Dear parents,
With grateful hearts, we welcome you and your family to the 25th Season of Capital Cotillion!
This is the first of six monthly parent newsletters that will be sent a few days before each dance to inform you of the planned etiquette lesson, the dance step that will be taught, and anything else you need to know.
You should have received our Welcome Email, a comprehensive source of information and helpful links. If you did not receive it, it is available on our website. Please familiarize yourself with our website and our invitation as the answers to most of your questions can be found there; and please pay special attention to the dress code.
The password for parent content on the website is: cotillion.
Attire is traditional cotillion attire (please refer to our website) with dress shoes. No athletic shoes are permitted – they damage the floor.
No phones or smart watches are allowed on the dance floor. Please keep your child’s phone and/or smart watch with you or they may be turned OFF and left in a coat pocket on the coat tables. Should you need to reach your child in an emergency, you may contact our security staff at: 301.814.7097.
Mrs. Patrick’s etiquette lesson in September will be Mastering the Art of Introducing Oneself. This is an important life skill, and we want our students to be both comfortable and confident during an introduction. The etiquette lesson will begin PROMPTLY at the class start time.
Mr. Rye, our dance instructor, will teach the Waltz for our first dance. Many dances are based off the simple waltz step, and it will serve as the foundation for the Season.
At the end of each dance, the students will be given an optional etiquette assignment to complete at home. If your student completes the assignment, they may bring a 3×5 card with their name to the next dance to be eligible for a drawing. You will find information on the previous month’s assignment in each newsletter, beginning next month.
Many families enjoy hosting a gathering before or after the dances. These activities make each month a very special and much anticipated occasion. We are happy to provide a list of students in your child’s school for this purpose, but we request that one parent be the point-of-contact point for each school/grade to cut down the number of duplicative requests. In addition, please be sure students have ample time to arrive at Stone Hall for the dance on time.
Please review the arrival and pick up information on our website under What to Expect. We have a very quick turnaround between classes and this is so very important!
Please be aware that we are guests at National Presbyterian. We ask that everyone drive carefully and slowly and obey all traffic signs and directions in the parking lot. Parents arriving to pick up a student are asked to park and walk to the curb. Parking lots can be dangerous – please help us avoid accidents.
We look forward to getting to know your students and to an enjoyable and successful Season!
Regards,
Michele Pollard Patrick, Sponsor