Vienna residents kick off carnival season with a public dance

Hundreds of people gathered in the center of Vienna, Austria, to perform a public quadrille dance at the Graben to open the carnival season.

Participants followed the instructions of local dance teachers to learn the main steps of the traditional dance. Karin Lemberger, president of the Association of Viennese Dance Schools, said the event grew from a small opening into a highlight of the ball season. While many people plan to attend, spontaneous passersby also join the dance.

Organizers expect 600,000 visitors to attend the season of balls, which they say is the maximum capacity for the city's available dates and locations.