Editing Prom (section)

====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.]]