Code of conduct

Good to know

Traditionally, all ball guests have a partner at the table that they are sitting at. Generally, there is one lady dinner partner and one gentleman partner. However, this is not always the case. The terms have therefor been changed to left partner (trad. gentleman partner) and right partner (trad. lady partner). The left partner helps their right partner by pulling out their chair.

It is considered poor form for the left partner to at any point put down their glass before their table right. Spontaneous toasts are to be avoided to keep up the atmosphere during the ball. The napkin should be placed in your lap and no elbows should be resting on the table.

If you bring a bag, it should not be on the table. Place it instead on your lap or hang it on the back of the chair. Utensils are usually placed so you work your way toward the plate, beginning with the outermost fork and knife.

It is considered especially rude to leave the table during the ball, but if this can't be avoided it should be done in a manner as to not disturb the other guests. Always wait until any speeches or similar is done before entering the hall again, as to not disturb the speaker or guests.

You do not smoke until after the ball has ended.

How do you toast?

Cheers, no roar!

Right dinner partner:

During a ball you toast, if you are the right dinner partner, by first lifting your glass with your right hand and turning to the left towards your left dinner partner. Lift the glass for a toast, but without the glasses touching each other! Then to the right towards your neighbor and lift the glass. After this, you raise the glass to the person sitting in front of you, lower it again and take a sip. Then you do the same thing again but in reverse: opposite, right, left. You have now performed a toast.

Left dinner partner:

During a ball you toast, if you are the left dinner partner, by first raising your glass with your left hand and turning to the right towards your right dinner partner. Lift the glass for a toast, but without the glasses touching each other! Then to the right towards your neighbor and lift the glass. After this, you raise the glass to the person sitting in front of you, lower it again and take a sip. Then the same but in the other direction: straight ahead, left, right.

ATTENTION!

What makes it clever for table left and table right is that you must always have an "open embrace" towards the person you are toasting with. That is, you must switch hands between right and left so that you hold the glass in the hand furthest from the one you are toasting with.

Still feels messy? Just keep calm! It usually works out on the spot how you should go about it, and if it doesn't, you have a given topic of conversation!

General rules, apply regardless of clothing.

If the participant has long hair, this should be put up. It can preferably be done with some set that can include a nice hair ornament, a nice comb or the like. All hair does not have to be completely up, so if you want to leave some curls, that is allowed. Shorter hair should be well groomed and cared for.

If you need to take a bag with you, it should be small and tidy. It must not be placed on the table during the meal, but should preferably be held in the lap or hung on the chair.

Something that can be fun for all participants to wear during the evening is the UTN hat.

All participants can also wear ribbons.