First-years may have heard about Conversat Ball as ‘the classiest, most formal event of the year’, or, ‘another one of those stupid Trinity traditions.’ Upper years may think ‘oh wow, again?’ or ‘I hope I remember what happens at this one’. But what is Conversat Ball? After scouring through the 1952 Special Centennial Issue of the Trinity Review, and some very old Lit documents stored in the Trinity Archives, one can piece together the evolution of this grand event.
The event began back in the late 1800s (1869, according to rumours) as the annual Conversazione (Italian for ‘conversation’), a social meeting meant to enjoy art and music organized by a committee of the Trinity College Literary Institute. However, in 1883, a one or two daring (inebriated) couples took the floor of the Convocation Hall at old Trinity and chose to dance. Despite the initial opposition by Provost Body, dancing became an official part of the event. In its earlier years, the annual Conversazione was one of the biggest events of the Toronto calendar. Labelled by the Trinity Review as ‘the greatest Conversat’, the 1891 Conversat featured high-profile guests including Governor-General Lord Stanley and this attracted around 1400 attendees. The following few Conversats were so crowded and went on for so long that they decided to cancel the 1898 Ball.
After a hiatus during the First World War, Conversat came back as the most dazzling event at Trinity. In those days, Provosts, Professors and dignitaries would attend the Ball. In fact, Lester B. Pearson was a guest-of-honour at a past Conversat. Yet, budgets were very small. One budget found in the archives totaled all of $60 (Tickets: $25 and Publicity: $35), as opposed to the complex five digit budgets of our day. Past themes for the Ball include Alice in Wonderland, Star Wars and Dallas (the T.V. series). Interestingly, as the annual Conversazione became more of a night of merriment for the men and women of College, the senior crowd stopped attending the Ball in the late 1900s. The Conversat Rush has only become a permanent fixture of the calendar in recent times, to ease the process for the men of college to find a date for the big night. In the past, Conversat committees have published themed newsletters for Conversat week filled with humour and reviews for nearby restaurants, late-night cafes, and pizza places to visit during the week. In recent years, many traditions such as Conversat Bowl, coffee house, and movie nights have been added to the calendar to reflect changing times. Conversat Ball has transformed much since its 1870s Conversazione days, but it is still the most anticipated event at Trinity College.