The Dance Statute established in 1521 a set of politically influential town hall balls that the magistrate of the Imperial City of Nuremberg held on certain days of the year, such as Sundays of the Lord's Carnival, or in honor of princes in the Old City Hall. Almost exclusively members of the Ratsfähig families of the Nuremberg patriciate were invited. Ratsfähig meant that the families were allowed to send up to two members to the ruling "Inner Council" of the city.