Wedding Bells Ring at JDWC!

Ms. Annabel Day wed Mr. Quinn Kyler in a ceremony held at the Beaver Creek Chapel on August 19, 2011.

Mr. Daniel Webb wed Ms. Isabel Day on a beach on Maui exactly four months to the day later on December 19, 2011.

Ms. Katherine Mason became engaged to be married to Mr. Corey Young on November 11, 2011.

Jon D. Williams Cotillions congratulates all the couples on their good fortune!

Listing announcements

Cotillion Orientation Information

WELCOME – we are looking forward to seeing you at your first Cotillion, Club Cotillion or SEE program. We are confident that you will enjoy the program, and learn important social skills in the process. Please observe the following. Thank you.

DRESS CODE

Please note: Over 500 of our committee members have determined our cotillion dress code. To avoid any misunderstanding or embarrassment, we ask that you strictly adhere to the guideline. Please observe the following:

Ladies are required to wear: party dresses or dress skirts (no more than two inches above the knee), nice blouses, white gloves, hosiery, flats or low heels. Ladies, please NO pants, crop tops, denim, or flip-flops. We require our youngest ladies to wear white gloves (usually 5th grade and younger.) To confirm if gloves are required, please go to ‘Schedules and Registration’ on our navigation menu and refer to your specific class description.

Gentlemen are required to wear: traditional sport jackets or suits, dress or khaki trousers, ties, and black or brown dress shoes. Shirts must be tucked in. Don't forget a belt to finish the look. Gentlemen, please NO Doc Martins, hiking boots, sneakers or other rubber-soled shoes. No cargo pants or jeans.

For gloves, girls and boys cotillion clothing and accessories, please visit www.cotillionclassics.com A portion of sales contribute to cotillion scholarships.

DROP-OFF & PICK-UP

JDWC requires students to arrive punctually and be picked up immediately after class. JDW, Committee Members and the facilities being used are not responsible for children before or after class. Carpooling is encouraged and will make drop-off and pick-up much easier. Specific instructions for your cotillion, if any, will be found in your orientation email.

ARRIVAL AND ATTENDANCE

It is VERY IMPORTANT that students arrive before class begins. Chaperones will greet the students at the class entrance. All students should be in class by the time it starts, as indicated in the orientation email.

We request that students attend all classes, except in the case of illness. Absenteeism creates unbalanced classes, and instruction is progressive.

PARENT INFORMATION

Parents are cordially invited to view any of the classes (unless room size is prohibitive) and are always encouraged to attend and participate in the Final Party. NO CAMERAS or VIDEO RECORDERS are allowed at the regular classes; you may take photographs or video at the Final Party. We respectfully request that parents dress appropriately and cooperate with our no alcohol policy. Specific instructions regarding sibling attendance at classes will be found in your orientation email.

SCHEDULING CHANGES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Scheduling changes may occur due to extenuating circumstances, such as weather. If there is a class change, you will receive an email notice and the change will be posted here on our ANNOUNCEMENTS page of the website. Please check your email regularly throughout the cotillion season to be sure you have any updated information.

Chaperone Guidelines

We appreciate all the parents who indicated an interest to chaperone and will do our
best to schedule as many as possible.
Parents that are not chaperoning are welcome to observe classes (please respect the dress code of the facility).

DRESS CODE - follow the general guidelines for our students

Ladies should wear an appropriate suit, dress or skirt (gloves not required)
Gentlemen should wear a coat and tie with dress slacks
Theme Parties – you may follow the dress code or dress for the theme

ARRIVAL TIME – arrive 20 minutes before class begins

Check-in with the instructor
Assist with supervision of arriving and departing students

GREETING THE STUDENTS – students entering class will go through a receiving line

If couples are chaperoning - gentlemen should have the ladies stand to their right
Student introductions should include: first and last name, a firm handshake, good eye contact and a gesture of respect
Introduce yourself as Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr., etc. to the students.

DURING CLASS – you may be seated

Count the students in the class to determine the number of girls and boys
If you notice any disruptive or inappropriate behavior, please notify the instructor
Only one student at a time may use the restroom. If you notice a group leaving together ask them to wait and/or return to class
Please help us enforce our policy prohibiting video and photography during class (with the exception of the Final Party)
Please respect our no alcohol policy and refrain from chewing gum

REFRESHMENTS (if served) – approximately 30 minutes after class begins

Prepare the refreshments (filling glasses ½ to ¾ full is about right)

Please remain standing behind the table:

Students are instructed to thank you
Chaperones are formally introduced once all the students are seated

LEAVING CLASS – stay until ALL students are picked up

Students will form lines and say goodnight to the chaperones; handshakes are not necessary.

Supervise the departure of the students at the designated exit
Students are expected to conduct themselves properly outside class; no running or conduct that will disturb others using the facility. Gentlemen may not remove coat or tie
Again, it is very important that our chaperones stay until all students are picked up

If you cannot attend your scheduled time,
please notify your Cotillion Chaperone Coordinator to cancel.
We hope you enjoy the evening. Thank you.

Theme Party Attire Suggestions

Following are some ideas for costumes for our theme parties. We encourage you to be creative and use your imagination. Please do not go to any great expense!

Note also that even though you are dressed in costume for Theme Night, your instructors respectfully request that you still act like ladies and gentlemen. Our rules for arriving and departing, introductions to chaperones, taking partners and serving refreshments do not change.

THANK YOU!!

50s Party Attire Suggestions

Please NO gum, candy cigarettes, cargo or low rise jeans, and NO regular casual clothes. Look Cool!

Girls	Boys
Poodle Skirt	Letter Jacket
Capris	White/Blue Button-down Shirt
Plain White Blouse	Plain White T-Shirt
Bobby Socks	Rolled-Up Jeans
Cat Eye Glasses	Greased Hair
Saddle Shoes or Ked Sneakers	Cardigan Sweater
Chiffon Scarf	Leather Jacket
Ring on a Chain	Penny Loafers
Pony Tail	50s high-top sneakers (Vans)
Rolled-up Jeans	Sunglasses*
*Note: some cotillions do not allow sunglasses; please ask your instructor.

Around the World Attire Suggestions:

United States: Uncle Sam, pilgrim, pioneer, Miss America, native American
Spain: flamenco dancer or matador
Mexico: sombrero with colorful poncho
Scotland: kilt or plaid costume
Germany: lederhosen, Hansel or Gretel style outfit
Austria: Viennese long formal dress, long gloves, tux
England: London police officer or British soldier, princess
Italy: artist or gondolier
Greece: Grecian god or goddess in white, Olympic athlete
Canada: mounted police officer, Inuit (native Canadian)
Argentina: soccer player or carnival costume
Caribbean countries: pirate, calypso dancer or fisherman
Japan: martial arts athlete or Taiko drummer, kimono
China: New Year's dragon or China doll
Russia: Kremlin guard or Bolshoi ballet dancer
Egypt: pharaoh or queen of ancient Egypt

More costume ideas can be found at Google or Yahoo. Please make sure your costume is suitable for dance.

Roaring 20s Party Attire Suggestions:

Girls	Boys
Flapper Dress	Knickers
Long Pearls	Argyle Socks
Feather Boa	Fedora
Sequined Headband	Suspenders
Cat Eye Glasses	Zoot Suits
	Vests

Costume Party Suggestions:

Walt Disney Characters – Mickey Mouse, Ariel, Lion King
Fairy Tale Characters – princess, prince, pirate
Movie Characters – James Bond, Legally Blonde
Cartoon Characters – Sponge Bob, Nemo
Historic Figures - pilgrim, statesman, astronaut
Professional People – doctor, lawyer, farmer
Sports Figures – soccer player, cheerleader, gymnast
Book Characters - Sherlock Holmes, Harry Potter
Animals - dog, cat, rabbit
Western Theme - cowboy, cowgirl, Native American

70s Theme Party Attire Suggestions:

Disco - "Saturday Night Fever"

Bell Bottoms

Tie-Dyed Clothing

Three-Piece Suit

Leisure Suit

Shirt Collar worn over Jacket Lapels

Farrah Fawcett hairstyle

80s Theme Party Attire Suggestions:

Girls	Boys
Neon Colors	Polo Shirts with Collars Up
Vintage Prom Dress	Stone-washed Jeans / Jean Jackets
Leggings	"Miami Vice"
Head Bands & Hair Scrunchies	Marty McFly (Back to the Future)
Teased Hair	Track Suits
Big Hoop Earrings	Parachute Pants
Fingerless Gloves	Doubled Socks of Two Colors
Side Pony Tails	Penny Loafers
	"Top Gun"

Celebrating 60 Years of Excellence in Social Skills & Dance Education

Our most recent press release is found below:

CELEBRATING 60 YEARS

IN THE BUSINESS OF COURTESY

(Denver, CO. – September 21, 2009) – Jon D. Williams Cotillions, a division of JDW Social Education Programs, teaches far more than the fox trot. The Denver-based company this year proudly celebrates 60 years of teaching social skills, sense and civility. Today, with a rapidly growing number of displays of insolence and incivility, good manners seem to be losing ground.

“We are influenced by individuals who have high-profile positions, those who quite often exhibit bad behavior,” says company president Jon Williams. “For our children, our heroes should set positive examples that demonstrate kindness, respect and consideration.”

Sadly, our heroes are letting us down of late. Politicians, athletes, entertainers and media personalities are high on hostility, turning nastiness into the norm. Rage terrorizes highways, classrooms and offices. Snarling is okay. Even President Barack Obama has called for television networks to reward “decency and civility” in public discourse, rather than making stars out of people who are “rude.”

Bad behavior brings out bona fide questions: What happened to courtesy, esteem and propriety? What happened to the notion of thinking before you speak? Is there no civility left in the world?

Not much, according to U.S. News and World Report. The magazine reported recently that 90 percent of Americans believe incivility contributes to the increase of violence in this country, and 85 percent of Americans believe that incivility is dividing our national community and eroding our values. The American Bar Association claims:”We must move toward or return to a more civil society. Respect not rudeness is key to violence reduction.”

Throughout its history, Jon D. Williams Cotillions estimates that it has instructed more than 250,000 students, from Boston, MA. to Carmel, CA., offering more than $35,000 in scholarships annually and a special program for children at risk. The company has three divisions: Cotillion, for pre-teens; SEE – Survival Etiquette Essentials, for teens; and ESP – Executive Social Presentation, for adults, colleges and businesses. All three divisions teach participants to imbue their lives with courtesy and consideration for others, skills that promise both personal rewards and public success.

“Schools should make social skills and character education a required course that begins in pre-school and continues through graduate school,” Williams says. “How you act is not just a reflection of your character. It’s a demonstration of your education.” Of note is that JDW’s social education course was mandatory at the United States Air Force Academy for more than ten years.

Educators across the country believe that public decorum must regain respect and free-venting emotions must end. And most people concur. A recent ABC News/World News Tonight poll confirms that most Americans (85 percent) feel that a simple “thank you” and “please” would make the world a better place.

Many years ago, renowned dancer and actor Fred Astaire said: “The hardest job kids face today is learning good manners without seeing any.”

Astaire’s words echo loudly today. Polished graces seem long gone. It’s time to

ground kids in good conduct.

JDWC maintains an active Facebook site and Twitter account. To become a fan, simply click on the link on any page of our website. See what's happening in the worlds of JDW Cotillions, SEE - Survival Etiquette Essentials, ESP - Executive Social Presentation and NCSE - the National Center for Social Education.

JDW supports The Ministry of Caring

The JDW Longwood Gardens Cotillion in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania once again made a contribution to the local area's Ministry of Caring. This year our contribution goes in support of the MOC Child Care Center.

Thank you, Longwood families, for your generous support of this important charity!

Congratulations to Ms. Annabel Day!

JDWC staff member Annabel Day is the Colorado 10 Dance Champion, having been awarded 1st place at the Colorado Star Ball Dancesport Championships on June 20, 2011. Annabel competed in the following dance styles: cha cha, samba, rhumba, paso doble, jive, waltz, tango, Viennese waltz, fox trot and quickstep.

We are extremely proud of her accomplishments! Annabel plans to compete again this December at the Holiday Dancesport Classic in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Katherine Mason interviewed on Channel 9

On Wednesday, November 24, 9News, the NBC affiliate in Denver, Colorado, aired a story about children's manners. The story featured an interview with Ms. Katherine Mason, Vice President of JDW Social Education Programs. To view the story, click here.www.9news.com/video/default.aspx.