The Grand Style of the Cotillion
When we think of the word "cotillion", we imagine a grand ballroom with a highly polished floor, candelabra and ornate sconces dotting the walls and tables. A uniformed orchestra plays a Viennese waltz in three-quarter time while elegantly dressed couples whirl across the floor. The dancers create a vision of a colorful cloud as they perform various figures.
Cotillion History
The history of the Cotillion is much different than the upscale elegance we imagine. The cotillion originated in France in the 1850s and remained popular through the nineteenth century. Though the cotillion originated in France as a country dance, the popularity of the Cotillion spread to England and America. The word cotillion means "petticoat" in French, and is also the title of a song of the day.
From Country Dance to Cotillion
Part of a dance program for a social event, the ccotillion was considered part of country dances and usually followed a quadrille, a dance performed in a square. In the quadrille two to four couples danced opposite each other, whereas in the cotillion, the lead dance couple forms the first of several sets of dance figures with remaining couples following. Cotillion dance steps may have included several steps known in ballet as "chasse" and "balance". The dance steps followed a geometric pattern that created resulting geometric figures. Intermittently, the cotillion had a "change", a set of alternating dance steps, that would be repeated.
The cotillion brought with it certain social graces typical of the courtesies of the day. Though males taking part in a cotillion dance chose a partner early upon arrival at the event, the cotillion afforded both male and female the opportunity for a flirtatious encounter with other dancers of interest.
The levels of elegance of the cotillion was influenced by status in society as well as other social values of the times. The higher the level of stature of guests invited to a cotillion dance, the higher the level of elegance would likely be.
Debutante Dance Program
Today, cotillion is most associated with debutantes' "coming-out" balls, which in fact, still do employ a dance program of eligible couples who perform sets of figures to a classical piece of music. In a more contemporary style, the American square dance retains a similarity to cotillion figures.
The Cotillion Tradition Continues
The cotillion dance is still performed on rare occasions in Europe, notably in Austria where court and country dances remain popular. One Austrian dance in particular is most reminiscent of the cotillion. It's known as the Landlar, an Austrian folk dance where couples dance in a line and perform intricate turns and twirls while dancing in a three-quarter time. In the early 1900s, an Italian version of the cotillion dance became popular.
The Future of the CotillionThe future of the Cotillion depends on the value of this particular style of dance in perpetuity and a return to classically elegant social graces. Like many traditional dance forms, the Cotillion may evolve only in a theatrical venue.
