MOSCOW (AP) — Military school students from across Russia lined up to dance Tuesday at an annual cadet ball in Moscow that blends patriotism with imperial-style grandeur.

The organizers said that the fourth International Kremlin Cadet Ball also drew students from Belarus, Kazakhstan, and two regions of eastern Ukraine controlled by Russia-backed separatists.

Adolescent participants wore dress uniforms and gowns while dancing traditional routines to classical music, a nod to czarist Russia's splendor.

Organizers said Tuesday's ball involved about 1,500 students.

The ball is sponsored by the Defense Ministry as part of government efforts to revive patriotic traditions.