Seventh-grade junior cotillion participants practice their skills at the Chattanooga Convention Center this past January.Originally intended to serve as preparation for cotillion balls, junior cotillion has continued to evolve along with the times, shedding its air of stuffiness and exclusivity and gaining increasing relevance for modern, screen-loving preteens.
The junior cotillion of today requires no invitation and, despite what many believe, has no connection with the Cotton Ball, the local cotillion ball where generations of lasses from across the region have made their debut wearing white gloves and elaborate gowns. “We welcome everyone,” says Rita Fordham, of Southeastern Junior Cotillion. She has led Junior Cotillion of Chattanooga for the past 11 years.
Typically held at the Chattanooga Golf and Country Club or a local hotel such as the DoubleTree, Junior Cotillion of Chattanooga has programs for seventh- and eighth-graders, with the weekly seventh-grade program in January being the more formal of the two. The more casual eighth-grade program, referred to as Cotillion Club, is held once a month from November to April.
Participants still learn ballroom dances such as the waltz and the hustle while donning their best dresses, sport coats and ties, and junior cotillion culminates with a final dance at the Chattanooga Convention Center. But the material covered reaches far beyond the ballroom.
“It’s preparation for all the social aspects of life,” Fordham says. She teaches her students how to navigate a wide range of situations, from how and when to write a proper thank-you note, to making introductions, to which fork to use for a particular course at a formal dinner. The curriculum has also expanded over the years to include technology-related etiquette for email and cellphones.