Polonaise, polka, padepatinere. In Vitebsk, the New Year's ball spun the best students and pupils of the region
The ball was attended by top students, winners of olympiads and international conferences, volunteers, BRSM activists, student team movement participants, competition and contest winners, the best university students, and pupils from the Vitebsk and Polotsk cadet schools, the Vitebsk State College of Culture and Arts, and the I.I. Sollertinsky Music College.
After the grand procession of elegant couples to the "Polonaise" from P.I. Tchaikovsky's opera "Eugene Onegin," the New Year's Ball was opened by the Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, Alexander Subbotin:
– Dear children, friends! Looking at you, such beautiful, refined girls and true men, I want to say: ladies and gentlemen. The best, most active, and promising are gathered here – winners of olympiads, competitions, and contests. Everything you do brings glory not only to you but also to your educational institution, city, region, and country. May your wishes come true, and may you achieve what you truly need. And wherever fate may take you, always remember your roots: your parents, teachers, the place where you come from, remember your Motherland. Happy New Year! I wish you happiness, peaceful skies, and lots of positivity in life!
Alexander Mikhailovich awarded the best of the best young men and women who are writing the history of our country with their achievements.
The participants of the ball were also greeted by the Assistant to the President of the Republic of Belarus – Inspector for the Vitebsk Region, Anatoly Linevich:
– On the eve of the New Year, the results of the outgoing year are summarized. "Student of the Year" from Vitebsk, in recent years "Queen of Studentry" from Vitebsk. I would like the best in the country to always be from the Vitebsk region. I want to wish that when you travel to other countries, you will proudly say everywhere that you are Belarusians, because you live in a beautiful country. Happy New Year, happiness, success, good health, and all the best!
Among the invited guests was Yaroslav Ivanov, a third-year student at the Vitebsk State Technological University and the winner of the Republican Competition "Student of the Year – 2022":
– This year has been the brightest of my life. It began with my team from VSTU going to Stavropol for the "Queen of the Union State" competition, and we returned with a victory. Then I was offered to work in the directing and production group of the "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk" festival, then in the directorate of the IFMC International Competition of Modern Choreography. And now – victory in the Republican Competition "Student of the Year". I probably haven't fully realized this victory yet; for now, I am more happy for my supervisor, Alesya Anatolyevna Chislova, as she now has 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places in her collection.
At the Faculty of Information Technologies and Robotics of VSTU, Yaroslav is studying the specialty "Mechanical Engineering Technology". After receiving his engineering degree, the young man plans to obtain another specialty as an economist in the master's program at his alma mater.
One of those awarded today by the governor is Sofya Svezhinskaya, who is studying the domra at the Vitebsk State College named after I.I. Sollertinsky. The number of republican and international competitions for performers on folk instruments in which the girl became a winner this year alone is countless.
– I couldn't believe until the very last moment that I would represent the college at the New Year's ball. It's a great honor and very pleasant, – Sofia admitted. – We prepared for this event for a long time, we were taught all the dances. Everyone tried to do everything with high quality to create a real festive atmosphere, to take us back to the time when balls were commonplace in the Year of Historical Memory. Well, for us today, it's like a social party.
The atmosphere of a social celebration at the New Year's ball was created by the symphony orchestra under the direction of Vladimir Belyavsky and other artists of the Vitebsk Regional Philharmonic.
To beautiful music, the youth danced the polka, twirled in the waltz, glided in the patinage, and studied social etiquette using the language of the fan. And when Ded Moroz and Snegurochka visited, the ball continued with games, wishes, and gifts from the fairytale guest. Not only warm memories but also a group photo with elegant ladies and sophisticated gentlemen will remain with everyone as a keepsake from the New Year's ball.
