Welcome

Parents,

You are invited to a reception to learn more about the Craighead County Junior Cotillion Program (CCJC).  The reception will be held on May 22, at 6:00 p.m. at Jonesboro Country Club (JCC) 1408 East Nettleton Avenue, Jonesboro, 72401.  No RSVP is required and the event is for parents only.  Children from last year's Cotillion class will share some of the clothing from specific Cotillion events.  We will have boys and girls sharing typical attire and demonstrating skills learned during the 2024-2025 Cotillion social season.   An overview of the 2025-2026 Cotillion progrqm year will be provided and questions will be answered.  Refreshments will be served.   I hope to see you on  May 22, at 6:00 p.m. at Jonesboro Country Club on Nettleton Avenue at the drop-in recepition.  Attendance at the reception is optional and provided for the purpose of sharing more about the Cotillion program, which I am honored to have provided since 1997.          

Paypal Payment Information - Craighead County Junior Cotillion - is the name for PayPal payment.  Payment may also be made by check, made out to Craighead County Junior Cotillion or CCJC, and mailed to Beverly Gilbert, 1102 Oak Meadow Blvd, Jonesboro, AR   72401 or provided in person.  Please see me for additional payment options.  Registration must be completed online at the CCJC website  www.nljc.com/chapter/craighead.  To register, click on the term Registration on the left of the website home page or if you are using your cell, click on the dots or lines at the top right of your phone screen.      

Please see me if you prefer another method of registration.  I am happy to assist.   

Please text or call if you have questions 917 902 1957.  My email is [email protected]    .

Beverly Gilbert, Owner and Director, CCJC                                                                        

 Cotillion Schedule 2025-2026

Welcome Message

Welcome to the Craighead County Junior Cotillion program!  Enrollment is now open and you can register online on this website,  www.nljc.com/chapter/craighead 

To register, click on the term Registration on the left of this page, or if you are using your cell, click on the dots or lines at the top right of your phone screen.      

I am thrilled to be able to provide the Cotillion program for Craighead County and the Northeast Arkansas area.  If you are interested in Cotillion and want more information, please email me at [email protected] or call/text my cell, 917 902 1957.   

The Mission of Junior Cotillion is to offer young people instruction and practice in the courtesies that make life more pleasant for them and those around them; to offer training in standard ballroom dance; and to provide opportunities to practice and enjoy these skills at memorable parties, dances/classes and balls, complete with decorations, refreshments, favors and prizes.

Announcements

COTILLION DETAILS: TYPICAL LOCATIONS AND TIMES: 

The Parent Reception is held at:Jonesboro Country Club 1408 East Nettletn Avenue.  All other events are held at  Arkansas State University, Reng Student Union (Centennial Hall Ballroom) 101 N. Caraway Road.  Event Times are as follows: Parent Reception 6:00 p.m. Parents Only;   Back to School Icebreaker (August) 7:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.  Oct. , Nov., and March Classes 7:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. December Holiday Class and Instructional Dinner - 6:00 - 930;  Winter Ball, Valentine Class - 7:00 - 9:30 and Grand Spring Ball 7:00 – 9:30. 

TUITION:  Membership dues are $425.00 and include all costs for all  training, balls, classes and the instructional dinner.  We highly recommend that you send in your reservation early, as class sizes are limited and are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Classes are filled according to the date the tuition is received. Tuition may be paid in full with the application or half with the application and the remaining half as soon as possible. Initial payment is due July 1 and final payment must be received by August 1,  2025. There will be no refunds except in the case of extraordinary circumstances. 

APPROPRIATE DRESS:  

August Back to School Icebreaker -  Ladies should wear casual sundress, romperes, etc.  Gentlemen should wear shorts and a collared shirt.  The Back to School Icebreaker is casual.    

All Classes - Starting with the Introduction Class in September, all Junior Cotillion sessions are dress-up affairs for which careful grooming is required. Hair should be neatly combed; fingernails clipped and clean, shoes polished and so forth. Dancing requires hard-sole shoes; no athletic shoes or flip flops please. Ladies should wear conservative Sunday dresses or skirts and dress shoes for classes. Gloves are required. Gentlemen should wear khaki pants, white dress shirts, ties, and navy or dark blazers.

Winter Ball - Ladies should wear knee length or longer holiday dresses or skirts, short white gloves, and dress shoes. Gentlemen should wear khaki pants, white dressshirts, ties, and navy or dark blazers or suits.

Grand Spring Ball -The Grand Spring Ball is a semi-formal event for which appropriate dress is required. Ladies should wear formal, white or ivory dresses and white gloves. Gentlemen should wear khaki pants, white dress shirts, ties, and navy or dark blazers, or suits. Black-tie tuxedos optional. 

Parents’ Dip Into Dancing – Parents, Guardians or special family members and friends are invited to join us for the last hour of our Valentine’s Class for the parent-child dances.  There is a Father -Daughter Dance and the Mother-Son Dance.  

Grand Spring Ball, parents, guardians, family members or special friends are invited to attend the final hour of the Grand Spring Ball to observe the formal student presentations and parent dance. Fathers will dance the waltz with daughters and mothers with sons.  Children completing the Cotillion program will be formally presented at the Grand Spring Ball.  

The Winter and Grand Spring Balls provide students with a formal environment to practice the etiquette and dance skills they have learned and to enjoy self-assurance that comes from knowing the proper manners to use. The evenings include special prizes, contests and dancing. 

SIXTH GRADE PROGRAMS: In addition to the usual courtesies connected with dancing, instruction also includes etiquette, manners and character education. The social and character education components of the program include rules of cell phone courtesy, acknowledgment of gifts, introductions, receiving lines, participating in group settings, polite conversation, paying and receiving compliments, sports etiquette, first impressions, dress code for all occasions, manners in the home and in public, table manners, formal place settings, American styles of eating, skills involved in being a guest, hostess or host, and many other areas of social behavior. Dance instruction includes steps in the Foxtrot, Swing, Waltz, Cha Cha and current line dances. The Junior Cotillion setting encourages children to be comfortable together, make new friends and enjoy themselves. After constant practice in a peer group, young ladies and gentlemen are expected to leave the program with confidence and poise that come from knowing the proper etiquette in any social situation. Instruction in dancing and etiquette is given throughout all sessions and is taught according to grade level. For the 6th grade, highlights of the year are an instructional dinner and the Grand Spring Ball which provide a formal environment where all students are able to demonstrate learned etiquette and dance skills.

JUNIOR COTILLION SCHEDULE & ATTIRE 

August- Ladies should wear a casual sundress, romper, etc.  Gentlemen should wear shorts and a collared shirt.

Classes - All Junior Cotillion sessions are dress-up affairs for which careful grooming is required. Hair should be neatly combed; fingernails clipped and clean, shoes polished and so forth. Dancing requires hard-sole shoes; no athletic shoes or flip flops please. Ladies should wear conservative Sunday dresses or skirts and dress shoes for classes. Gloves are required. Gentlemen should wear khaki pants, white dress shirts, ties, and navy or dark blazers, suits are also acceptable of course.

Winter Ball - Ladies should wear knee length or longer holiday dresses or skirts, short white gloves, and dress shoes. Gentlemen should wear khaki pants, white dress shirts, ties, and navy or dark blazers.

Grand Spring Ball -The Grand Spring Ball is a semi-formal event for which appropriate dress is required. Ladies should wear formal, white or ivory dresses and white gloves. Gentlemen should wear khaki pants, white dress shirts, ties, and navy or dark blazers, or suits. Black-tie tuxedos optional.  Parens, famiy memers or special friends are invited to dance the waltz with the students.   

Parents’ Dip Into Dancing – Parents, family members or special guests are invited to join the children for the last hour of our Valentine Class for dance. Fathers dance with daughters and Moms dance with sons. 

Monthly Schedule - Classes are held once a month due to busy lifestyles. Studies have shown this to be an effective schedule. We follow the 5 class schedule with 2 balls and the August icebreaker.  Students are more likely to retain skills which are learned over a longer period of time. Etiquette booklets are given to students to take home at the first class.  For each class, students are assigned a “Cotillion Challenge” which allows them to practice the skills they have learned in class. These booklets are to be brought to every class but not to the balls. Students have the opportunity to earn prizes for completing assignments. The Instructional Dinner begins with a tutorial dinner focusing on table etiquette, including proper use of napkins, utensils, proper silverware positions, and more. Students are guided with individual attention and instruction as each course is served.

The Winter and Grand Spring Balls allow students a formal environment to practice the etiquette and dance skills they have learned and to enjoy the self-assurance that comes from knowing the proper manners to use. The evenings include special prizes,contests, party favors, and dancing. 

Acceptable Behavior - Members are required to conduct themselves at all times in accordance with the courtesies taught. The director reserves the right to request the withdrawal of any lady or gentleman who fails to show progress in this area. At no time will the students be allowed to loiter around the facilities or in the restrooms. Parents and guests of Junior Cotillion members have a standing invitation to observe Junior Cotillion sessions and may chaperone specified classes during the year. It is a joyous sight to see these young people in action. Parents are encouraged to stress the importance of prompt arrival and departure for each event.

TUITION:  Membership dues are $425.00 and include all costs for the training, balls, and instructional dinner. We highly recommend that you send in your reservation early, as class sizes are limited and are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Classes are filled according to the date the tuition is received. Tuition may be paid in full with the application ore registration which is due on or before July 1.  The remaining half of the tuition should be paid as soon as possible, with a deadline of August 1.  The final date for full and complete payment is August 1, 2025, which is the date of the Back to School Icebreaker.  There will be no refunds except in the case of extraordinary circumstances.  The PayPal name is Craigead County Junior Cotillion.  Or, checks may be mailed to Craighead County Junior Cotillion (CCJC) 1102 Oak Meadow Blvd., Jonesboro, AR 72401.  Parents may choose to pay in full or to provide partiial payment at the Parent Reception in May.  (May 22, 2025 at Jonesboro Country Club)   

About Director

Dr. Beverly Boals Gilbert is the Owner and Director of Craighead County Junior Cotillion.  She began leadership of the Craighead County Junior Cotillion program in 1997 and continues with strong support from the community and from parents.    www.nljc.com/chapter/craighead