Remember Mohabbatein ? When Shahrukh Khan brings out the whole group of girls to ‘Gurukul’ premises which is an all boy school functioning under the strict command of stubborn Amitabh Bachchan. The boys brighten up,some gasp in awe and some dance in elation finding their lady loves right before them. And suddenly the dull boring all boys party turns to be glamorous and super fun. Then they all dance together while Shahrukh sings ‘Aankhen Khuli ho ya ho band’

I was in school that time and I always wondered which school offer such dance parties for real? And I got the answer once I married my ‘Man in Uniform‘ who showed me a world full of chivalrous men and cultured people. And why not? They have studied rather trained from one of world’s premier institute ‘Indian Military Academy’ where the overall emphasis is put on turning ‘Boys into Men’. So the ‘Gentlemen Cadets’ are imparted bookish knowledge and weapon training to turn them into a perfect soldier but ‘Personality Development’ is also an important part of their education. There’s a reason we call them ‘Gentlemen.’ Right?

So while they are constantly scrutinized over their table manners,they are also judged by their behavior towards women. General Thimayya once said

“If we can’t defend the honor of our women, how do you suppose us to defend the honor of our country

What are these Ball dance Parties?

Army ball dance parties are integral part of ‘All Training Academies’ of Army Culture which are among most awaited ceremonies by Passing out Cadets. The IMA Ball dance parties are usually organised two weeks before their Passing Out Parade where they display high sense of chivalry,etiquette and courtesy before their Ball Partners who are invited to participate into the Ball Dance Parties They kind of deserve it too after their hard pressed rigorous training where the ‘Boys not only turn into Men’ but also the wild beast (on a lighter note) plus these Ball Dance Parties are their ultimate test of years of training which also teach them to be gentlemen first. I feel ‘how to behave in presence of ladies’ is of utmost value in an all boys institute where they hardly get to interact with ladies (Well OTA has lady cadets but they are officers first before being ladies)

The Dress Code

The bright and promising gentlemen cadets and all the other Army officers dress into their ceremonial ‘6 Bravo’ uniform which is universal Army Party (ceremony) dress code for Army Officers. So the cadets clad in their white crisp shirt, heavily ironed black trousers and black shiny boots wait eagerly to flaunt their best dance moves before their lady loves and Ball Partners once the IMA Ball rolls. The Army Officers wives wrap up in gorgeous saris and the comparatively younger lot which consist basically of invited lady Ball partners or Army Girlfriends prefer to wrap up in various short of dresses and gowns.

The Ball Dance Event

The Ball Dance Party starts once the Commandant and the first lady arrive and they set the IMA Ball rolling to initiate a starry event full of sparkle and glitter.Though unlike the popular perception no true form of Ball Dance is shown anywhere but various skills of ‘Bhangra’ to ‘Nagin Dance’ are also displayed on tunes which are mostly western or Bollywood Music. In earlier times, proper Ball dance classes were organised to train the officers on this particular form of dance. They were taught ‘how to ask for a lady’s hand for dancing and how to dance in presence of a lady’ but today even a step from where he graduates from Shammi Kapoor dance moves to James Bond elegant steps also do.

The Ball party is organised usually in a huge lawn at IMA, NDA and OTA with a massive well lit stage, huge dance floor,DJ and everything else that is JAZZ. There would be a few Emcees too who would start the event by a welcome note followed by MR and MISS Ball King/Queen or Best Dancing couple kind of competitions. Usually the common trend is that each company presents two of the participants competing for this coveted title. It also includes ramp walk, Question and Answer rounds and many things more depending upon the organizing institute culture. There would be lot of prizes and other events too.

Then once the winner is announced the commandant rolls the huge disco ball and usually the first one to dance onto the dance floor along with his lady wife. It is followed by huge cheering and other army officers join in too. But the real Party starts once the cadets rock and roll to the tune with their ball partners unlike the ones who could not get a dance partner but no worries they also dance and keep trying their luck by asking the hands of the girls present around or whosoever is standing alone. Once the IMA Ball Party comes to full swing everybody is just having fun and nobody really bothers. People in Army surely know how to enjoy themselves. Food and drinks are also organised though the drinks are prohibited for the cadets and it is mostly for the Army officers invited there. It is a thrilling experience for the young ladies to have dinner with the chivalrous cadets who treat them no less than a queen during Ball dinners.

Why Ball Dance Party at All?

An officer has to be perfect! He should know how to kill an enemy,he should know how to save a friend, he should know how to respect elders and he should definitely know how to behave with a lady. Ball Dance ensures the last part.

Also the most exciting part? Many of the Army couple start their journey right from the Dance Floor of a Ball Party. The Army love lingers in the air. and why is it special at all?

An Army love is special because you wait for the one you love and hold him like the first, every single time. An ever young romance which lingers onto the heart always and every time. After all the men in shining armors fall in love only with the princesses. It is bound to be special.

Advice for the young ladies

All the Army Girlfriends or military enthusiasts who love the glitz and glamour of military life and awaiting their Ball Dance invites should embrace themselves for the best night of their lives. Afterall

Its not daily that you get to dance with the finest gentlemen of today who are going to be great warriors of tomorrow!

But being a lady that these gentlemen look for in their future partners you should never take your dignity and prestige for granted,once you arrive to the alien lands. A no is a complete no and nobody can force you anything against your wishes. Though all sort of dresses are allowed but dress what you are most comfortable with as you supposed to dance the whole night (until the cadets are called for their night fall in) so block heels are good options instead of stilettos and also you should know that your handbags and clutches can be real pain after sometimes. The idea for you should be to know Army life some more and just have pure fun. Just that!

Also as you are reading this I presume you are remembering your good old days or awaiting your Ball Dance invites. So reading Soldier’s Girl would really be a good idea for you which is not just the ‘story extraordinaire of an Army Girlfriend’ but there is an entire chapter dedicated to Army Ball Dance which will surely provide you further insight into this glamorous world of warriors and princesses. Just find it on Amazon.