about Dogwood Cotillion
Our History
The Dogwood Cotillion was established in 1989 to provide a program for young people to have the opportunity to practice and develop social skills in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. The skills learned through the cotillion program are invaluable to young people. They will use these skills when interacting with others socially through school, sports, work and family.
The word "cotillion" dates back to the 18th century. It was originally a very formal dance, frequently one in which girls of dating age called debutantes were presented into society. Over the years it has evolved to a much less formal event. Today’s Cotillion programs focus on timeless etiquette and social skills that are necessary in today’s fast paced world. Yes, there is still a dance component to most cotillion events but the focus is now more on the social skills necessary to thrive in our society today.
Dogwood Cotillion is open to all children in grades 5 through 8. We are not pretentious in the least and welcome all who are interested. Please note that spots are limited and all classes do fill up, so early registration is important!
“It’s been a wonderful program! [My son] said at breakfast this morning...”it’s going to be a great day today because I have PE and Cotillion!” Thank you for making it fun for the kiddos!"
Maggie G.
curriculum
- Be all that you can be – First Impressions
- Introductions & Receiving lines
- When to stand
- Dining out lingo
- Table Settings
- Table Manners – home, friend's home, restaurant
- Telephone/Cell Phone Etiquette
- Invitations, Replies & Thank You Notes
- Getting along with parents
- Respect for Others
- Time Management
- “You always have a choice”
- Social Etiquette
- Internet/Email Etiquette
- Social Media (Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat)
- Conversation Skills
- Movie/Mall Manners
- Dating Etiquette (interaction between boys & girls)
- Be all that you can be – First Impressions
- Introductions & Receiving lines
- When to stand
- Dining out lingo
- Table Settings
- Table Manners – home, friend's home, restaurant
- Telephone/Cell Phone Etiquette
- Invitations, Replies & Thank You Notes
- Getting along with parents
- Respect for Others
- Time Management
- “You always have a choice”
- Social Etiquette
- Internet/Email Etiquette
- Social Media (Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat)
- Conversation Skills
- Movie/Mall Manners
- Dating Etiquette (interaction between boys & girls)
“Thank you for teaching them to show respect by standing especially during the national anthem. It is important for them to hear this from people besides their parents. Hopefully we are raising a better generation than the ones now who just “don’t get it”.”
Christy J.
Our Methods
There is a method to everything we do at Dogwood Cotillion. There is a reason we teach traditional dances and there is a reason we ask the girls to wear white gloves. Our goal is to instill timeless social graces and life skills in a way that keeps our young students engaged and interested.
One overarching theme is inclusiveness, encouragement, and positivity. We do not tolerate any kind of "making fun", teasing, or bullying.
Dances
The real reason we teach classical dances like the cha-cha: while the kids are moving about learning to dance, they are also getting their wiggles out and learning eye contact and confidence. The dances actually serve as a means to help them learn other social skills that they will use every day.
NOTE: Boys are never required to ask girls to dance! We rapidly rotate dance partners around a large circle so no one has to choose a dance partner or wait to be chosen.
High school leaders
Our paid high school leaders not only assist with instruction, but they also add an essential "cool factor" to Dogwood Cotillion. Also, our cotillion students identify better with our high school leaders for lessons about cell phone etiquette and social media safety.
Energy
The pace of each class is quick and our students are constantly moving around to optimize their energy and attention span and keep awkwardness at bay.
We play current pop music to teach classical dance steps and keep the kids singing and engaged.
Friends
Cotillion classes are full of friends from the same school and grade. We even coordinate the rising 6th graders to continue learning with their friends from elementary school.
We want Cotillion to be fun!
Interactive Games
At the end of each session, we play interactive games with prizes to reinforce the session's key concepts. It's amazing what kids can remember when a prize is at stake!
Special Events
In addition to our "classic sessions" where we introduce the concepts in our curriculum, kids look forward to our special events like Parents Night, Western Night, Hippie Night, Winter Dance, and Dining Out Workshops.
