The Virginia Cotillion returns! After taking a break the past two years due to the coronavirus, we are so excited to resume classes this fall in the ballroom at Belle Haven Country Club. Cotillion teaches traditional social ballroom dancing and etiquette to students in grades four through seven. As the sponsors of Cotillion, Gillian Rice Maupin and I both attended when we were in middle school. We jumped at the opportunity to take over the business when the original owners were ready to move on. Just when the program was really taking off, the pandemic turned the world upside down, and we had to take a break, but now we feel like it is the appropriate time to resume classes. 

We loved Cotillion when we were younger, and we love sharing these classes with students today. We think we have the best program because we have the best instructor. Stylebook’s own, Miss Penelope Norton, makes traditional social ballroom dances and learning about etiquette fun. Growing up, Penelope studied ballet and tap for 12 years at The School for Little Swans under Grace Mechanic; she attended Cotillion in the Mount Vernon area during junior high and assisted in the ballroom dance portion throughout high school and then returned after graduating from college to be an instructor. Firm but friendly, she is an incredible dance instructor and really instills the fundamentals of how to dance, a valuable skill that will be used throughout their lives.

Classes are held once a month on Sunday afternoons from September to March at Belle Haven. With a total of six classes, students learn the fundamentals of dance, including traditional favorites such as the swing, waltz, fox trot, pretzel, salsa, cha-cha, and shag. Every class incorporates basic social etiquette. Classes are formal and require white gloves and party attire for the girls and suits or blazers with a tie for the boys. We love to celebrate Halloween with a special costume night, and we close out the season with The Ball, where families are invited to come, and parents get to dance with their children and then stay for dinner afterward. It’s always a really great night celebrating a great season.

While I feel very busy (most days overwhelmed?) with everything going on in my life, I always look forward to our Sunday evenings at Cotillion. It was a special experience that I loved growing up, and now my boys are getting to the age where they can participate, which is a good thing because we almost always need more boys to sign up.

Help us spread the word that Cotillion is back and will be starting next month. We are ready to dance again!