National League of Junior Cotillions
Greater Westlake Denver Area Chapter

Pre-Cotillion  (K-4th Grades)

The purpose of the NATIONAL LEAGUE OF JUNIOR COTILLIONS™ PRE-COTILLION PROGRAM is to give young people instruction and practice in the courtesies that make life more pleasant for them and those around them. We offer instruction in the areas of complete social etiquette, designed for grades kindergarten through forth, that focus in the area of developing character.

 In addition to the usual courtesies, including Greetings, Table Manners, Correspondence, and Appearances, we also offer instruction in the areas of Birthday Parties, Sports Manners, Restaurants (both fast food and formal) and the values of honor, respect, dignity, honesty, and responsibility. 

 The PRE-COTILLION™ program setting will encourage children to be comfortable together, to make new friends, and enjoy themselves.  Through role-playing— practiced with our mascot, Peanuts, the Polite Elephant—hands-on experience and storytelling in a peer group , young ladies and gentlemen are expected to leave the program with the beginnings of confidence and poise that come from knowing the proper things to do.

 PRE-COTILLION I offers instruction in the areas of basic manners in the home--appearances, introductions, sports manners and basic table manners, including such things as the proper way to eat soup, using a knife and fork--while introducing words and their meanings, referred to as power words, that will instill  common courtesies throughout their lifetimes--thank you, you’re welcome, yes ma’am, no ma’am, yes sir, no sir, please, may I?, I’m sorry, and excuse me. We will have a birthday party for Peanuts—complete with cake, presents, and thank-you notes—taught in a manner that will emphasize the proper courtesies. An invitation will be sent home for parents to attend the last class, a graduation celebration, where all graduates will be awarded certificates. All etiquette taught is age-appropriate. 

 PRE-COTILLION II offers continued instruction in the areas of introductions, sports manners, and basic table manners—while exploring new areas, including making friends—keeping friends, writing correspondences, and school  manners.  Fast food manners will be practiced when refreshments are served in a fast food  restaurant set-up. During the third class, students will learn dining in a nice restaurant—complete with reservation, maître d’, menus, and tipping. An invitation will be sent home for parents to attend the last class, a graduation celebration, in which all graduates will be awarded certificates. All etiquette taught is age-appropriate. 

 All PRE-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. No tennis shoes, rubber or crepe soles, please. Ladies should wear kneelength, Sunday dresses or skirts and dress shoes. Gentlemen should wear khaki pants, shirt, and  tie (sportcoat or sweater is optional).

Pre-Cotillion classes are not being held at this time. 

Tuition: Membership  for Pre-Cotillion are $150.  Pre - Cotillion tuition must be paid at time of registration.  

Junior Cotillion Year I  

The purpose of the NATIONAL LEAGUE OF JUNIOR COTILLIONS™ is to  offer young people instruction and practice in the courtesies that make life more  pleasant for them and those around them; to offer them thorough training in standard ballroom dance; and to provide opportunities to practice and enjoy these skills at  memorable parties, dances/classes and balls, complete with refreshments, favors, and prizes.

The Junior Cotillion places as much emphasis on etiquette, manners, and character education as it does on dancing. The social and character education components of the program include rules of proper telephone courtesy; acknowledgments of gifts;  introductions, receiving lines; participating in group settings; polite conversations; 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:  styles of dining including American, Asian, and Continental; skills involved in being a guest, hostess or host; and many other areas of social behavior.  Other topics covered are the ethics involved in the areas of having honor,  dignity, respect, fairness, a caring attitude, accountability, and citizenship.  Dance  instruction includes steps in the Foxtrot, Shag Swing, Waltz, and Cha Cha, as well as instruction in current line dances. 

The Junior Cotillion setting encourages young ladies and gentlemen 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  the confidence and poise that comes from knowing the proper etiquette in any social situation.  Instruction in dancing and etiquette will be given throughout all sessions.  The Balls allow formal opportunities to practice all training. The highlight of the year for Junior Cotillion is the Grand Spring Ball.  All dance and etiquette training is taught according to grade level.

Appropriate Attire:

Dances/Classes – All Junior Cotillion sessions are dress-up affairs for which careful grooming is required.  Hair should be neatly combed, fingernails clipped and clean, and shoes polished and so forth. Dancing requires hard-soled shoes. No open-toe shoes.  No athletic shoes or flip flops, please. Ladies should wear conservative Sunday dresses or skirts, short white gloves, and dress shoes for dances. Gentlemen should wear khaki pants, 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 knee-length or longer, age-appropriate, dresses and short white gloves. Gentlemen should wear khaki pants, white dress shirts, ties, and navy or dark blazers or black tie tuxedos (optional).

Tuition:

 Membership dues are $325 and include all costs for the training and balls. 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.  There will be no refunds except in the case of extraordinary circumstances such as moving or illness, in fairness to students who are placed on the waiting list. 

Junior Cotillion Year II 

The purpose of the NATIONAL LEAGUE OF JUNIOR COTILLIONS™ is to  offer young people instruction and practice in the courtesies that make life more  pleasant for them and those around them; to offer them thorough training in standard ballroom dance; and to provide opportunities to practice and enjoy these skills at  memorable parties, dances/classes and balls, complete with refreshments, favors, and prizes.

The Junior Cotillion places as much emphasis on etiquette, manners, and character education as it does on dancing. The social and character education components of the program include rules of proper telephone courtesy; acknowledgments of gifts;  introductions, receiving lines; participating in group settings; polite conversations; 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:  styles of dining including American, Asian, and Continental; skills involved in being a guest, hostess or host; and many other areas of social behavior.  Other topics covered are the ethics involved in the areas of having honor,  dignity, respect, fairness, a caring attitude, accountability, and citizenship.  Dance  instruction includes steps in the Foxtrot, Shag Swing, Waltz, and Cha Cha, as well as instruction in current line dances. 

The Junior Cotillion setting encourages young ladies and gentlemen 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  the confidence and poise that comes from knowing the proper etiquette in any social situation.  Instruction in dancing and etiquette will be given throughout all sessions.  The Balls allow formal opportunities to practice all training. The highlight of the year for Junior Cotillion is the Grand Spring Ball.  All dance and etiquette training is taught according to grade level.

Appropriate Attire:

Dances/Classes – All Junior Cotillion sessions are dress-up affairs for which careful grooming is required.  Hair should be neatly combed, fingernails clipped and clean, and shoes polished and so forth. Dancing requires hard-soled shoes. No open-toe shoes.  No athletic shoes or flip flops, please. Ladies should wear conservative Sunday dresses or skirts, short white gloves, and dress shoes for dances. Gentlemen should wear khaki pants, dress shirts, ties and navy or dark blazers.

Instructional Dinner– 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.

Black and White Spring Ball – The Grand Spring Ball is a semi-formal event for which  appropriate dress is required. Ladies should wear knee-length or longer, age-appropriate, white dresses and short white gloves. Gentlemen should wear khaki pants, white dress shirts, ties, and navy or dark blazers or black tie tuxedos (optional).

Tuition:

Membership dues are $350 and include all costs for the training and balls, plus an instructional dinner for students in 7th-9th grades. 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.  There will be no refunds except in the case of extraordinary circumstances such as moving or illness, in fairness to students who are placed on the waiting list.