Studniówka () is a traditional
ball
A ball is a round object (usually spherical, but can sometimes be ovoid) with several uses. It is used in ball games, where the play of the game follows the state of the ball as it is hit, kicked or thrown by players. Balls can also be used f ...
for final grade
high school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
(''
liceum
The lyceum is a category of educational institution defined within the education system of many countries, mainly in Europe. The definition varies among countries; usually it is a type of secondary school. Generally in that type of school the ...
'' or ''
technikum'') students (i.e. aged 18–20) in
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
, analogous to senior
prom in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. It is held approximately a hundred days before the ''
matura'', or leaving exam; hence its name, which is a
Polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent
* Polish chicken
*Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...
noun formed from the adjective ''studniowy'', meaning "hundred-day" (compare ''sto dni'', "a hundred days").
The ball is usually organized by parents who also pay most of the costs. The choice of venue depends mostly on the funds – it may be the school gym, but also an expensive hotel, or even a palace or castle. The ball is attended by students and their dates, teachers, and occasionally parents.
The attire is formal; this means
suits with
necktie
A necktie, or simply a tie, is a piece of cloth worn for decorative purposes around the neck, resting under the shirt collar and knotted at the throat, and often draped down the chest.
Variants include the ascot, bow, bolo, zipper tie, cra ...
s (not
tuxedo
Black tie is a semi-formal Western dress code for evening events, originating in British and American conventions for attire in the 19th century. In British English, the dress code is often referred to synecdochically by its principal element fo ...
s) for boys, and
evening gowns for girls. Additionally, girls may don red
lingerie underneath, which is believed to bring good luck at the exams; boys may also wear red
underpants, but this is less common.
''Studniówka'' customarily starts with a dinner, usually followed by a toast with
champagne. This is normally the first occasion when students and their teachers officially drink alcohol together.
The first dance is almost invariably a
polonaise
The polonaise (, ; pl, polonez ) is a dance of Polish origin, one of the five Polish national dances in time. Its name is French for "Polish" adjective feminine/"Polish woman"/"girl". The original Polish name of the dance is Chodzony, meani ...
, which students usually have to practice before the ball, followed by more modern dances. A popular competition during the party is a contest for the one who can dance longest holding his partner in the arms. During this contest, the tiniest girls around are particularly popular with boys.
Apart from the red underwear, the ball may be associated with many other superstitious practices, such as jumping on one leg around a monument – all of which are supposed to help students pass their ''matura''.
External links
2 LO w Głogowie a small gallery of pictures taken at a typical ''studniówka'' in a
Głogów high school. Note students and teachers dancing polonaise, as well as girls showing off their red garters.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Studniowka
Polish traditions
School dances
Youth culture in Poland
Education in Poland