A seven-month formal program for 6th-8th grade ladies and gentlemen to practice their people skills, experience the tradition of partner dance, and skyrocket their social confidence.
announcing the
2026-2027 season
of the
washington cotillion
i'm ready to register!
SEVEN EVENTS OVER SEVEN MONTHS
4 etiquette/dance classes
+ 2 instructional meals, an Afternoon Tea and a Dinner
+ 1 semi-formal ball
WHO 6th-8th grade ladies and gentlemen
LOCATIONS Classes, Afternoon Tea, and the Ball are held at the Washington Civic Center. The Dinner is held at Blu Farm to Table Restaurant.
WHEN Once a month from October through April. Class times are to be announced as they are based on final registration numbers (tentatively planning in the 1:00pm to 6:00pm range). >> View Exact Dates
TUITION $315-375 per child depending on Early Bird vs. standard fall registration and if you register with a buddy.
Payment plans are available!
Or read on to learn all the things.
Quick Details
Big Changes for 2026-2027!
- One season delivers a complete, connected curriculum
- Fits busy middle school schedules and simplifies planning for families
- Adds Emotional Intelligence, an additional instructional meal, and new hands-on activities
- Enhances events with opportunities for more family and friend participation
During this transition year, returning students will see some review of previously learned skills. Please review the full program details to ensure it’s a good fit for your family. To thank families for returning—and to account for the review of some material—returning families were emailed a 15% discount code.
- Early Bird Period
- Boy-Girl Pairs
- Standby List and Wait List
- Discounts and Payment Plans
- Schedule
- Refunds
WATCH: Everything you need to know about how cotillion registration works
A Virtual Event on Zoom
Tuesday, September 15th, 2026
7:00 pm
(recording available afterwards)
Please email me to request the Zoom link if you do not have it already from your invitation.
Registered and interested parents are invited to join us from the comfort of your home for a thorough program overview and live Q&A.
Parent Info Session
Note: Classes may fill prior to this Info Session.
Early registration is recommended.
Hello there! I'm Sydney Dunn and as a cotillion director, my goal is to come alongside parents to help grow their children into kind, capable, respectful, and socially-confident adults. Cotillion provides the perfect opportunity to practice those face-to-face interactions and social skills that will follow them the rest of their lives.
I've been teaching etiquette throughout eastern North Carolina and southeast Virginia since 2016. I am incredibly excited to help Chelsea bring this program to the families of Washington!
My husband, Lee, and I live in Edenton and have a farm and four children. As you can imagine, our life is never boring!
Sydney dunn
Director
Meet The Leaders
Hi, I’m Chelsea! I am thrilled to partner with Sydney's vision and bring this phenomenal program to our community.
I’m originally from Roper, NC, but moved to Washington in 2012 after marrying my high school sweetheart, Andy. Fast-forward to today, and I’m living my dream as a stay-at-home, homeschooling mama and part-time wedding planner. Since 2023, I’ve had the joy of leading the Washington cotillion group under Sydney’s guidance, and I’m excited to continue combining my passion for education and social events through cotillion.
We live in a world where the word “social” is most commonly associated with the word “media” and communication most often happens behind a screen and via thumbs. I believe, now more than ever, it is imperative that we intentionally cultivate social and communication skills in our students by presenting opportunities in which they are compelled to learn and grow. And that, my friends, is what cotillion is all about.
I look forward to meeting your children and hope they leave their time with us feeling more empowered and ready to engage the world with tremendous poise and purpose.
CHELSEA BOWEN
Lead instructor
Etiquette classes and cotillions are a classic tradition that have been a rite of passage for young people for decades. Cotillion isn’t just a one-and-done extracurricular activity. It's a memorable and identifiable segment of adolescence (just ask any adult who's ever attended cotillion).
You've got to admit there's some pretty special memory-making going on when you put on white gloves or a bow tie, waltz with a partner, and share a three-course meal with your buddies.
And if i'm being honest, that old school vibe is THE #1 reason I love it.
Not going to lie-
cotillion is old school.
We have spent hours hand-selecting, updating, and customizing every. single. lesson. until we feel completely confident that it is relevant, useful, and necessary for today's youth.
We are fully aware that the kids in our classes will soon be the adults who are running things in our communities. Our goal is to help these kids learn how to build and maintain relationships that will translate to a happy and healthy adulthood.
The lessons in our classes will always be rooted in kindness, respect, humility, and selflessness.
but i'll tell you something else
Some things just never go out of style.
"your program blows the others away"
"The more cotillion classes my children attend, the more comfortable they become in formal social settings. As a family that has years of cotillion experience, your program blows the others away!"
The McLamb Family
what we're learning at cotillion:
Navigate a formal, full-course dinner, including proper fork and knife technique
Handle spills or social mishaps with composure
Interact well with peers, adults, and servers at the table
Demonstrate (and acknowledge) gentlemanly courtesies
REAL TALK Handle embarrassing moments with composure and help others do the same
Formal Dining & Gentlemanly Conduct
Dinner
FEBRUARY
Dress appropriately for different social situations
Manage their appearance independently, including tying a tie
Use phones, texting, and video games with discretion and self-control
Represent themselves positively online
REAL TALK Use good judgment online in posts, comments, and reactions
DANCE Line dance and how to spin a partner
Personal Appearance & Digital Life
Class Three
JANUARY
DECEMBER
Conduct themselves appropriately in public such as performances, sporting events, and while traveling
Act as a polite guest and a considerate host
Respond correctly to invitations, gifts, and RSVPs
Demonstrate respect and adaptability toward people of all abilities and backgrounds
REAL TALK Address and repair conflict with honesty and maturity
DANCE We introduce closed dance position and a new line dance
Public Spaces & Community Life
Class Two
NOVEMBER
Start and maintain polite conversation using appropriate questions
Use polite words, phrases, and greetings
Listen without interrupting and respond thoughtfully
Recognize inappropriate topics and redirect politely
Set a place setting and use basic table manners
REAL TALK Disagree respectfully while showing empathy
DANCE Line dance the Rumba box step
Conversation & Table Manners
Afternoon Tea
october
Greet adults and peers confidently with proper posture and eye contact
Use a refreshment or buffet line politely
Introduce themselves and others appropriately
Sit, stand, walk, and move with confidence
REAL TALK Set personal boundaries clearly and follow through
DANCE Line dance and the 'slow-quick-quick' rhythm of the Rumba
First Impressions
Class One
Recognize when someone needs to be celebrated or encouraged and choose a thoughtful way to acknowledge them
Write appropriate thank-you, sympathy, and congratulatory notes
Address envelopes correctly
Demonstrate appropriate conduct at funerals and other reverent moments
Show respect for the American flag and military service, culminating in a student-led Missing Man Ceremony
REAL TALK Know when to speak up, let it go, or listen
DANCE Line dance, Rumba crossover breaks, and review of all dance steps for the ball
Honor, Gratitude, & Correspondence
Class Four
MaRCH
This full-course instructional dinner is held at a local restaurant, giving students hands-on practice navigating a formal meal with confidence. We’ll cover place settings, seating and menus, bread and soup, Continental fork-and-knife technique, interacting well with tablemates and servers, phones at the table, and handling the inevitable dining mishap with composure.
The evening also focuses on gentlemanly courtesies—with gentlemen practicing thoughtful ways to show consideration and ladies learning to recognize and acknowledge those courtesies graciously. Students wear Cotillion Semi-Formal attire and put their skills into practice throughout the meal.
Parent tickets may also be available for purchase, as space allows.
February
Formal Dinner
Instructional Meals
The Afternoon Tea gives students hands-on practice with conversation and basic table manners in a relaxed social setting. Over tea and light refreshments, they’ll practice starting and maintaining conversation, asking thoughtful questions, active listening, reading social cues, using a place setting and napkin properly, fork-and-knife technique, and traditional tea etiquette.
Students wear Dressy Casual attire, with ladies wearing a dress hat or fascinator and gentlemen wearing a dress hat.
If space allows, students may also invite a friend to join them for the afternoon (RSVP required).
November
Afternoon Tea
The Celebration Ball
The Final Event
The Celebration Ball is the grand finale of the cotillion season—a chance for students to put their skills into practice, enjoy an evening with friends, and make some special memories with their families.
Dancing, games, refreshments, prizes, corsages and boutonnieres, and optional professional portraits make for a memorable evening. Students wear Cotillion Semi-Formal attire for the occasion.
Parents are asked to join us for the final 45 minutes of the ball to watch the students in action and learn the Waltz with their child.
APRIL
Dress Code
Students are encouraged to wear a dress hat to the Afternoon Tea.
No flip-flops or tennis shoes, please.
Students are welcome to repeat outfits throughout the season.
See your confirmation email for shopping suggestions.
OTHER NOTES
Dinner & Ball
Gentlemen: Dress pants, dress shirt, tie or bowtie, and blazer or sport coat. A suit is also appropriate.
Ladies: A semi-formal, party, or cocktail dress or dressy jumpsuit. Short, white gloves.
COTILLION
SEMI-FORMAL
Classes & Afternoon Tea
Gentlemen: Pants, belt, and button-up shirt. Ties or bowties are encouraged, but not required.
Ladies: A modest, age-appropriate casual dress, skirt, or dressy romper with shoes suitable for dancing. Short, white gloves.
DRESSY CASUAL
watch this video with your kid!
A lot of kids are nervous about cotillion because they simply don't know what to expect.
This video gives them all the details to help them walk through the door with confidence.
What to Expect at Cotillion
10+ HOURS of group instruction in etiquette, manners, and social dance at a wonderful venue.
2 INSTRUCTIONAL MEALS - a tea AND a dinner. Let's give them practice in a formal dining setting before they get to the real thing.
SEMI-FORMAL BALL - a grand social event to culminate the season! An opportunity to show off their dance moves and make some quality memories with both their buddies and mom and dad.
ETIQUETTE REFERENCE GUIDE - professionally bound and customized to the lessons taught at cotillion. Your family can refer back to all the material for years to come.
REFRESHMENTS - every class. Always. The punch and cookies are serious business, y'all.
Tuition includes:
Sign us up!
Registration is open to 6th-8th grade ladies and gentlemen until September 23rd (or when classes fill).
A printed invitation is not required to register.
Standby Lists are likely.
Boy-Girl Pair
how do Boy-Girl pairS work?
REGISTER
Payment plans are available. Use the code PLAN during checkout to pay 50% now and 50% December 1.
Siblings enrolled in the same season receive a 10% multi-child discount applied automatically at checkout.
each
Individual
REGISTER
There are two ways to register:
$375
$345
what if my child has allergies?
Our allergy plan is shared with families before the first class and again prior to our dining events. We are also happy to discuss any additional safety measures a parent may request to help ensure your child feels safe and prepared. Please reach out if you have specific questions.
refund policy
We understand that committing to a program months in advance, before class times are finalized, can be challenging. We have taken this into account when creating our refund policy. Class times will be announced by September 25 giving families time to review. Refunds are available through September 30, minus a $25 administrative fee.
phone policy
We kindly ask that phones not be visible during any part of the class, including the refreshment break.
Policies and Common Qs & As:
I still have a few questions...
do parents attend?
Parents are kindly asked to attend the last 45 minutes of the ball (required) and are welcome to observe the last 15 minutes of any event (optional). Chaperones are also needed at each event- please note your interest to chaperone on the registration form.
where can i find clothes for cotillion?
For boys, we like Macy's, Land's End, and Belk. For ladies, try Dillard's, J. Crew, Ralph Lauren, Macy's, and Belk. Check out this Dress Code page that includes more details, photos, and links.
what if my child has to miss a class?
The information in each class subsequently builds toward the ball, but missing one isn't a deal breaker! Students can review the booklet, watch the online dance lesson, and complete the assignment to catch up. They may also attend the same class at a different location if desired. See the full schedule for alternate dates and options.
Does my daughter have to wear a dress?
For ladies who don't enjoy wearing dresses, jumpsuits are a great option! Our dress code page includes several non-dress options that still fit within the dress code for their gender.
call, text, or email- whatever's easiest for you. I'll get back with you shortly!
Still have questions?
contact sydney
I'm ready to register!
"He danced enthusiastically"
"My son definitely has an appreciation for dressing up now. After cotillion, our family attended a funeral and a wedding. At both events, he had no complaints about wearing a jacket and tie. Also, at the wedding, he danced enthusiastically, even if it wasn’t ballroom dancing."
The Belvin Family
Your child is a 6th-8th grader and you're willing to drive (or carpool!) to Washington, North Carolina seven times between October and April.
Your core family values include kindness, courtesy, and showing respect to others.
You'd appreciate some reinforcement while navigating these socially awkward tween and teenage years. Someone to come alongside you who can reiterate the social lessons you're teaching at home.
Your child is a bit shy and could use a little confidence boost.
Your child is a social butterfly and needs a place to shine or fine-tune some soft skills.
You are looking for social connections- an opportunity to network with families in your area.
The Washington Cotillion is likely a good fit for your family if
Not going to work out this year?
Add your family to The Invite List to be notified of future classes.
Copyright 2020-2026 Sydney Dunn Etiquette LLC
TERMS & CONDITIONS | Page designed by em shop
PHOTOS BY LITTLE TUNA STUDIOS unless otherwise noted
Copyright 2020-2026 Sydney Dunn Etiquette LLC | TERMS & CONDITIONS | Photos by Little tuna studios unless otherwise noted | Page designed by em shop
boy-girl pair discount!
1. Find a buddy of the opposite gender.
2. Have your buddy register ASAP and note each other's names on your registration forms.
3. Save $30 each and skip past any Standby Lists!
Boy-girl pairs are solely for the registration discount. They will not be permanently partnered during the actual cotillion.
take advantage of the
CLOSE
Save
$30