Tradition

Emperor Nicholas II absorbed the Russian character of his father from childhood. and he continued the tradition of "historical" dances, it was a demonstration of ideological continuity.

The great masquerade ball held in the Winter Palace in 1903 was the last great ball of the Empire, remembered by contemporaries. Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich wrote in the Memoirs of him:

“On January 22, 1903, 'all' Petersburg danced in the Winter Palace. I remember exactly this date, as it was the last great court ball in the history of the empire.”

Let's clarify that there were great balls in the Winter Palace afterwards, but it was this ball that went down in history as "the last ball of the Empire".