Junior Cotillion participants practice the snowball challenge
By John Dixon

Carson Kerns and Killian McDonald

The Greater Columbia Junior Cotillion is halfway through the 2007- 2008 season and participants are celebrating with a Holly Ball. Since the fall of the year, students learned the proper escort position, seating and refreshment etiquette, proper greeting and introduction practices, and more than a little bit about ballroom dancing.

The Holly Ball is their first real opportunity to practice what they learned in a festive holiday tradition. Jan Cohn, director, welcomed the "Ladies and Gentlemen" and some parent helpers to Leaside for a night of fun and learning. Junior assistants were also on hand to serve as additional dance partners and facilitators. Junior and senior assistants are former cotillion participants who stayed after finishing the program to help other young people learn the finer points of dance and etiquette under Cohn's skilled hand.

The National league of Junior Cotillions was founded in 1989 in North Carolina as the brain child of Charles and Anne Winters because parents were concerned about the negative influences surrounding today's youth and wanted to help their children develop self confidence, character, and social skills.

Brendan Roberts and Jessica Skipper

Since its founding, the Greater Columbia chapter has embodied the mission of junior cotillion "To act and learn to treat others with honor, dignity, and respect for better relationships with family, friends, and associates and to learn and practice ball room dance."

Parents like Sandra Spigner, Martha Haynes, Kendall Walker, and Lee Chapman signed their children up for the Junior Cotillion experience because they wanted them to learn the social graces to interact successfully and comfortably.

Spigner says while it is important for her daughter, Macie Lee, "to be with friends" she sees Junior Cotillion as a tool for "learning how to interact with adults and males in a ladylike fashion."

Haynes likes her daughter Jenna "learning things from the book" while also getting "to be with friends and learning to be more comfortable socially. " Walker sees Junior Cotillion as a way to help his daughter, Caitlyn, "knock off rough edges and gain poise in social situations."

Ansley Seay and Trace Cannon

Chapman wants his son Wills to "learn proper manners while turning into a young man with proper manners."

Conner Renfro, a sixth grader at Dent Middle School, likes "learning new things and thinks it will be helpful later in life when interviewing for jobs."

Junior Assistant Katie Yeago, a ninth grade home schooler, credits Junior Cotillion with improving her self- esteem and helping her open- up and make friends.

Junior Assistant Ian Grant, an eighth grader at Hand and Senior Assistant Rob Borucki, a tenth grader at Richland North East, agree it is all about the manners though Grant admits it is a bonus "to get to come and see Mrs. Cohn."

Jeremy Moore is an eleventh grader at A.C. Flora High School and has been with Mrs. Cohn and Junior Cotillion the longest of anyone interviewed. Jeremy says Junior Cotillion has helped him talk to more people and continuing as an assistant provided an opportunity to showcase and practice his skills and see and assist the younger siblings of his friends.

John Dixon and Susan Ervin

Monday night, important life lessons and social graces were learned and practiced as the participants enjoyed good company and fun dance competitions. By the time the evening wound down, and the snowball challenge began, everyone was ready to show their best side with family and friends at any holiday festivity that might come their way.

Mrs. Cohn wished each one a safe and happy holiday as they exited and politely thanked her and the parent chaperones for an evening of fun and learning as proper young ladies and gentlemen should.

Evan Greene and Jennie Joe Wiltshire Catherine Floyd and Rivers Martin