DER BALL Gets Karlsruhe Moving

Dance, encounters, and an anniversary: A social highlight marking KIT’s 200th anniversary
Silhouettes of a dancing couple in vibrant purple, pink, and blue colors with "Der Ball" text. KIT
DER BALL, a new social highlight in Karlsruhe, celebrated KIT’s 200th birthday with its inaugural event on November 9, 2025.

With a festive dance evening on November 9, 2025, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the City of Karlsruhe celebrated a special anniversary: 200 years of KIT. As a new event format, DER BALL served as a symbol for encounter, movement, and community. After a long hiatus – the last opera ball was held in 2016 – Karlsruhe once again hosted such an event. DER BALL was initiated by the City of Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe Trade Fair, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Badisches Staatstheater, TechnologieRegion Karlsruhe, and the event company u-motions. With around 1,800 guests, DER BALL was sold out.

Two large dance floors featuring classical rhythms and Latin American sounds

“This was a wonderful and lively evening. I hope that DER BALL will become a permanent fixture in Karlsruhe’s event calendar. I was especially pleased that the anniversary ‘200 years of KIT’ was the central theme of this inaugural ball,” said Professor Jan S. Hesthaven, President of KIT.

Across two large dance floors – one in the Schwarzwaldhalle and one in the adjoining Gartenhalle – the focus was on dancing and social exchange. The Uni-Tanzorchester Karlsruhe of KIT created a vibrant atmosphere in the Schwarzwaldhalle with Discofox and classical rhythms, while the band Puente Latino thrilled guests in the Gartenhalle with Latin American sounds. Interviews, dance performances by professional dancers, and acrobatic acts rounded out the program. The concept was well received: guests danced and celebrated into the early hours of the morning.

cko/jho, November 10, 2025