Medieval Ball

Hear ye, hear ye! On the fourth day of December, in the year 2026, the French invite you to a grand medieval ball in their little fiefdom of South Kensington.

Knights and ladies, minstrels and magicians, noblemen and commoners are invited to cross the Channel — and the centuries — for an evening of music, dancing and revelry. No conquest intended.

Come dressed in your finest medieval attire and compete for the title of best-dressed guest. Lancelot or Morgan le Fay, Robin Hood or Richard the Lionheart, Esmeralda or Eleanor of Aquitaine: the choice is yours!

An extraordinary gathering of performers will bring the festivities to life. Meet Jax the Jester, a wandering juggler or Sidonie the Witch, who will read your tarot cards and reveal what the future holds.

Fresh from a performance at the Royal Albert Hall, French singer IRIS, a finalist on The Voice France in 2024, will enchant guests with medieval songs. British-Burundian bard Muco, accompanied by his inanga, will breathe new life into traditional songs and ballads in Middle and Old English.

Dancer and choreographer Emma Poyer, currently touring internationally with Marina Abramović’s Balkan Erotic Epic, will lead a special workshop introducing guests to the steps of la carole, a medieval communal dance.

As the evening unfolds, the Middle Ages will give way to more contemporary rhythms. DJ Florian Sailer will take to the decks, while VJ Kelly Budges transforms the walls of the French Institute with spectacular visuals.