Our History

The Ball provides a friendly social context where young men and women from all over the world meet one another, have a wonderful time and form lasting friendships. The Ball was founded in 1954 by Beatrice Dinsmore Joyce and since 1983, her niece Margaret Hedberg has continued as General Chairman. For six decades, the International Debutante Ball Foundation (a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit) has partially benefitted over 50 charities.

Daughters and granddaughters of United States Presidents and United States representatives have included the three granddaughters and four great-granddaughters of President Eisenhower, both daughters and one granddaughter of President Nixon, two granddaughters of President Johnson and one granddaughter of President Bush, as well as daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm Steve Forbes Jr., and Mr. and Mrs. Christopher C. Forbes. Families of ambassadors, nobility, as well as businessmen and women have all attended the Ball.

While the majority of the debutantes come from the United States, each year about one fourth of the young women come from abroad and form lasting friendships with their American counterparts. In total, seventy-five countries have been represented at the Ball, with France, England, Italy and Germany being represented most frequently.

This year the Ball will be held in the beautiful Plaza Hotel in New York City. The evening begins with the receiving line, where guests meet the debutantes and press and candid photos are taken. Cocktails are then served. After dinner and dancing in the Ballroom, each debutante is presented, one at a time, accompanied by a young man in white tie and tails. As the debutante walks down the center of the Ballroom to make her bow, the orchestra plays a song appropriate to the country or state represented.