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[[quoteright:350:[[ComicBook/BatmanEarthOne https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ballroom_blitz.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:"Just once I'd like to go to a charity event where this ''doesn't'' happen!"]]

->''"The party I went to was so fancy I thought a ComicBook/SpiderMan villain would come crashing through the skylight!"''
-->-- '''Creator/TinaFey'''

For whatever reason, there's a dance or a dinner, or a party of ''some'' kind, going on — be it a snooty royal or noble ball, a school dance or a [[WeddingSmashers wedding]], or maybe a particularly large birthday party. If it's a more formal occasion, pretty much everyone is dressed up. There's a fairly good chance that if our heroes have been invited, the BigBad or his {{mooks}} are quite likely to invite themselves; be assured something catastrophic and violent is going to occur, usually in the vicinity of either the entrance or the dance floor. Conversely, the hero may break into the bad guy's party; a party after some evil action done before would prove their LackOfEmpathy.

In most circumstances everyone will be unarmed, except maybe the guards (if they even have them). Cue panicked screams, and the ActionGirl complaining about having to fight in a dress... [[ActionDressRip until she rips the hem off]]. [[KickingAssInAllHerFinery Then watch out.]]

May overlap with AFeteWorseThanDeath. The subtrope WeddingSmashers is for fights happening during a wedding party specifically. If the hero is wealthy enough, he may end up PayingForTheActionScene out of generosity. See ExcuseMeComingThrough for the general trope of fights, shootouts, or chases occurring in a public space.

Incidentally, while there can be '''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3_NntYhzV4 blood on the dance floor]]''' here, that term will take you to VampireDance instead.

----

!!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Advertising]]
* PlayedForLaughs in a SuperBowlSpecial ad [[https://youtu.be/E6JjyRhfjOE celebrating 100 years]] of the [[UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball National Football League]]. It starts with a stodgy, dignified celebration with tuxedo-wearing players listening to the commissioner's speech while a ''huge'' cake, topped with a golden football, is wheeled in. The cake comes just out of reach of Marshawn Lynch, a (now retired) running back known for his SweetTooth. Lynch makes a grab for the cake, causing the football to tumble to the floor. This sets off a Pavlovian reaction among the current and former players who immediately make a dive for it. A crazed and very messy pick up game of football follows with {{Shout Out}}s to everything from Tom Brady's collection of Super Bowl rings to Peyton Manning's tendency for injuries to an improbable catch known as the "Immaculate reception." Meanwhile the three old men from the 1972 Dolphins (the only undefeated team in Super Bowl history) are [[PassThePopcorn sipping champagne and laughing at the show]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* Towards the end of the ''Literature/{{Baccano}}'' arc set in 1930, [[spoiler:Szilard tracks down Maiza]] at the party to celebrate Firo's entry into the Camorra. Machine-gunning ensues. [[spoiler:Unfortunately for Szilard, [[{{Immortality}} it generally fails to stick]].]]
* In ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'' [[TrueCompanions the gang]] go to see Farnese while she was at a ball. This being ''[[CrapsackWorld Berserk]]'', though, it doesn't end well. [[OurMonstersAreWeird Cute]] [[MegaNeko little kitties]] break into the Ballroom filled with nobles fighting against Emperor Ganishka, finally allowing Farnese to display some combat ability (and giving her a much-needed confidence boost).
* In ''Anime/TheBigO'', Roger gets invited to a masquerade ball and is given a mask to wear. Roger chooses not to put it on — good thing too, because Schwartzwald had booby-trapped the masks to spontaneously combust, turning all of the other attendants' faces, all of them high society people, into charred messes.
* Mai's arc in ''VisualNovel/{{Kanon}}'' at the prom.
* An early episode of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing'' had Lady Une try to assassinate Relena during a school formal dance, which lead to Heero going out and fighting them off in his Gundam. No fighting actually occurs inside the party, though.
* In the manga version of ''Anime/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'', [[spoiler:Ala Alba kicks off the blitz during Negi's escape from the governor's office. Unfortunately this coincides with the arrival of Cosmo Entelecheia… IN FORCE. Looks like that's it for tonight's [[DanceOfRomance dances of romances]].]]
* In ''Anime/SailorMoonCrystal'', Zoisite interrupts a masquerade ball.
* ''Manga/SoulEater'' has this in an episode when Death City is attacked and [[spoiler:[[BigBad The Kishin]] is [[SealedEvilInACan released]]]] during a party celebrating the [[ExtranormalInstitute DWMA]]'s anniversary.
%%* ''Manga/VampireKnight''
* ''Anime/YuGiOh5Ds'': Some duelist on a giant spiked bulldozer crashes some fancy party during the WRGP Arc. Aki ends up summoning her dragon and tossing him through a window.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* Pretty much guaranteed to happen at any superhero wedding. Notable examples include:
** The wedding of [[ComicBook/FantasticFour Reed Richards and Sue Storm]]. Interrupted by ''all supervillains'' Marvel had created so far (even in other comics). Fortunately, ''all other superheroes'' were invited and joined the fight.
** The wedding of Henry Pym and the Wasp, interrupted by the Circus of Crime.
** The wedding of ComicBook/GreenArrow and ComicBook/BlackCanary, which Batman lampshaded by saying that the only reason he even attended was because he knew this would happen.
* ''ComicBook/AdventureTimeGraphicNovels'': The sixth volume "Masked Mayhem" is based around a series of prank attacks against fancy dress parties thrown on Ooo's "Masquerade Day".
* ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'':
** In the story arc ''Lovers and Madmen'', the villain Jack [[spoiler:a.k.a. the soon-to-be Joker]] attacks a Museum Charity Ball to get Batman's attention.
** In the first arc of ''ComicBook/BatmanGrantMorrison'', ''ComicBook/BatmanAndSon'', a bunch of ninja Man-Bats attack a charity ball in London.
** Let's just say that if the comic is showing Bruce Wayne attending a Gotham Society event, there's a good chance this is going to happen.
** In the ComicBook/RedRobin/ComicBook/Batgirl2009 crossover Tim and Steph end up protecting Dr. Leslie Thompkins dressed in a tux and dress respectively when a group of League of Assassins ninjas try to kill the good doctor at a charity ball.
** In ''ComicBook/BatgirlYearOne'', Killer Moth and his henchmen raid the Gotham City Police Department's Million Dollar Masquerade Ball and hold everyone at gunpoint. However, ComicBook/{{Batgirl}} manages to disarm his minions and chases Moth out of the building.
** In the ''ComicBook/BatgirlRebirth'' storyline "Art of the Crime", villain Grotesque attempts to bomb an art exhibit hosted by the Gotham City Museum of Antiquities.
* In the HalloweenEpisode of ''ComicBook/JemAndTheHologramsIDW'' The Misfits decide to crash The Holograms halloween party. They get in but fail at doing anything malicious.
* ''ComicBook/LegendsOfBaldursGate'': The party makes a deal to deliver a letter to a member of parliament at a fancy party, but Delina recognises someone there as a Dragon Cultist who attacked her earlier. A fight breaks out, ending up with Delina going out a window.
* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'':
** In ''ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman1961'', Lex Luthor is throwing a party to celebrate he's finally killed off Superman for good, when ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} smashes through a wall, grabs Luthor and takes him away to be put on trial, as warning the crooks attending the crashed party that they are next.
** In ''ComicBook/TheGirlWithTheXRayMind'', Linda Danvers is attending a costume party when two costumed crooks suddenly barge in the place to steal the partygoers.
* In ''ComicBook/ThoseWhoSpeak'' it's the heroes who interrupt the party by attacking Titus.
* Franchise/WonderWoman:
** ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'': The Holliday Girls get in a brawl with Draska Nishki's spies at a fancy masquerade party.
** ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1987'': Medusa crashes a fancy state dinner at the White House, slaughtering dozens of security personnel on her way through the building before running into the Amazon contingent attending the dinner.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* ''Roleplay/CityOfChains'' has one of these. Sophia's birthday party eventually turns into a brawl when someone tries to assassinate her father. The thing is, the characters were prepared for this well ahead of time.
* In ''Fanfic/DanceWithTheDemons'', Buce Wayne and Selina Kyle's wedding gets interrupted when Selina gets shot with a poisoned dart.
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12042218/1/The-Dragon-King The Dragon King]]'', Stoick invites all of the other tribes in the archipelago to Berk where they have a meeting on how they would deal with the ever elusive "Dragon King." What happens? A masked stranger lets himself in and tells everybody that ''he'' is the Dragon King and that he had arrived to explain himself and what he wants from all of them.
* As the Mistress is going through contractions in Chapter 13 of the ''Superjail!'' fanfic ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8803490/1/Extended-Stay Extended Stay]]'' while she and the Warden are getting married, the inmates start to riot, even killing the priest in the process. Alice and Bruce are the only ones to be able to put an end to it.
** Another example of this occurs in Chapter 7 while the Warden and the Mistress are on a date.
* Subverted in the ''The Game of Three Generals,'' the third part of the ''Fanfic/ElementalChessTrilogy''. Grumman and the allies throw a ball ''hoping'' to lure Acheron into attacking, but nothing happens, making them even more anxious.
%%* In ''Naruto Veangance Revelaitons'', while Ronan and Sakura are attending the "sibone ball," Madara attacks. Ronan defeats him by mind controlling the attendees.
* ''Fanfic/TheSecretReturnOfAlexMack'': Terawatt's first encounter with Batman occurs when Poison Ivy and Bane crash a gala and the SRI team intervenes. Complete with Action Girl making a DynamicEntry through a window.
* In [[https://e-vay.tumblr.com/tagged/FPS+comic this]] ''WesternAnimation/SonicBoom'' fancomic by Creator/{{Evay}}, Tails reluctantly attempts to host a charity event. It quickly turns into this trope -- Sticks attacks the guests while declaring that they "must be cleansed of [their] hoity-toity facade", Rouge robs nearly everyone there, her and Knuckles' adopted sons get attacked by the resident RobotGirl after the younger one steals her leg, Sonic and Shadow get drunk and start doing karaoke, and the AuthorAvatar is set on fire. Amusingly, [[ArchEnemy Eggman]] is also attending the party in a PaperThinDisguise, and he comments on the chaos.
-->''"Wow. This party went to hell and I had nothing to do with it!"''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* In ''Film/BabePigInTheCity'', Babe and the other animals find themselves in the middle of a fancy party for the Metropolis Institute of Medicine when Esme and the Landlady barge in to reclaim them. When a chef claims Babe for himself, Esme tries to get him back using an improvised bungee.
* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' villains love this trope:
** ''Film/BatmanReturns'': The fancy costume party at which Bruce and Selina discover each other's identities gets interrupted explosively by the Penguin.
-->'''Penguin''': I wasn't invited. So I crashed!
** ''Film/BatmanForever'': Two-Face crashes Edward Nygma's (The Riddler's) party despite the two working together. Followed soon after by Batman.
-->'''Riddler''': Your entrance was good; his was better. The difference? ''Showmanship''.
** ''Film/BatmanAndRobin'': Bruce organizes a charity auction sale of diamonds in order to lure Mr. Freeze. Poison Ivy infiltrates the party in a pink gorilla costume, takes it off and seduces everybody with her [[LovePotion love perfume]], then Freeze crashes the party.
** ''Film/BatmanBegins'': Rā's al Ghūl and his men crash Bruce Wayne's birthday party.
** ''Film/TheDarkKnight'': The Joker and his men storm Bruce's fundraiser as they try to assassinate Harvey Dent, having succeeded in eliminating Commissioner Loeb and Judge Surrillo. This is why Bruce can't have nice things. Later, Batman goes to arrest Sal Maroni inside his own nightclub.
** Averted in ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'': Bruce Wayne does go dancing with Selina Kyle at a ball, but Bane does not attack.
** Averted again in ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'', where Bruce infiltrates Lex Luthor's party but uses stealth to steal encrypted information.
* In ''Film/BlazingSaddles'', the FinalBattle busts right out of the movie and into the studio next door, where a rehearsal for a dance number is taking place.
* ''Film/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': The original film version culminated in an attack on the senior dance by the vampire hordes.
* During the prom in ''Film/{{Carrie|1976}}'', a cruel prank causes [[PsychicPowers Carrie]] to go on a rampage and kill everyone.
* ''Film/{{Collateral}}'': Dragged out rather ridiculously when Max starts shooting in a nightclub to cause a diversion. It works, everyone starts running for the exits... and five minutes later, they're ''still'' running. [[NoOSHACompliance Best hope there's never a fire in that place...]]
* In ''Film/TheDarkCrystal'', the Podling villagers are enjoying a rowdy celebration when the Garthim bust through the walls and start capturing everyone they can grab.
* ''[[Literature/NightWatchSeries Day Watch]]'' has Yegor's birthday party, organised by the BigBad and attended by many high ranking Others (and several Russian celebrities in {{Celebrity Cameo}}s). Everything goes well, if tense, until Yegor's estranged father, [[AntiHero Anton]], bumps into a Witch he arrested years ago. A scuffle erupts, turns increasingly violent and climaxes with someone throwing a magical frag grenade that ''destroys Moscow''.
* ''Film/DieHard'', Hans Gruber and his terrorist interrupt the Nakatomi company's Christmas party to take everyone hostage.
* This happens in an early scene from ''Film/{{Downfall}}''. During the [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII Battle of Berlin]], Nazi officials and their staff are [[ScrewTheWarWerePartying throwing a party]] inside the Reich Chancellery, which is abruptly ended due to a Soviet artillery strike, forcing all the guests to evacuate.
* The big costume ball in ''Film/{{Enchanted}}'' gets interrupted due to Nerissa first pulling the poison apple thing on Giselle, and then turning into a dragon. Also makes use of AllPartOfTheShow.
* In ''Film/FiddlerOnTheRoof'', the party celebrating Tzeitel and Motel's wedding is rudely interrupted by the Cossacks, who attack without warning.
* ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheTempleOfDoom'' starts out in a fancy dinner event in Shanghai which eventually escalates into a gunfight.
* A variant happens in ''Film/{{Labyrinth}}'' when Sarah breaks free from the ballroom in her DreamSequence[=/=]LotusEaterMachine and the entire room shatters.
* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'':
** In ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'', Loki disrupts a very formal party in Germany in order to use one of the guests' eyeballs to allow the corrupted Barton to break in and steal something.
** In ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'', the Avengers have a little party at Avengers Tower, drinking and playing games like [[OnlyTheChosenMayWield trying to lift Thor's hammer]], when Ultron and his drones attack. However the trope is {{downplayed|Trope}} as most of the guests have left before the action happens.
* ''Film/MidwinterNightsDream'': During Lazar's time in the army, he looked through the window of a house and saw a group of civilians gathered around a table, singing and celebrating. He and his fellow soldiers smashed the windows with their Kalashnikovs and killed everyone in ten seconds. Lazar defected that night.
* ''Film/MissionImpossibleFallout'': A fight scene breaks out at the Parisian club between Hunt and a CarnivalOfKillers.
* In ''Film/NightOfTheCreeps'', the dance never happened because the busload of fratboys all died due to the eponymous monsters and the undead serial killer.
* In both ''Film/ThePoseidonAdventure'' and the 2006 remake ''Film/{{Poseidon}}'': The new year's eve is celebrated on a luxury cruise ship when a enormous wave hits the ship, causing the ship to capsize.
* A night of disco dancing is ruined in ''Film/{{Prom Night|1980}}'' when the killer makes himself known during the crowning of prom king and queen.
* In ''Film/ScoobyDooMonstersUnleashed''; The grand opening of a museum filled with the costumes of the crooks the Mystery Team captured, is interrupted when one of the costumes turns out to be "alive".
* ''Film/SkyHigh2005'': The final battle begins at the school dance. Unusually, the HiddenVillain was invited to it, being a student.
* In ''Film/SpyKids2IslandOfLostDreams'', a party is held for the elite of the O.S.S. but during a toast, all the adults where drugged and the waiters try to steal the Transmooker device from the president, forcing the children to fight back.
* In ''Film/SwingKids'', one swing dance party gets raided by the Hitler Jugend, leading to pandemonium as everyone tries to escape out the back. At the end of the movie, the Hitler Jugend raid another swing party, this time more prepared to apprehend everyone there. It does not end well for the partygoers.
* ''Film/TheTerminator'': The Tech Noir club gets blitzed. Luckily Kyle was able to "Zero" the T-800 as a result.
* The [[CallBack End]] [[Film/{{Tron}} of]] [[VerbalTic Line]] Club in ''Film/TronLegacy'' becomes a battle zone between rebellious programs and Clu's army following Castor pulling a FaceHeelTurn. It mostly serves as a mixture of awesome and funny, because of [[MemeticMutation Castor dancing throughout the battle]] [[spoiler:until Quorra's arm is derezzed]].
* ''Film/VanHelsing'': The All Hallow's Eve Ball, which quickly erupts into a battle with Dracula.
* The extended version of ''Film/{{The Wolfman| 2010}}'' has Lawrence's rampage through London take him into a conservatory ballroom. Carnage ensues.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Jokes]]
* There is a joke in Finland about the stereotypically stern, quickly aggravated, knife-wielding Ostrobothnians.
-->Q: "Why are the floors of dance halls in Ostrobothnia built to have a slope?"\\
A: "So that the blood will run off better."
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* About halfway through ''[[Literature/WaxAndWayne The Alloy Of Law]]'', Wax and Wayne are attending a ball when 40 heavily armed thugs burst in through the door and kidnap Wax's fiancée. Luckily, Wax had brought his guns.
%%* ''Literature/TheBartimaeusTrilogy'': The climax of the first book.
* In ''[[Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar By the Sword]]'', Kerowyn is first thrust into her role as ActionGirl when mercenaries ransack her brother's wedding, kill her father, and abduct the bride.
* In ''Cluster Command'' the second book of Creator/DavidDrake's ''Crisis of Empire'' trilogy protagonist General Merikur and his wife Beth find themselves in the middle of such a blitz at the welcome ball for the new system governor.
* A reception for the visiting king and queen of France quickly devolves into this, in the first book of the ''Literature/DawnOfSteam'' series, once a group anti-monarchy assassins reveal themselves.
* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'':
** ''Nanny Ogg's Cookbook'': "The Fight" is listed as part of a proper wedding. The last step is "Then the bride cuts the cake."
** ''Literature/{{Night Watch|Discworld}}'': The Patrician's party. Though no actual violence is employed (save for two guards who took crossbow bolts); the Patrician (Lord Winder) is ''literally scared to death'' by a young Havelock Vetinari.
** The final confrontation between Granny Weatherwax and her sister of ''Literature/WitchesAbroad'' takes place in an elegant ball.
* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' book ''Literature/GravePeril'' has Harry winding up attending large party being thrown by a vampire. It winds up being an example of why [[ThisMeansWar villains request his presence at their own peril]].
* Bill and Fleur's wedding in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows''. Even more so in the film, as in the book our three heroes manage to escape within a very short time after the villains interrupt.
* Added to the DancesAndBalls of ''Literature/PrideAndPrejudiceAndZombies'', natch.
* Darrow's Triumph in the second book of the ''Literature/RedRising'' trilogy.
** The gala on Luna earlier in the book also counts, given how quickly the feud between the Augustus and Bellona families escalates into a full scale bloodbath ([[GuileHero with Darrow's help of course]])
* In ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'', Morgoth attacked Valinor and seized the Silmarils during a festival. Gondolin also fell during a festival when none of the walls were manned.
* In ''Literature/SleepingBeauty'', Maleficent, [[RevengeSVP upset that she wasn't invited to the party celebrating a princess's birth]], crashes it and curses the girl to one day prick her finger on a spindle and die.
* The Red Wedding in ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire''. To a lesser extent - the Purple wedding.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* In ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', the senior prom is threatened by devil-dogs (the demonic kind, ''not'' the [[SemperFi USMC]]). Buffy stops the baddies before they can crash the party, and even finds the time to attend the prom herself.
* In ''Series/{{Community}}'' episode [[Recap/CommunityS1E25PascalsTriangleRevisited Pascal's Triangle Revisited]], an end of the year school dance turns into one of these when Chang attacks Duncan.
* ''Series/{{CSINY}}'':
** In "[[Recap/CSINYS01E18 The Dove Commission]]," the author of the titular report, and the woman he's dancing with at a party in a ballroom on the 65th floor of a high-rise, are taken out by a sniper using an armed drone-like device belonging to the TARU (Technical Assistance Response Unit).
** The sniper in "[[Recap/CSINYS07E07 Hide Sight]]" takes out a woman at an office celebration, complete with cake and party hats, in a high rise.
* In the ''Series/DoctorWho'' two parter "Human Nature/The Family of Blood" a nice village dance is interrupted by (what else?) an AlienInvasion.
* In ''Series/{{Firefly}}'', Mal inadvertently challenges [[TheDandy Atherton Wing]] to a duel at a shiny ballroom shindig.
* ''Series/HartToHart'': As befits [[MysteryMagnet a couple with a curious capacity for coming across corpses,]] not to mention [[AmateurSleuth a propensity for pursuing the perpetrator]] and [[RichPeople the money to enmesh the murderer,]] Jonathan and Jennifer's society soirees have this unfortunate interruption more than once.
* ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' has Claire's big homecoming dance interrupted by a Sylar attack.
* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse:
** ''Series/Daredevil2015'': The season 3 finale sees Wilson Fisk and Vanessa Marianna's wedding get cut short when Dex attacks the party seeking revenge on Fisk for murdering [[MoralityChain Julie Barnes]] (after Matt tips him off on intel from [[TheFixer Felix Manning]]). Things make their way upstairs to Fisk's penthouse, where a three way fight then ensues between Matt, Fisk, and Dex.
** ''Series/LukeCage2016'':
*** Midway through season 2, Luke has to headline a party being thrown by Mariah's stockbroker Raymond "Piranha" Jones to raise money to pay Cockroach. It's cut short when Bushmaster's thugs attack the party and try to kidnap Piranha.
*** In the climax of season 2, Mariah invokes this. She puts on a free concert at Harlem's Paradise knowing that Bushmaster will show up and try to kill her, and Luke will come to protect the innocent bystanders. It's even more hectic because this is happening while the police are at the club working a sting to have Shades wear a wire and lead them to evidence that links Mariah to the murder of Bushmaster's uncle.
** ''Series/TheDefenders2017'': [[Series/Daredevil2015 Matt Murdock]] and Series/JessicaJones2015 fight off Murakami as he attempts to attack Trish Walker in an empty dance hall.
* Varying versions across all [[SoapOpera soap operas]]. Some don't even have a villain--Series/AllMyChildren's Adam and Gloria's vow renewal was interrupted by a tornado.
* In ''Series/{{Merlin|2008}}'' the two-part finale of series four begins when Morgana and her mercenary army attacks Camelot during the Beltane celebrations.
* ''Film/{{Minutemen}}'' has a dance interrupted by a black hole.
* In an episode of ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus,'' a bunch of nobles at a fancy ball are consistently interrupted by highwayman Dennis Moore.
* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'': In "[[Recap/StarTrekS1E14BalanceOfTerror Balance of Terror]]," the Romulan attack occurs while Kirk is in the midst of performing two crew members' wedding. [[spoiler:PlayedForDrama — the groom is killed.]] It gets a CallBack in the ''Series/StarTrekStrangeNewWorlds'' episode "[[Recap/StarTrekStrangeNewWorldsS1E10AQualityOfMercy A Quality of Mercy]]."
* ''Series/Supergirl2015'':
** In episode "Fight or Flight", Reactron literally crashes Cat's party.
** In "Crossfire", a gang of criminals armed with alien-tech guns who have been terrorizing the city storm into a charity party being hosted by Lena Luthor. [[spoiler: Turns out, [[BatmanGambit Lena was counting on this]], and she had a device prepared to destroy their weapons so Supergirl can take them down.]]
* ''Series/WalkerTexasRanger'':
** The 3rd SeasonFinale, "[[Recap/WalkerTexasRangerS3E24AndE25Standoff Standoff]]", has Walker taking on a European assassin trying to kill a Mexican Presidential candidate when he takes hostages at a banquet, including not only the Mexican Presidential hopeful, but also the Texas Lieutenant Governor and C.D. and Alex.
** In Season 9's "[[Recap/WalkerTexasRangerS9E16SixHours 6 Hours]]", gunmen posing as waiters shoot up the conference center where the Dallas Business Association awards banquet-- where Alex is being honored for her work at the HOPE Center-- is taking place, prompting the Rangers to spring into action. Two of the shooters were killed by Walker and Sydney, two others were arrested by Gage and Trivette, only to be killed before they are brought in for questioning, and the remaining two escaped with the mastermind behind the whole thing: a wealthy teenage girl's [[BodyguardBetrayal traitorous bodyguard]]. The traitor was using it as a distraction for her father and the Rangers while he kidnaps her for a ransom and plots to murder her [[MurderDotCom live on the internet]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music]]
* The Julie Brown Song "(Everybody Run) The Homecoming Queen's Got A Gun" involves an interrupted homecoming parade.
* The Irish folk song "Lanigan's Ball" (given a Boston twist by the Music/DropkickMurphys as "Flannigan's Ball") is about one of these.
* The {{Trope Namer|s}} is [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cN9jTnxv0RU "Ballroom Blitz"]] by Music/{{Sweet}}. It is a surreal and lighthearted description of such an event. Covered by lots of people: Krokus, The Rezillos, The Damned, and by Creator/TiaCarrere on the ''Film/WaynesWorld'' soundtrack. It was inspired by a gig gone wrong in Scotland in 1973, when the band was showered by bottles from the audience and had to leave before finishing the set ("And the band started leavin'/'Cause they all stopped breathin'").
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Rides]]
* In the beginning of ''Ride/FastAndFuriousSupercharged'', the tram stops at a holographic party where the tour guide decides to lay low until the villains interrupt the party and attack the tram, leading to a high speed getaway.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Roleplay]]
* In ''Roleplay/DestineEnormity'', the [[StateSec Elite]] and their supporters throw a [[http://s13.zetaboards.com/DestineEnormity/topic/6998354/1 Grand Ball]] — only to have the rebels show up and break up the party.
* In ''Roleplay/TheGamersAlliance'', the Maar Sulais court has a grand ball in honour of the Grand Alliance army which has come to join them in the fight against the Proninist Party. However, just when festivities are about to reach their peak, the Nightstalkers gang crashes the ball in the citadel, causes general havoc and kidnaps the elven mage Tiyana before the heroes can stop them.
* ''Roleplay/TheGunganCouncil'' has frequent dances and balls, so the Sith decided to host their own called "The Homecoming Ball" and invite Jedi and Rebels. Nowadays, its nickname "The Blood Ball" is known ''much'' more than its true name.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Theater]]
* A minor example in ''Theatre/LesMiserables'' when the Thenardiers crash Marius and Cosette's wedding to bribe Marius for their secrecy about the fact that his father-in-law, Jean Valjean, was supposedly robbing corpses (actually saving Marius's life) when the barricades fell. It's rather subdued, with Marius taking care of the problem as discreetly as possible — until Marius punches Thenardier out.
* ''Theatre/ThePhantomOfTheOpera'': The MasqueradeBall is, um...''gliding'' right along until the Phantom decides to pay a call...
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* The JustifiedTutorial of the ''VideoGame/DoubleOhSevenFromRussiaWithLove'' game is a cocktail party variant.
* One mission in ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedBrotherhood'' turns into this. A Borgia cardinal is throwing one hell of a party, only for [[PlayerCharacter Ezio Auditore da Firenze]] to crash the party and murder the cardinal. Subverted in that all of the guests make it out just fine. The guards, on the other hand, are pretty much boned.
* ''VideoGame/Battlefield1'': In the Multiplayer segment, there is literally a map named Ballroom Blitz, and naturally, there is a dining room that serves as one of the control points in Domination. As a result, it is constantly the source of close-range firefights and vicious melee combat... and of course StuffBlowingUp.
* ''VideoGame/{{BioShock|1}}'': The attack on the Kashmir Restaurant's 1959 New Year's Masquerade Ball by Atlas and his rebels a year before the events of the game started the civil war that led to [[UnderwaterCity Rapture's]] downfall.
* ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaAriaOfSorrow'' has a ballroom where you must evade and fight dancing Victorian-era ghosts.
* The Banquet Hall level in ''Franchise/DieHard Trilogy 2: Viva Las Vegas''.
* The final stage of the first ''VideoGame/DeathSmiles'', complete with killing dozens of dancing ghosts.
* ''VideoGame/EXTRAPOWERAttackOfDarkforce'': At one point the heroes are crossing the ocean on a cruise ship, and blend in by dressing in glamorous clothing. Naturally, when they're enjoying themselves in the ballroom, Virijion leads a Tarantula attack on the ship and all pretense of secrecy goes out the window.
* The boss fight of your first visit to the ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast'' level of ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'' takes place in the iconic ballroom. By your second visit, they've got around to the actual dance scene — but it's interrupted by Xaldin, who kidnaps Belle and lures everyone outside.
* In ''VideoGame/NieR'', you fight Shades in a ballroom in the Shadowlord's Castle
* Occurs at a cocktail party in ''VideoGame/TombRaiderLegend'', complete with ActionDressRip.
* The Karazhan raid instance in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' has a variation. One section of the dungeon involves going through the ballroom and dining room, which are filled with ghosts. The ghosts are acting as people normally would, dancing and eating, with servants walking among the tables in the dining room. Of course, the players have to fight these ghosts to continue.
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[[folder:Web Animation]]
* ''WebAnimation/TheNekciMenijShow'': Episode Five, Haus Perty, ends with a BallroomBlitz where all the [[FakeBrit "British" singers]] get into all-out war with the others, Adole gives birth, and Keshir providing the background music while not realizing what's going on.
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[[folder:Webcomics]]
* The battle of Quillotia in ''Webcomic/{{Archipelago}}'' occurs right in the royal ballroom, in part because the villains have been preparing a coup for a while and decided to speed it up. The character named "Blitz" is also there, incidentally.
* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'': Numerous hostile forces converge on a masquerade ball being held in Paris.
* ''Webcomic/RPGWorld'' contains one of these in [[spoiler: the Elven village, Chery's hometown.]]
* ''Webcomic/SerpamiaFlare'': Chapter Three, the party hits up the Grand Oasis Ball in Lari Oasis and ends up having to battle it through with Danrir Rebels and a mysterious fourth party... in fancy dress.
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[[folder:Web Original]]
* On the ''WebVideo/DreamSMP'', the Red Banquet eventually turns into one, as the Banquet itself [[spoiler:was initially a guise to [[LuredIntoATrap lure several vocally anti-Eggpire server members into a trap]] to kill them and feed their life forces to the Egg... then [[BigDamnHeroes Quackity, Technoblade, his Hound Army, and Purpled]] show up]].
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[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'': In "Haylias", after Hayley's arranged marriage she attempts to murder Stan during the wedding party. Part of the scenes is a ShoutOut to ''{{Film/Carrie|1976}}''.
* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDragonJakeLong'' had a dance he never made it to because he had to stop the Huntsclan.
* The BeachEpisode of ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' ends with Zuko, Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee wrecking a beach house where another teenager is having a party.
* ''WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce'' Kevin and Gwen go to a dance, but it gets interrupted by this trope.
* ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'': In the second episode, Danny decides to take some inconspicuous ghost-fighting weaponry to the school dance "just in case." Case happens.
* The first episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Freakazoid}}'', "The Dance Of Doom" has a high-school dance interrupted by Cave Guy, who takes several of the high-schoolers hostage. Of course, this being Freakazoid, the dance is in honor of Daylight Savings Time.
* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'': In the episode "Maid of Honor," Batman and Wonder Woman (in their civilian identities) are enjoying a dance when the terrorists come crashing in to kidnap Princess Audrey.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Kaeloo}}'': In Episode 83, Kaeloo hosts a Valentine's Day Party. Long story short, the party guests wind up [[BigBallOfViolence in a huge fight]].
* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' had it happen to her in TheMovie.
* The first Season Finale of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', "The Best Night Ever", ends with the Mane cast going to the Grand Galloping Gala... and making a ''huge'' mess of Princess Celestia's castle in the process. ([[BatmanGambit Which, it turns out, is]] ''[[{{Troll}} precisely what Princess Celestia wanted]]''.)
** This happens again in the season 2 episode "Sweet and Elite", when the main cast invite themselves to a garden party Rarity had been secretly attending. Fortunately, the end result is somewhat more positive this time around.
** In fact, the first example arguably happens right in the two-part pilot with [[BigBad Nightmare Moon]] crashing Ponyville's Summer Sun Celebration.
** It happens yet again in the second season finale, when a wedding between Princess Cadance and Shining Armor is interrupted by Twilight Sparkle [[spoiler:and the ''real'' Cadance. The fake Cadance reveals her true form as queen of the Changelings, and her minions proceed to besiege all of Canterlot]].
** And yet ''again'' in the season 5 episode "Make New Friends But Keep Discord", when Discord invites, then ignores, the Smooze to the Gala. Maybe ponies [[WhyWeCantHaveNiceThings just aren't meant to have nice things]].
* Subverted in ''WesternAnimation/{{Reboot}}''. For Enzo's birthday, a surprise party/talent show is planned. Villain Megabyte keeps menacing Bob during the preparations. At the actual party, after the comedy acts, Dot singing a torch song, and other festivities, Megabyte barges onstage — with an electric guitar. He plays power chords while his dimwit sidekicks Hack and Slash back him up on drums. Bob pulls out HIS guitar, and the two jam with each other! Megabyte's actual plan? [[AffablyEvil "I've always wanted to do that!"]] He gives his guitar to the birthday boy, gets in his limo, and leaves.
* Lampshaded in the ''WesternAnimation/RobotChicken'' DC Superheroes Special. The MC at a museum gala unveils a massive gem as the centerpiece of the exhibit, then observes that everyone gathered knows what's going to come next, hoping they can at least get through the first round of hors d'oeuvres before the first supervillain shows up. Sure enough, he's barely finished speaking before Mr. Freeze bursts through a wall. Seconds later, Captain Cold does the same thing. While the two of them bicker over scheduling issues, [[RuleOfThree Icicle bursts through another wall.]] As the three of them ponder the problems of having multiple villains with the same gimmick, [[OverlyLongGag Chillblain crashes the party too]], even though all of the guests have long since evacuated. [[ShaggyDogStory And then the building collapses on them because they destroyed too many load-bearing walls.]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSpectacularSpiderMan'', Spidey met the Green Goblin during one of these. It quickly turned into an EnemyMine, since [[BigBad Tombstone]] didn't take kindly to the Goblin attacking his guests. (Tombstone is a VillainWithGoodPublicity and [[SlaveToPR very commited to keeping it that way.]])
* ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekLowerDecks'': In "[[Recap/StarTrekLowerDecksS3E07AMathematicallyPerfectRedemption A Mathematically Perfect Redemption]]," the Drookmani attack in the middle of Peanut Hamper and Rawda's wedding.
* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': [[spoiler:the Diamonds attack in the middle of Ruby and Sapphire's wedding]], forcing the Crystal Gems to take up arms [[KickingAssInAllHerFinery in all their finery]].
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Superjail}}'': In "Ladies' Night", this occurs at the Warden's "Lockdown of Love" after Superjail's DistaffCounterpart is bitten by Spanish Flies.
* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans2003'' in which Robin is forced to take a supervillain's daughter to her prom ends up this way when Starfire's jealousy flares up and said supervillain's daughter's ex-boyfriend (who turns into just plain her boyfriend again shortly before the actual Blitz part of it starts) shows up.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/XMenEvolution'' episode "Shadow Dance", where the monsters that inhabit the pocket dimension Nightcrawler crosses every time he [[ExtradimensionalShortcut bamfs]] from one place to another manage to escape and start making a rampage in Bayville High, during the Sadie Hawkins dance night. Being this the school that the X-Men and the Brotherhood attend, they have no problem dealing with them. Kurt, on the other hand, is afraid of doing anything, both because said monsters had traumatized him earlier on (to a point he swore to himself [[HeroicBSOD he would never teleport again]]) and because he didn't want Amanda to find out he was a mutant. [[spoiler:Turns out she already knew about his powers ''and'' his true appearance, and he manages to teleport them both out of school in the last minute at her urging.]]
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[[Music/{{Sweet}} It's, it's a ballroom blitz! It's, it's a ballroom blitz! It's, it's, a ballroom blitz!]] [[TheStinger Yeah! It's a ballroom blitz!]]