56th Annual Viennese Opera Ball

The Viennese Opera Ball was an international affair yet again. Participants flew in from all over the country as well as locations ranging from the more expected European countries (like England, Austria, and Germany), to Argentina. Leading up to the ball there were events at the Austrian Consulate, drink gatherings at the Pierre Hotel's 2E Lounge and UES watering hole Haven, and practice sessions at the Waldorf Astoria. The evening was capped off by a spectacular performance of ballet (dancers delivered to the ballroom floor in a horse drawn carriage) and opera, with some of the cadet escorts getting in on the act as ''admiring fans'' of the primadonna. After the Tanz Bar the debs, escorts, and junior committee jetted down to the after-after party at a Greenwich Village apartment. Notable Debutantes and Escorts included Eiseley Tauginas, Hermione Sharp, Frederick Havemeyer, Stephanie Nass, Klaus Pecnik, Dani Wandersee, Carlisle Williams, Pierce Cravens, Katherine White, and Miguel Angel Ferreyra. Proceeds from the evening supported Lauren Bush's charity the FEED Foundation.

15th Annual Military Ball

Fall is in full swing and one of the best ways to start off the benefit season is with the Military Ball. The event benefits the Soldiers', Sailors', Marines', Coast Guard, and Airmen's Club located at 283 Lexington Ave. The club, more affectionately called the SSMAC, is a New York institution which has been around since 1919, helping to serve those who serve our country. Notable guests at this year's ball included SSMAC chairman Prince Ivan Obolensky, Tony Sirico, Dr. Robert and Kate Wickham, Margo Catsimitidis, Marvin Scott, Allison Chase, Bob and Susan Frederick, Minnette Boesel, Mary Elizabeth Dooner, Tiana Idoni-Matthews, Rachel Kirwin, Gregory T Angelo, Camille Fesche, and Love Brigade's Devan Markiewicz.

49th Annual Quadrille Ball

The debutantes of the 49th Annual Quadrille Ball were presented at the Pierre Hotel Grand Ballroom on January 24th, 2009 in New York City. The event was the culmination of 3 months of intense practices and enjoyable social outings for the 16 ladies and their escorts. All dancers are proposed by alumni of the ball and take part in one of the most rigorous debutante preparation processes. The debutantes and escorts mingled with guests during the cocktail reception in the Cotillion Room before the ball. The guests all walked through the receiving line of dancers, and the Quadrille was performed beautifully after a wonderful dinner and speeches. The performance of the Quadrille culminated the coming out process for these lovely ladies. The Quadrille, as a dance, dates back to the 17th Century and was a popular activity in the courts of Europe. All of the calls are spoken in French and the dancers perform in elegant unison. Notable guests to this year’s Quadrille ball included HRH Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia, Alan Z Feuer, Heide Herz, Dr. Horst Freitag the Consul General of Germany, Katherine Pfeiffer, Caspar von Zitzewitz, Karl von Trott, Anne Moody, Beanna Sage, Jennifer Rolfe, Eamon Wood, and Asha Talwar. The Quadrille Ball raises money for the Germanistic Society of America, a non-profit organization which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2008. The organization distributes money for scholarships that enable qualified American undergraduate and graduate students to study in Germany.