COTILLION

The dance known as 'Cotillion' came from France in the 1700s and was originally made up of four couples in a square formation. The Cotillion was one of many contredanses or "country dances" where the participants (especially those from royalty) gathered to introduce themselves and to flirt with other dancers through the exchange of partners within the formation network of the dance. By the 1800s, the Cotillion evolved into more couples with many complex dance figures and was the forerunner of the Quadrille. American square dance is a form of contredanse that also descended from the Cotillion. The direct translation from French to English of the word "Cotillion" is the word "petticoat' but the more appropriate translation is the word "ballgown."
A 'Debutante Ball' is a formal presentation of young ladies, debutantes, to polite society. It is in use in the United States, more so in the South, and some other countries. Debutantes are usually recommended by a distinguished committee or sponsored by an established member of elite society. Modern debutante balls are often charity events; the parents of the debutante donate a certain amount of money to the designated cause, and the invited guests pay for their tickets. These balls may be elaborate formal affairs and involve not only "debs" but junior debutantes, escorts and ushers, flower girls and pages as well
In the United States, 'Cotillion' has become training that children and young adults attend to learn manners and proper social behavior in the context of formal dance. The participants dress up in formal attire and some cotillions emphasize the use of white gloves. Modern day Cotillion takes the form of classes and parties. These programs use dance as an interactive tool that breaks down inhibitions and teaches important social skills. Some of the dances currently taught include waltz, fox trot, tango, swing, cha cha and many other ballroom dances. The parties are typically "graduation" parties usually held after a series of classes. At the party, the students sit together in tables in the front while the family members sit in tables in the back. A master of ceremony guides the evening and, if funds are sufficient, dinner and an orchestra may be included. Usually after each dance, a couple may be recognized with a modest prize for best executing that dance.

Contents

Some notable debutante balls in the United States

References

External links

Some notable debutante balls in the United States

===Alabama===

★ Birmingham

★
★ The Ball of Roses

★ Huntsville

★
★ The Symphony Ball
===Arizona===

★ Phoenix:

★
★ Board of Visitors Ball (formerly St. Lukes Ball)

★
★ Scottsdale Honors Cotillion

★
★ Phoenix Honors Cotillion
===California===

★ Los Angeles:

★
★ Las Madrinas Ball, which benefits Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

★ Newport Beach:

★
★ Debutante's Cotillion

★ San Francisco:

★
★ The Cotillion

★
★ San Francisco Debutante Ball
===Colorado===

★ Denver:

★
★ Fine Arts Foundation Summer Debutante Ball [1], held yearly at the University of Denver, which benefits the Fine Arts Foundation, an organization supporting the arts in Colorado.

★
★ Bal de Ballet, which benefits the Colorado Ballet.
===Connecticut===

★ Greenwich

★
★ Junior League of Greenwich Cotillion
===District of Columbia===

★ Washington, D.C.:

★
★ The National Debutante Cotillion and Thanksgiving Ball, which had its 58th Anniversary in 2007, and benefits the Children's National Medical Center.

★
★ The Washington Holiday Ball, held annually at the Mayflower Hotel
===Florida===

★ Sarasota

★
★ Sarasota Cotillion Club

★
★ Sarasota Debutante Ball
===Georgia===

★ Atlanta:

★
★ The Harvest Ball

★
★ The Christmas Ball

★ Augusta:

★
★ Cotillion of the Rosa T. Beard Debutante Club

★ Savannah:

★
★ The Christmas Cotillion
===Illinois===

★ Chicago:

★
★ The Passavant Cotillion

★
★ The Christmas Ball
===Indiana===

★ Indianapolis:

★
★ The Dramatic Club Christmas Ball, held every other year
===Kansas===

★ Wichita

★
★ The Cotillion
===Kentucky===

★ Lexington:

★
★ The Bluegrass Charity Ball
===Louisiana===

★ Baton Rouge:

★
★ The Charity Ball

★ New Orleans:

★
★ The Debutante Club Ball

★
★ Le Debut des Jeunes Filles de la Nouvelle Orleans

★ Shreveport:

★
★ The Cotillion
===Maryland===

★ Baltimore:

★
★ The Bachelor's Cotillion
===Massachusetts===

★ Boston:

★
★ The Boston Cotillion, which benefits the Vincent Memorial Hospital.
===Michigan===

★ Detroit:

★
★ UESA Detroit Chapter Debutante Ball.
===Mississippi===

★ Jackson:

★
★ The annual ball of The Debutante Club, founded in 1933.
===Missouri===

★ Kansas City:

★
★ The Jewel Ball, founded in 1954, which benefits the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the Kansas City Symphony.

★
★ The Belles of the American Royal Ball (abbreviated "BOTAR"), which benefits the annual American Royal.

★ St. Louis:

★
★ The Veiled Prophet Ball, founded in 1878, which caters to the members of the Veiled Prophet Organization, a secret society of prominent St. Louisans [2]

★
★ Fleur de Lis Ball, a Roman Catholic ball founded in 1959, named after the symbol associated with French kings and the city's French heritage, which raises money for the Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital.
===Nebraska===

★ Omaha:

★
★ Omaha Symphony Debutante Ball

★
★ Omaha Chapter of the Links Cotillion
===New Mexico===

★ Albuquerque:

★
★ The Senorita Ball
===New York===

★ New York City:

★
★ The Junior Assemblies, a collection of debutante balls held annually which comprise the traditional "debutante season" of New York society

★
★ The Viennese Opera Ball in New York

★
★ The Quadrille Ball

★
★ The Northeastern Conference Coronation

★
★ The Infirmary Ball, officially called the "Debutante Cotillion and Christmas Ball," which benefits the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary

★
★ The International Debutante Ball, held each even-numbered year

★
★ The Thanksgiving Eve Ball, held each year, benefits the charitable activities of the New York Junior League

★
★ The Paaz Ball, held each year

★
★ The Annual Debutante Ball and Reception, held each year by the Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of New York

★
★ The Debutante Cotillion of the Kosciuszko Foundation Annual Dinner
===North Carolina===

★ Durham

★
★ The Debutante and Christmas Ball

★ Greensboro:

★
★ Greensboro Symphony Presentation Ball [3], founded in 1978

★ Raleigh:

★
★ The North Carolina Debutante Ball, held annually in September and sponsored by the Terpsichorean Club, a secret society of prominent Raleigh residents.
===Ohio===

★ Cincinnati:

★
★ The Bachelor's Cotillion

★ Cleveland:

★
★ The Assembly Ball

★
★ The Cotillion Society Ball

★
★ Jack & Jill Cotillion and Charity Ball

★ Oxford:

★
★ Miami University Western Honors College Cotillion, held for college-aged men and women each autumn
===Pennsylvania===

★ Philadelphia:

★
★ The Assembly of Philadelphia (dating from 1748), an elite private party held annually around Christmas. Private membership and guests attend. Cottillion is danced.

★
★ The Philadelphia Charity Ball (founded 1884), a debutante ball held at Thanksgiving every year for Philadelphian familes, drawing mostly on prep school graduates. Proceeds go to charities selected by the previous year's debutantes.

★ Pittsburgh:

★
★ The Cinderella Ball, the 'second oldest debutante ball' in the country, founded in 1926.

★
★ The Medallion Ball, named for the medallion each debutante receives from the city's Catholic bishop
===South Carolina===

★ Charleston:

★
★ The St. Cecilia Ball
===Tennessee===

★ Chattanooga:

★
★ The Cotton Ball

★ Memphis:

★
★ The Holiday Ball

★
★ The Summer Presentation Ball
===Texas===

★ Dallas:

★
★ Idlewild

★
★ Dallas Symphony Orchestra League Presentation Ball

★
★ La Fiesta de las Seis Banderas

★ Fort Worth:

★
★ Ambassador Ball

★
★ Assembly Ball

★
★ Steeplechase Ball

★
★ Hispanic Debutante Ball

★ Houston:

★
★ Allegro Ball

★
★ Houston Country Club Thanksgiving Ball

★
★ The Assembly Ball

★
★ Bolero Ball

★
★ River Oaks Country Club Debutante Ball

★
★ Lunar Rendezvous Coronation Ball

★ Tyler:

★
★ The Junior Symphony League Ball

★
★ The Texas Rose Festival
===Vermont===

★ Springfield:

★
★ Apple Blossom Cotillion
===Virginia===

★ McLean:

★
★ Old Dominion Cotillion

★ Norfolk:

★
★ The German, held each Thanksgiving by the the Norfolk German Club

★ Portsmouth:

★
★ The Thanksgiving Debutante Dinner-Dance, held each Thanksgiving by the Portsmouth Assembly

★ Richmond:

★
★ The Bal Du Bois

★
★ The Richmond German

★ Staunton:

★
★ The Spinsters Club of Staunton
===Washington===

★ Seattle:

★
★ The Christmas Ball

References

External links

★ National League of Junior Cotillions

★ The Beautillion Militaire

★ San Franscisco Beautillion

★ New York: Bal des Berceaux

★ Jon D. Williams Cotillions