Academic dances and rehearsals

The academic dances create an impressive and festive atmosphere for the third day of the promotion. The dance tradition consists of partner dances as well as impressive figure dances such as the Masters’ Contredanse Française and the Doctor's Polonaise.

Dance opportunities are available to everyone, but the dances you can take part in depend on your role in the conferment. For accessibility information, please contact the conferment committee.
The Masters' contredance française and the Doctoral polonaise

Masters’ Contredanse Française

The Contredanse Française is a 7-part figure dance for the young Masters, and participating in it requires commitment to attend all the practice sessions (unforeseeable events can of course be exempted). Because the pairs dance opposite each other, it makes practicing the dance extremely difficult if your opposing pair is missing. Likewise, if the opposing pair drops out, it also means that the other pair cannot participate in the whole dance. You must attend the first practice session in order to participate in the dance. We will be teaching the other academic dances during the dance rehearsals for the Masters’ Contredanse Française as well, so you don’t need to attend the general dance rehearsals if you are participating in the Contredance Française.

  • Kenelle: The Master’s française and its rehearsals are open to Master’s graduands and their accompanying partners. Only those Master’s graduands and partners who have attended the rehearsals may dance the Master’s française at the conferment. Having a companion beforehand is not an absolute requirement for participating in the Masters’ Contredanse Française. It is possible to find oneself a dance partner among those who have no companions at the first dance rehearsals.
  • When: In March, April and May.
  • Dress code: Informal clothing and indoor shoes.

Doctoral Polonaise

  • Who: All newly conferred doctors (excluding jubilee and honorary doctors). Participation in the polonaise at the ball is possible even without attending the rehearsals. The polonaise is familiar to many from upper secondary school dances, and an instructional video may also be used for support.
  • When: Doctors rehearse their own polonaise on the general rehearsal day, Monday 18 May. Before that, it is possible to practise other academic dances at the general dance rehearsals.
  • Dress code: Informal clothing. Wearing the same dance shoes as for the ball is recommended.
The General Dance Rehearsals

At the general dance rehearsals, academic dances are practised. The academic dances included in the conferment are the following, all of which can be practised either at the general dance rehearsals or independently at home using instructional videos.

1) Mignon
2) Cicapo
3) Pompadour
4) Krakowiak 
5) Pas d’Espagne 
6) Grande valse

  • Who: All participants in the conferment are welcome to attend the general dance rehearsals.
  • When and where: See the Events page.
  • Accessibility: To be announced later.
  • Dress code: No dress code. Wearing the same dance shoes as for the formal events is recommended.

You can also familiarise yourself with the dances independently using the playlist available on the University’s YouTube channel.