Ball marks end of Junior Cotillion season
The National League of Junior Cotillions, Hot Springs and Arkadelphia Chapter recently held its annual Spring Ball at The Hotel Hot Springs.
Dressed semi-formally, students participated in the evening complete with dance cards, contests, prizes, corsages and boutonnieres. The ball ended this year’s Junior Cotillion season, giving members the opportunity to put into practice all the dances and etiquette that they learned during the past year in cotillion classes. They danced the night away doing the foxtrot, cha cha, swing and waltz.
This year’s ball was “An Oriental Evening” and the ballroom was decorated with large metallic gold fans, red silk lanterns, red Chinese New Year’s decorations and large red banners with gold Japanese writing. The refreshment table was adorned with two large Oriental urns arranged with gilded branches, fresh pine branches, red poppies and red silk lanterns. The tables were decorated with brightly colored fans in Chinese shirt containers and confetti.
Prizes were awarded to Camilla Holden, Robert Wilson, Laila Murphy, Devin Feeman and Kayla Allen for the foxtrot contest; Zane McCain, Winnie Formby, Nathan Constancio and JoJo Chastain for the swing contest, and Zane Thomason, Chloe Sheets, Gavin Anders and Sydney Meredith for the cha cha contest. The Chinese Elimination Game, which involved passing balls with chopsticks, was won by Michael Ball, Kandle Pasquith, Charlotte Colgrove and Berkeley Coffman.
“Dip Into Dancing Day” is held annually at the last class so parents and students can learn the waltz. Then parents are welcome to dance the waltz with their children at the ball. Winners of the Parent-Child Swing Contest were Andrew Steve-Assheuer and his mother, Stacey, and Madison DeWitt and her father, Larry.
Each year the students are asked to select those students that most exemplify the character being taught in cotillion classes, plus students earn points from attendance, class participation and Cotillion Challenges. In Hot Springs, the first-year prince and princess from Class One are Jack Bennett and Meredith Brownlee; from Class Two they are Cooper Kindt and Haven Lockwood. The king and queen from the second-year students were Ben Hollis and Elli Uldrich. Arkadelphia students were Prince Jaxon Matthews and King Zane Thomason.
Parents who chaperoned for the evening were Grant Yaney, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ball, Ricky Lucy, Nelda Wilson, Tina Chastain, Tammie Barmore, Lisa Wilson, Kathy Brownlee, Mr. and Mrs. Trey Branch, Mr. and Mrs. Brett Barker, Mr. and Mrs. Blake Lockwood, Nikki Chandler, Mr. and Mrs. Todd Sadowski, Mr. and Mrs. Greg Dalton, and Mr. and Mrs. Kevin McCarthy
The local cotillion began in 1993. The seven-month program gives sixth- through eighth-grade students instruction in etiquette, proper manners and social dances. Skills taught include table manners, correspondence, proper introductions, good first impression skills, good posture, paying and receiving compliments, opening doors, assisting with coats and the like.
“It’s designed to train students in the courtesies that make life more pleasant for them and those around them,” said Susan Humphries, director, in the press release. “We have seen these ladies and gentlemen grow in poise and self-assurance. And our second-year students are becoming very mature ladies and gentlemen.”
“The program gives these middle and junior high students the opportunity to learn and practice in a structured, yet fun, atmosphere with their peers,” said Patrick Humphries, husband of the director, who helps with the program. “We know the self-confidence that they gain helps them to withstand negative peer pressure.”
Membership is open to any interested sixth-, seventh- or eighth-grade student in the county. Registration for next year will be held in May. For information or to get a child on the list for the program, emal Susan Humphries at susan.humphries@nljc.com.