History Main / GrandStaircaseEntrance

* Done in Series/TheCarolBurnettShow's famous skit spoofing Film/GoneWithTheWind

* The Fontainebleu Resort in Miami has a curving staircase in the lobby that exists just for women to walk down and be watched by guests, as illustrated in ''Series/TheMarvelousMrsMaisel'' which filmed there in season 3.

* The ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' feature film ''So The Drama'' had a version with Kim on her staircase at home when she's all dressed up for prom.

* ''Disney/{{Cinderella}}'' did it first... three times! First when Cinderella surprises her stepmother and stepsisters in her new pink dress (although this is [[DoomedNewClothes cruelly subverted]] just moments later, then when she meets the Prince at the ball (though this slightly differs from the traditional entrance by having her walk ''up'' the stairs rather than ''down'' the stairs), and, finally, at the end when she comes down the stairs of her home to prove the slipper is hers.

* Eliza's official debut at the big fancy ball in ''Theatre/MyFairLady''.

[[folder: Comic Books]]

* In ''Disney/{{Frozen}}'', Elsa does this when Anna finds her in her IcePalace. Anna even has the traditional "[[SheCleansUpNicely Whoa, Elsa, you look... different!]] [[{{Adorkable}} It's a good different!]]" reaction in regards to Elsa's Snow Queen outfit.

* In issue 12 of the 2017 ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'' series, Nico gets a moment like this before she and Karolina head out to a charity function together.

!!Examples

[[folder: Film - Animated ]]

[[folder: Film - Live-Action ]]

* In ''Film/{{Cinderella 2015}}'', when Ella enters the ball, everyone there is stunned and can't stop looking at her. At the end of the film, she gets another, less grand but no less important staircase entrance as she finally appears to the Prince as she normally is (rather than in an enchanted dress).

[[folder: Literature ]]

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

* Inverted in the ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' episode "After Life", where Buffy descends the stairs in her house and Spike is rendered dumbstruck. In this case, it's because [[spoiler:she's been dead and buried for the past 147 days.]]

[[folder: Theatre ]]

-->'''Spoken Stage Direction''': Abby appears at the top of a staircase. The audience applauds wildly, even though she hasn't done anything yet.

[[folder: Video Games]]

[[folder: Webcomics ]]

* [[color:lime:Sn]]o[[color:lime:wman]] in the ''{{Webcomic/Homestuck}}'' [[http://mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=003167 intermission]].

[[folder: Real Life ]]

->''Music up as every eye goes to the head of the stairs, the portières move and Mrs. Levi steps through, handsomely gowned, red hair done up magnificently on top of her head. She descends stairs as Waiters, etc. await her first words.''

This is perhaps the only way to justify the camera starting at the feet and slowly panning up the figure. When wearing a dress with a long skirt, stepping down gives her a chance to show off [[NiceShoes her shoes]] and [[ShesGotLegs legs]] without being immodest.

* Alanna and her companions do this in last ''Literature/SongOfTheLioness'', but it's Thayet who really steals the show--beautiful on a normal day, when she makes her grand entrance it's a sight to stun even the most jaded.
* Cat does this to Giogi in ''[[ForgottenRealms Finder's Stone]]'', descending the staircase of his townhouse in a form-fitting dress whose neckline is described as [[ImpossiblyLowNeckline "nowhere near the neck."]] Of course, she is actively trying to manipulate him and secretly working for the villain.
* In ''Literature/PetalsOnTheWind'', Cathy does this at her mother's Christmas party, intent on humiliating her for her actions in the previous book--locking her four children away in an attic room.

* JerryLewis in ''Film/{{Cinderfella}}'' shows up at the grand ball in a big entrance on a ''huge'' staircase.

* Dolly Levi in ''HelloDolly!'', during the title song.

* ''Disney/{{Cinderella}}'' did it first... twice! First when Cinderella meets the Prince at the ball (though this slightly differs from the traditional entrance by having her walk ''up'' the stairs rather than ''down'' the stairs), and, later, at the end when she comes down the stairs of her home to prove the slipper is hers.

->''Music up as every eye goes to the head of the stairs, the portières move and Mrs. Levi steps through, handsomely gowned, red hair done up magnificently on top of her head. She descends stairs as Waiters, etc. await her first words.''

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[[AC:{{Literature}}]]

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[[AC:{{Webcomics}}]]

[[AC:RealLife]]
* A political version was invoked by Harvey Milk when he was a councilor in San Francisco; when going through the lobby of City Hall, he always took the grand stairway instead of the elevator like the rest of city council so he would be noticed by the public and the press.

* Loki in ''Film/TheAvengers'' shows up at a museum gala in Stuttgart, Germany, strolling down a huge marble suitcase in an [[BadassInANiceSuit impeccable suit]] to the soothing strains of a string quartet. Then, in time to the quartet, he whacks a guy with his staff and stabs another in the eye.