band plays while the guests eat. At 2100 the Commandant leads the cadets to the dance floor for formal dancing. At midnight the Commandant leaves, escorted by the senior staff, and the night goes from formal dinner to an informal party until 2am. Decorations The Ball is typically decorated over five days and includes sleighs, reindeer, ice sculptures and decorative curtains. The aim is to transform what is ordinarily a gym into a ballroom, so all aspects of the gym are converted, from removing the equipment to covering all walls in black curtains. References Royal Military College of Canada