom?" in Potomac Ballroom: News of Dancing in DC, Maryland and Virginia, Vol. XI, No. 10 (December 1996), pp. 3, 8. Published by Richard S. Mason, 703-450-7760.
"Alles Walzer, HBP!" Kleine Online, Panorama, Graz, January 17, 1997.
"Viennese Waltz Lessons at the Embassy of Austria" on Weekend All Things Considered with host Daniel Zwerdling, National Public Radio, January 27, 1997.
"[Preparing for the Viennese Opera Ball in Washington]" on Seitenblick, ORF 2 (Austrian television), scheduled for January 28, 1997 (postponed to a future date).
"Erster Wiener Opernball in Washington am 14. Maerz 1997: Ehrenschutz von Praesident und Mrs. Clinton; Grosse Prominenz unter den Ehrengaesten" , Friday, January 31, 1997, Page 6, Washington Journal.
"'Alles Walzer' in Vorbereitung auf den Wiener Opernball in Washington" , Friday, February 7, 1997, Page 6, Washington Journal.
It's Academic, NBC television affiliate WRC, Washington, DC, February 8, 1997. Quiz question: "What kind of dance lessons are currently being offered at the Austrian Embassy?" (The correct answer was given.)
"3/4 time" in Inside the Beltway, by John McCaslin, Monday, February 10, 1997, Page A7, The Washington Times.
"On an even happier note..." in Diplomatic Dispatches, by Nora Boustany, Friday, February 14, Pages A02, A28, The Washington Post.
"Morton immer am Ball" by Ludwig Heinrich, Oberösterreichische Nachrichten, Hauptausgabe, February 17, 1997, page 6.
"A Whole New Ball Game For the Washington Opera" in The Reliable Source, by Ann Gerhart and Annie Groer, Wednesday, February 19, 1997, Page C03, The Washington Post.
"Hundreds of Washingtonians are gathering at the Austrian Embassy to learn the Viennese waltz " in Embassy Flash, February 1997, Page 36.
" A 3-Step Program" by Lawrence G. Proulx, Sunday, February 23, 1997, Pages F01-F01, The Washington Post.
"March Right Up" by Robin Groom, Sunday, February 23, 1997, Page F05ff, The Washington Post.
"Austrian Ambassador Helmut Tuerk: Making the Cultural Connection" by John Shaw, March 1997, Pages 1, 2, 4-5, in Embassy Flash (Vol. 3, No.3).
"Ball-Export: Clinton-Tochter Chelsea macht Fortschritte beim Wiener Walzer" in Scheinwerfer Aufgeschnappt, Sunday, March 2, 1997, Page 40, Neue Kronen Zeitung.
"In Nordamerika am Ball" March 7, 1997, in Wienjournal, Die Presse.
"Washington in Walzerstimmung Erster Wiener Opernball im Museum: Kommenden Freitag bitten Bürhermeister Häupl und Kammerchef Nettig beim ersten "Viennese Opera Ball" in Washington zum Tanz" in Wienjournal by Monica Riedler, March 8, 1997, Die Presse.
"Prominenz bei Ball-Premiere" in Länderchronik, March 8/9, 1997, Der Standard.
"Life Was a Ball in Vienna" by Sarah Booth Conroy, Monday, March 10, 1997, Page B2, The Washington Post.
"Clintons First Girlie: Chelsea Clinton wird am Freitag zum hochnoblen Wien-Ball in Washington erwartet. Ein Teenager wird Polit-Faktor", March 13, 1997, Pages 248-249, News (Nr. 11).
"GRI's Traxler gives lessons for gala ball", Thursday, March 13, 1997, Page 2, On The Green, Gallaudet University staff and faculty newspaper.
"Washingtoner tanzten Wiener Walzer" , Friday, March 14, 1997, Page 6, Washington Journal.
"CITY-FAX An das Weisse Haus z. H. Präsident Bill Clinton", Friday, March 14, 1997, Page 8, Der Standard.
"Waltz of the Dollars" [Early Edition: "Ladies: One, two, three, down...."] by Roxanne Roberts, Saturday, March 15, 1997, Pages H01, H05, The Washington Post.
"Waltz of the Dollars" [Late Edition: "'Waltz?' Strom Thurmond pondered...."] by Roxanne Roberts, Saturday, March 15, 1997, Pages H01, H05, The Washington Post.
" Wiener Opernball in Washington mit Clinton-Tochter", Saturday, March 15, 1997, Tirol Online.
"Wien Persönlich von Alexander Fieber, dzt. Washington", in Wienjournal, March 15, 1997, Die Presse.
"Chelsea Clinton und die 'Reblaus' - Gesellschaftliches Grossereignis in Washington D.C.: Der erste Wiener Opernball", Sunday, March 16, 1997, Page 25, Neue Kronen Zeitung.
" Chelsea: Im letzten Moment tauchte die Tochter von US-Praesident Clinton rechtzeitig zur Eroeffnung des ersten "Wiener Opernballs" in Washington auf....", Sunday, March 16, 1997, Neue Vorlarberger Tageszeitung (NEUE-Online).
"Das vergebliche Warten auf das 'First Mädi'" by Helmut Schliesslberger, March 15, 1997, Salzburger Nachrichten.
"Chelsea tanzte, und Wien eroberte die Herzen Washingtons" by Robert Sterk, March 16, 1997, Page 28, Kurier.
"Leckerbissen", (photo) , in Steiermark & Chronik, March 16, 1997, Kleine.
" Die Präsidententochter Chelsea und ein Hauch von Opernball: "Alles Walzer" versetzte die First Daughter und Washingtons High Society beim 1. Viennese Opera Ball in Entzücken" in Wien-Journal, by Alexander Fieber and Monica Riedler, Monday, March 17, 1997, Die Presse.
"'Dollarwalzer' und das Knie des Präsidenten"by Helmut Schliessslberger, March 17, 1997, Salzburger Nachrichten.
"US-Opernball. Und sie kam doch: Chelsea Clinton" in Namen, March 17, 1997, Page 6, Der Standard.
"'Alles Walzer' geriet in Washington zum gefeierten Gesellschaftsereignis" by Ludwig Heinrich, in Welt Spiegel, Monday, March 17, 1997, Page 19, Oberösterreichische Nachrichten.
"Viennese ball: Stately, lavish affair " in Party lines: people, places and politics, by Kevin Chaffee and Ann Geracimos, Wednesday, March 19, 1997, Page C10, The Washington Times.
"Auch die Olympiastadt Atlanta plant Opernball: Viele US-Städte wollen nach Washington auch einen Wiener Opernball veranstalten" in Wienjournal, March 21, 1997, Die Presse.
" Die First Lady will zum Opernball ", by Ludwig Heinrich, Oberösterreichische Nachrichten, Hauptausgabe, March 25, 1997, Page 7.
"Neue Ballkultur" in Steiermark & Chronik, March 27, 1997, Kleine.
"Präsidenten-Tochter Chelsea Clinton/Beim Wiener Opernball/Glanzvoller erster Wiener Opernball in Washington" Friday, March 28, 1997, Pages 1, 2, 8, Washington Journal.
"An Austrian Tradition" in SOS Children's Villages News, Vol. 4, No. 1 (Spring 1997), Page 3.
"Shall We Waltz?" in Gallaudet Today, Vol. 27, No. 4 (Summer 1997), Page 7.
"Der erste Wiener Opernball in Washington D.C. -- Partner der SOS Kinderdörfer" by Inga Kolodney and Martin Eichtinger, in Rot-Weiss-Rot: Das Magazin für Auslandsösterreicher, April 1997, Page 12.
"Österreich-USA: Bilanz einer ergolgreichen Partnerschaft" by Helmut Türk, in Rot-Weiss-Rot: Das Magazin für Auslandsösterreicher, April 1997, Pages 30-31.
"President Clinton Congratulates Austrian Ambassador" Press Release, Austrian Information Service, Washington, DC, May 12, 1998.
Program
Reception
8:15 o'clock
Grand March of the Dignitaries and
Special Opening Performance (Cotillion)
9 o'clock
Dinner and Dance to the Music of the Vienna Opera Ball Orchestra
Casino
Silent Auction
10 o'clock
Musical Interlude and
Viennese Ballet
Dance continues
Midnight Edition of the Opera Ball News
Dance continues
Washington Area Cultural Events |
Viennese Opera Ball |
Viennese Waltz FAQ |
Viennese Waltz with the Traxlers
Author: Carol Traxler
caroltraxler@yahoo.com
Last update: January 2, 2001