How to Select Music for a Debutante Ball

By eHow Parties & Entertaining Editor

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Having a debutante ball is an important time in a young woman's life. It is the night she is officially presented to society and considered a true young lady. This occasion has traditionally been an upscale and elegant affair, consisting of good food, first-class attire and excellent ballroom music. For modern parents, it may be somewhat challenging to select the right type of music for a debutante ball, unless they have been through the process before.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Select Music for a Debutant Ball

Step1

Choose between having a DJ or hiring a local orchestra. Both have their pros and cons. DJs may be more versatile due to their large CD collections, but a small orchestra is classy and elegant.

Step2

Stick mainly with traditional ballroom music. This doesn't mean you're stuck with music from the 1700s, though. Your play list can include everything from classical to swing.

Step3

Ask your DJ or orchestra to vary the genre throughout the evening. While it's fine for them to play more than one or two songs from the same genre back to back, having a half-hour or more dedicated to an entire genre may become boring to the young adults.

Step4

Have copies of special songs you definitely want played during the evening. For orchestras, you can pick up copies of the sheet music and give it to them well in advance. Otherwise, you'll have to cross your fingers in hope that the DJ has your song or the orchestra is familiar with it.

Step5

Consider having the DJ play more contemporary music toward the end of the night. This is a fairly common practice for a debutante ball today, and it allows both adults and young adults the chance to experience an even wider variety of music.

Tips & Warnings

Ask your DJ or orchestra if they have black or white tie wear available. The orchestra is likely to have it, but the DJ may not. You'll want your entertainment to be smartly dressed so they blend in with the surroundings.
Audition any DJ or orchestra you're considering before you select one. Since this will be live music, it's extremely important that the entertainers can actually live up to their promises. Having a rehearsal or audition before the debutant ball may put your mind at ease.
Draft a list of songs you would prefer to have played during the debutant ball. This will give prospective entertainers a good idea of what you're looking for.