Editing Prom (section)

===Europe===
{{Unreferenced section|date=August 2013}}

====Albania====
In Albania, "mbrëmja e maturës", as graduation night, is the event held at the end of the senior year. Every school organizes it independently and the event usually takes place in June or July.

====Benelux====
In Belgium, as well as in some parts of the Netherlands, senior students celebrate their last 100 days of high school with a special day called ''Chrysostomos'' or ''100-dagen feest'' ("100-days party"). Tradition states that on this winter day, seniors are allowed to pull pranks on their teachers and fellow students. Some schools handle a theme as dresscode, while others go for the traditional outfit: blue jeans, a black cotton jacket, a black hat (with a red or blue ribbon), and a whistle around the neck. Some even paint their faces and some seniors also carry a spray can (shaving cream or other fluids) to "attack" the non-seniors with. A noisy march through town is also part of the gig. Later during the day, students perform an act at school, usually a silly show involving school or a parody. In the evening, students head to a rented club to party. This involves dancing, singing, and plenty of beer to get a taste of fraternity life. Sometimes even teachers join the party to show that they too have a wild side. In the Netherlands, households where a child who has passed their high school exams often hang the student's backpack on a flagpole which is attached to the front of the house.

====Bulgaria====
In Bulgaria, the ball is called ''abiturientski bal'' and is held at the end of 12th grade, when you are aged 18/19. Preparations for the ball begin at the end of the 11th grade, because students are supposed to organize the whole event. It is celebrated in May, mainly on the 23rd, 24th, or 25th, after finishing exams. Students can bring a date to the event which is usually held in a restaurant or a club. Usually, before the main event there is a big gathering in front of the high school's building, where graduates count to 12 (as in 12 grades) and take photos with each other before going to the restaurant called ''izprashtane'' ("farewell send off"). At the main event in the restaurant/hotel, there is music, usually pop and retro. Students are free to dance with whomever they want, even if they have come with a date. The school director and the 12th-grade teachers are also sometimes invited. There is usually an afterparty at a dance club. Some people even organize a second afterparty. After the prom night, students usually go on an excursion together for 3 to 5 days. The popular destinations are the [[Black Sea]] coast and Turkey. The event is often associated with excess in drinking and having sex.

====Czech Republic====
In the Czech Republic, the last year in ''[[Gymnasium (school)|Gymnasium]]'' is celebrated with ''maturitní ples'' ("graduation ball"). This ball takes place before exams are taken, usually in January or February, the traditional season for balls during the ''[[Carnival in Germany, Switzerland and Austria|Fasching]]'' (e.g., [[List of balls in Vienna]]). Normally, balls are formal but modern elements are included, too. The students invite their parents, other relatives, and friends to come to the ball with them. The balls usually have a theme and the classes perform choreographed dance routines at the beginning or during the evening. The students also receive a ribbon. It's common that various artists are invited to perform at the ball, ranging from fireshow performers to famous celebrities. At midnight, the classes perform a "midnight surprise performance" – typically some sort of funny act. Sometimes several schools organize a joint event. The income is often used to finance a collective voyage of the students after the exams.
[[File:Maturalna zabava u Čakovcu 2023.jpg|thumb|A matriculation dinner in [[Čakovec]], [[Croatia]], 2023.]]
====Former Yugoslavia====
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia and Serbia, ''maturalna večer'', ''maturska večer'' or ''matursko veče'', as graduation night, is the event held at the end of the senior year. In Croatia, it is sometimes held in January or February.

====Denmark====
In Denmark, the prom is called ''galla'' and takes place before the exams begin. The word ''galla'' refers to the dress code which is dresses for the women and suits for the men. The prom in Denmark is well known for keeping the traditional dance [[Les Lanciers]], where the third graders of high school (the seniors) start the whole dance, then the 1st and 2nd graders join later on (the high school, called "gymnasium" in Denmark, is three years).

====Estonia====
In Estonia, the equivalent of the prom is often called ''Saja päeva ball''. The event takes place 100 days prior to graduation and may be organized with several schools altogether. Students can dance but other events may be involved, too, besides ballroom dancing. The clothes are much the same kind as in the proms of other countries.

====Finland====
[[Image:Vanhain tanssit ransk koulussa.jpg|thumb|right|''Vanhojen tanssit'' in the [[Lycée franco-finlandais d'Helsinki]], a [[French people|Franco]]-[[Finnish people|Finnish]] school in [[Helsinki]], Finland|219x219px]]
In Finland, the equivalent of the prom is called ''vanhojen tanssit'' (senior ball). The event is held in February when third-year high school students (the ''abi'') end regular classes in order to prepare for their final ''[[abitur]]'' exams, and the second year students become the oldest in the school. For the remainder of the school year, the second-year students are called ''vanhat'' ("the old", or " the seniors").

For the ball, the second-year students learn 10–15 formal dances, mostly old ballroom dances such as the [[mazurka]] or a [[polonaise]]. Lately, some schools have begun to allow students to perform their own choreographies with their chosen music, after or in between the old ballroom dances.

In the past, the style was to dress in Victorian gowns and in an old-fashioned way, but these days the attire is similar to U.S. proms. Usually, girls wear a long princess gown or a ball gown and the boys wear a black suit.
After the ball, the students sometimes attend a dinner in the evening, which is sometimes in a very formal restaurant. Students typically throw a party in the evening to celebrate further.

====France====
[[File:Couple of students in Paris.jpg|thumb|upright|Couple of students in Paris, 2013.]]

In France, high school students have only recently experienced prom. On June 27, 2013, more than 300 students in Paris, France held a prom.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leparisien.fr/espace-premium/paris-75/un-bal-de-promo-solidaire-27-06-2013-2931837.php|title=Un bal de promo solidaire|date=27 June 2013|work=leparisien.fr}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.raje.fr/archives2/3202-decouverte-the-bal-de-promo-solidaire |title=RAJE - les sons d'aujourd'hui et de demain - Radio, musique, information, culture - DECOUVERTE -- the bal de promo solidaire |access-date=2013-10-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029202657/http://www.raje.fr/archives2/3202-decouverte-the-bal-de-promo-solidaire |archive-date=2013-10-29 }}</ref> Event planning company White-Tie-Affair partnered up with multiple local companies to host the [[:fr:Bal de promo|"Solidarity Prom Ball"]] charity gala. Food, drinks, venue, limousine,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.donnons-leur-une-chance.org/bal-de-promo-solidaire.html |title=Bal de Promo Solidaire - Donnons leur une chance |access-date=2013-10-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029204008/http://www.donnons-leur-une-chance.org/bal-de-promo-solidaire.html |archive-date=2013-10-29 }}</ref> as well as gift bags were sponsored by the different companies and provided for the students for free. On top of that, famous French music groups Psy4 de la Rime and Alibi Montana were the guest performance of the evening. All proceeds from the students' entrance fee were donated to Donnons Leur Une Chance, a French non-profit organization<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.donnons-leur-une-chance.org/qui-sommes-nous.html|title=Qui sommes nous?|work=Donnons leur une chance}}</ref> that will help realize educational projects.

====Germany and Austria====
In Germany (and Austria), students celebrate their graduation from [[high school]], or [[Gymnasium (school)|Gymnasium]], with an '''Abifeier''' (from the graduation certificate or [[Abitur]]) or '''Maturaball''' (in Austria, the graduation exam is called [[Matura#Austria|Matura]]). In Germany, the events are informal and usually contain a series of student-organized activities that tend to make fun of teachers, sometimes with an extended [[hagiography]] about the favorite teacher. In Austria, the Maturaball is formal and can be seen as a synergy of proms and cotillions and often are highlights of the regional ball season (between November and the end of Carnival) referencing the glamour of the great ball tradition of the former [[Austria-Hungary|Austrian-Hungarian monarchy]]. More like the prom is the German '''Abiball''', that follows the official graduation ceremony. Here the students usually wear suits and ball gowns. The Abiball often follows a certain order with a welcome, introductions, an award ceremony for students, and sometimes an extended demonstration of all of the artistic outpourings of the students and staff. This is followed by a band (sometimes the school's own band, if there is any) or a DJ playing music, usually starting with a [[waltz]] before moving on to other dancing. Alcohol is available at these events since the [[Alcohol laws in Germany|legal drinking age in Germany]] is 16 (for beer and wine), and most graduating students are 18 or older.

====Hungary====
In Hungary, students receive a ribbon to mark the beginning of the preparation for their graduation. Students receive this ribbon at a ball called "szalagavató", meaning the "inauguration of ribbons". Many of the students wear this ribbon on their jackets or shirts until graduation. This prom-like evening dance is traditionally held in the ball season of January–February, but November-December has gained popularity in recent years as well. At the beginning of the ball, after a short speech by the headteacher, each student gets the ribbon from their form teacher who pins it on their jacket or dress. Then a series of choreographed dances begin, which the students learned during the months leading up to the event. The first one is traditionally a dance called "palotás" (palace dance) performed by students from different classes, then each graduating class performs their own class dance, and finally, there's a waltz, which is also performed by students from different classes. Occasionally, the teachers of the school perform a dance as well. After the ball of the evening organized by the school, students usually go out at night to drink to bars and discos, even if some of them are below the drinking age (18 in Hungary).

After they graduate, each class has its own party (without choreographed dances) usually at a restaurant, where their teachers are also invited. This is called ''érettségi bankett'' (graduation banquet).

====Ireland====
In most of the [[Republic of Ireland]], a school leavers' dance is called a "[[Debs (ball)|Debs]]" or "[[Debs and grads|Grads]]", except in [[County Donegal]], where, similar to most of the rest of [[Ulster]], it is usually called "the Prom" or "the Formal". In girls' schools, it is commonly referred to as a Debs (short for "[[Debutante ball]]", though less formal than the high-society event sharing that name in other countries), and in boys' and coeducational schools, it may be referred to as a Grads or Grad (short for [[graduation]]). It is typically a formal dance for students who are graduating from [[Secondary school in the Republic of Ireland|secondary school (high school) in Ireland]] and is traditionally held between September and October. Alcohol is almost always served at these events, with a meal also being common.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/debs-ball-ruled-unirish-by-licence-judge-26173965.html |title='Debs' ball' ruled un-Irish by licence judge|last=Healy|first=Tim|date=1998-09-12|work=The Irish Independent|access-date=2018-12-17}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite news|url=http://trinitynews.ie/head-to-head-debs-balls/|title=Head to Head: Debs' Balls |last1=Costello|first1=Roisin|date=November 2, 2010|work=Trinity News|access-date=20 July 2015|last2=Clarkin |first2=Sarah}}</ref>

====Lithuania====
In Lithuania, the prom is held after final exams, usually the same day when high school diplomas are presented. The event is called ''išleistuvės''.

====Norway====
In Norway, this event varies from school to school. It is usually held during the winter months, and is often called "Nyttårsball" which means "the new years ball." The students are not allowed to bring people from outside the school. In Norway, it is the norm to have proms for 8th, 9th, and 10th graders at Norwegian middle school, and most of the time, there is no division between formal and grad – students can attend in whatever clothing they choose, such as traditional knee-long dresses.

====Poland====
The Polish equivalent of the prom (''[[studniówka]]'') is a very popular event held each year throughout the country; the word itself means "of or relating to 100 days". Most schools organize such an event about 100 days before the ([[matura]]) exam session. The first dance of the prom is the traditional Polish [[polonaise]]. In the past, the dress code for the ''[[studniówka]]'' was the same as for final exams, i.e. a white blouse or shirt with a dark skirt or trousers. As opposed to the ''[[studniówka]]'', formal attire is required for the so-called Grand Ball ("bal maturalny"), held after graduation. Nowadays, as Grand Balls are rare, the ''[[studniówka]]'' has adopted a formal dress code.

====Portugal====
In Portugal, there was no prom tradition. However, during the last few years schools have adopted such a celebration. Usually, they happen before the end of the school year, in May or June, and are called "Baile de Finalistas" (Finalist's Ball). Male students customarily wear [[Suit|business suits]] with [[Necktie|dress ties]] or optionally semi-formal [[black tie]], while female students typically wear [[dress]]es or [[evening gown]]s, although most schools do not enforce a strict dress code beyond "vaguely formal". It is usually organized by a student association, elected at the beginning of the school year by the students to organize school events.

Although it happens in the majority of the country, on [[Madeira|Madeira Island]] the tradition is a bit different. Instead of having the prom at the end of the year, the seniors have a ceremony called "Benção das Capas" (Cape's Blessing), where they all use suits, including the girls, and a cape that is blessed by the city's cardinal. Afterward, the students have dinner with their friends and family and then go to the prom. However, this prom isn't formal, it ends up being similar to a club but in a different location, although sometimes it may happen at a club. Such a location is chosen by the student association. This ceremony ends up being very similar to one that the Portuguese students have when they finish college. The students only have a date to attend the first ceremony and they tend to go to the prom as groups.

====Romania====
In Romania, distinct proms are held each year in high schools and college for both the graduating students as well as the newly enrolled ones. They are called graduation balls and freshmen ("boboci", meaning "hatchlings" in Romanian) balls, respectively. They are usually not black tie (informal). The venue is chosen by the teaching staff and can be any place, including the school gym or auditorium, a club, or a restaurant. It is common to charge students an admission tax in order to offset the cost. One or more bands or singers are usually hired to provide entertainment. Often the event is sponsored by local businesses. Access is usually controlled and limited to students of that particular high school or university, but exceptions can be made for relatives and it is not uncommon for students from other institutions to try to crash a particular prom. Freshmen proms usually include a popularity contest of some sort, which designates 3 girls and 3 boys as places I, II and III "most popular" as chosen by student vote; the candidates have to undergo various entertaining challenges, which usually include pair dancing. Generally speaking, freshmen proms are the more popular, with college freshmen proms often being publicized as club events and promoted by radio stations, who take the opportunity to introduce bands and singers. Whereas graduation proms are more subdued and often not a public or even a school-wide event, many graduating classes choosing to restrict attendance just to the actual graduates and their teachers.

====Belarus and Russia====
[[File:Московский выпускной — 2017 в Парке Горького 7.jpg|thumb|Students at a prom in [[Moscow]], Russia.]]
In Belarus and Russia proms are called "Vypusknоi vechеr" (''Выпускной вечер''), which literally means "graduation evening". They take place from the 18th to the 20th or the 23rd to the 25th of June, after the state exams are completed. Proms are never held on the 21st/22nd because they took place on June 21 in 1941, but on the 22nd all graduates were drafted to fight the [[Operation Barbarossa|German invasion]] during [[World War II]]. First, all graduates receive their diplomas. Students with higher marks receive them first. Afterward, the prom continues as a school ball, traditionally with classic dances. Students may choose restaurants, cafes, or ships rather than school grounds to hold the events. Proms may be held in a [[discothèque]], but it must start with the school waltz. At the conclusion of the prom evening, it is tradition to walk the whole night and watch the sunrise in the morning (on a hill, if applicable, in Moscow&nbsp;– [[Sparrow Hills]]).

====Slovakia====
In Slovakia, the closest thing to prom is Stužková, an occasion when the seniors get together with their parents, partners and teachers to celebrate their upcoming graduation. It takes place in November or December. Each of the students receives a green ribbon with their name on it (thus the name ''Stužková'', the "Ribbon Ball"). The principal and the class teacher are given big green ribbons as well. Many of the students wear this ribbon on their jackets or shirts until graduation. Stužková typically includes a banquet, skits and songs prepared by students, as well as dancing. Men wear formal suits and women formal dresses. One week before Stužková is a ceremony of Pečatenie triednej knihy (Sealing of the grades book) so that teachers will not be able to give tests or do examinations of the students until Stužková. It is connected with some story and recorded on camera and then used as a part of the video of Stužková. It usually starts at 6 p.m. and ends in the early hours of the next morning (4a.m.).

====Slovenia====
In Slovenia, the equivalent is Maturantski ples. It is held before the final exams between January and May, depending on the region and school. Students can bring dates and/or close family to the ball. It is a custom that each student dances the last dance of the first sequence, a Vienna Walzer, with his mother/her father. There is also a dinner and live music.

====Spain====
In some places in Spain, proms are also celebrated as after-school parties. These parties are commonly called "fiestas de graduación", which can be translated as "graduation parties".

====Sweden====
In Sweden, this kind of event is usually known as "Studentbalen". The word "Studentbalen" is a [[proper noun]] meaning ''"The Student Ball,"'' while the word studentbal is a [[common noun]] that can refer to any formal dinner and dance at a Swedish university. Studentbalen is usually held during the final weeks before graduating and can be formal.

====Switzerland====
The Swiss equivalent of a prom is the ''bal de printemps''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ypulse.com/swiss-teens-celebrate-spring-with-bal-de-printemps |title=Swiss Teens Celebrate Spring With 'Bal de Printemps' |publisher=Ypulse |date=2009-04-28 |access-date=2010-03-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724004140/http://www.ypulse.com/swiss-teens-celebrate-spring-with-bal-de-printemps |archive-date=2011-07-24 }}</ref> Literally translated, this is a "Spring Ball."  At some schools in the German-speaking cantons, it is called "Maturaball." This is not always organized by the schools, but sometimes by a student's committee. It takes the most part before the final exams.

====Ukraine====
In Ukraine, prom is called "Vypusknyi vechir" or simply "vypusknyi" (''Випускний вечір'' or simply ''Випускний''), which literally means "graduation evening". The date is defined by a school,;<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kmu.gov.ua/storage/app/media/uploaded-files/ministerstva-osviti-i-nauki-ukraini-pro-organizovane-zavershennya-2017-2018-nr-ta-osoblivosti-provedennya-dpa-u-zakladakh-zagalnoi-serednoi-osviti.pdf|title=Ministerstva osviti i nauki Ukraini pro organizovane zavershennya 2017-2018 : Nr ta osoblivosti provedennya dpa u zakladakh zagalnoi serednoi osviti|page=1|website=Kmu.gov.ua|access-date=15 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://ua.censor.net.ua/news/3048957/daty_vypusknyh_vechoriv_ta_ostannih_dzvinkiv_vyznachaye_shkola_samostiyino_lyst_minosvity_dokument|title=Дати випускних вечорів та останніх дзвінків визначає школа самостійно, - лист Міносвіти. ДОКУМЕНТ|website=Ua.censor.net.ua|date=6 February 2018 |access-date=18 November 2018}}</ref> usually any date from late May to mid-June. Usually, "vypusknyi" consists of two parts. The first one called "urochysta chastyna" (''урочиста частина'', that means "solemn part"), during which graduates receive their diplomas and certificates of honor for exceptional achievements during studying. The first part is conducted in the first part of the day, while the second part usually starts in the evening. The time between the two parts is used to walk around a city and take some pictures. The second part, "neofitsiyna chastyna" (''неофіційна частина'', that means "informal part"), starts as a school ball, but after a round of waltz, it transforms into a conventional party. The venue of the second part is determined by graduates and their parents; usually, it takes place in school, cafe, restaurant, on a boat or at the country. Traditionally, the second part is attended by graduates, their parents, and teachers. However, school teachers and parents don't mix with graduates. The second part ends with sunrise. Usually, each city has one or a few locations that are the most popular for watching a sunrise. That is why schools try not to have proms on the same date.