Cotillion
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The cotillion is a type of
patterned social dance that originated in France in the 18th century. It was
originally made up of four couples in a square formation, the forerunner of the
quadrille;
in the United States the square dance,
where the "figures" are called aloud by the caller, is a form of
rural contredanse that also descended from the urban cotillion. Its name,
from French cotillon, "petticoat",
reflected the flash of petticoats as the changing partners turned. The cotillion,
of repeated "figures" interspersed with "changes" of
different figures to different music,[1]
was one of many contredanses where the gathered participants were able to introduce
themselves and to flirt with other dancers through the exchange of partners within
the formation network of the dance. By the 19th century, the cotillion evolved
to include more couples with many complex dance figures.
In British usage, cotillion
has disappeared, save in French or historical contexts.[2]
Cotillions were introduced in London about 1766[3]
by French dancing masters. They came to America in about 1772. There is a
reference to a dance in the French manner, implying a 'cotillon', in John Gay's
Beggar's Opera of 1728, where the low-life characters of London dance in
imitation of the fashions of the wealthy.[4]
There is also a reference in Robert Burns's
1790 poem, Tam o' Shanter, where upon seeing a group of witches and warlocks dancing
they are described to the reader as "Nae cotillion brent-new frae
France".
A German cotillion, in
contemporary accounts, was reintroduced to New York
society at a costume ball with a Louis XV theme given by Mr. William Colford
Schermerhorn in the early winter of 1854.[5]
The original wiki link on the subject can be found at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotillion
Now
for a test:
1) What is difference between black tie and
informal?
2) What is the difference between a dining in
and a dining out?
3) Do you know how to properly wrap a drink for
anyone you serve, and then serve it?
Depending
on how you judge your answers, consider getting some etiquette training for
yourself and your Family. Most, both boys and girls, will probably hate it at
the time. Later, they will probably benefit, like later success in their life.
Expect a once a week hour or more training
period over a time of up to 12 weeks.
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