The young ladies at a cotillion have male escorts as their partners.
A cotillion is a ball for children and teens to show the etiquette, social skills and dancing skills they have learned within a program. The students go to classes where they practice dances such as the foxtrot, ballroom, and waltzes. The students complete their classes and are presented to society at a ball called a cotillion. Many churches have cotillions for children who have completed a Christian program in which they learn to be good stewards of the church as well as dancing and social graces. Planning a cotillion for your church's youth program takes a lot of preparation but the families and youths who participate will be glad you made the effort.
Instructions
1. Choose a date and time for the ball. Most cotillions are held on Saturday evenings. Some dances start around 7 p.m. or 7:30 p.m.
2. Select a venue for the cotillion. If your church has a large fellowship hall, cafeteria or gymnasium, you may want to have it there. Holding the ball at the church will help control costs. If you do not have an on-site facility, choose a reception hall in your town. Keep in mind that many families come to watch their children be presented and dance. You will need space for families to gather during these events.
3. Estimate how many students will be invited to participate in the event.
4. Select the dress code of the event. Many cotillions require the young ladies to wear white, formal dresses with white gloves. The young men often wear white formal dinner jackets and black pants.
5. Determine whether you will have a dinner at the cotillion. Many cotillions feature a meal so the students can display newly learned dining manners and etiquette.
6. Choose the formal invitations after all of the details have been set. Ask around the church to see if any members have print shops and would like to help with the invitations. This will cut down on the cost of the invitations. Make sure to have the invitees R.S.V.P. as they have learned in their etiquette classes.
7. Select decorations and table centerpieces for the ball. Flowers and candles usually adorn the reception hall at cotillions.
8. Hire a disc jockey or a band to play music for the dance. Ask them to play all of the appropriate music for the dances the kids learned, as well as more progressive music. Having popular music for the children to dance to later in the night will help ensure they have a great time.
9. Decorate the cotillion venue on the day of the event. Ask for church volunteers to help with the decorations. Recruit a volunteer to be the official photographer so your church will have pictures for the archive.
