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Program
Little Rock Junior Cotillion Curriculum
A Four-Year Progression in Etiquette, Confidence & Social Skills
Established 1948 • Grades 5–8 • Central ArkansasCurrent families: RSVP or update information
The LRJC Program
Practice for the rooms that matter.
A four-year progression in etiquette, communication, ballroom dance, and leadership—designed to help students move through real life with confidence and consideration.
Instruction • Practice • Encouragement
SettingMcAuley Center at Mount St. Mary
Season finale2026 Holly Ball at Statehouse Convention Center
Program modelFour years of guided practice
Why cotillion
Confidence is built, not bestowed.
Little Rock Junior Cotillion cultivates social competence through thoughtful instruction in etiquette, ballroom dancing, communication, and leadership. Students learn what consideration looks like, then practice it until it feels natural.
Proficiency in social skills gives young people a strong foundation for navigating unfamiliar environments, participating in community, and treating others with respect.
LRJC is a preparatory program focused on social and leadership skills. It is not affiliated with or designed as a debutante program.
How the program works
Structured, supportive, and built year by year.
Families receive clear expectations, students receive repeated opportunities to practice, and each year builds on the one before it.
Purposeful instruction
Students learn why a standard matters, see it demonstrated clearly, and practice it in realistic social situations.
Balanced enrollment
Acceptance is first-applied, first-accepted after legacy placements so LRJC can work toward balanced partner participation. Waitlisted applications automatically roll forward if a space does not open.
Year-by-year growth
Age-appropriate skills return with increasing independence, maturity, and polish from fifth through eighth grade.
Signature skills
What students practice.
Each skill is reinforced across the four-year curriculum and becomes more nuanced as students grow.
✓A confident handshake
✓Meaningful eye contact
✓Polite introductions
✓Thoughtful conversation
✓Respectful “No, thank you”
✓Gratitude and appreciation
✓Confidence on the dance floor
✓Respect for others
✓Self-respect and sound judgment
Skills with a larger purpose
Leadership begins with awareness.
Leadership development
Students practice introducing themselves confidently, listening with attention, following through, and understanding how their presence affects a group.
Social etiquette
Guided peer interaction helps students develop poise, consideration, self-awareness, and habits that support healthy relationships.
“Courtesy is confidence used for the benefit of someone else.”
Dress code
Dress with respect for the occasion.
Clear standards help students arrive prepared and allow the evening to focus on participation, practice, and community.
Young ladies
Semi-formal • Grades 5–8
- Tea-length, modest dresses with age-appropriate straps
- White gloves are required
- 5th grade: flats with a back or strap
- 6th–8th: flats or low wedges with a back or strap
- Skin-colored hosiery is optional
- No heels on the Mount St. Mary floor
Holly Ball formal
- 5th grade may wear a shorter formal dress
- Floor-length dresses for older grades; strapless is acceptable for 7th and 8th
- White gloves appropriate to sleeve length
- Floral nosegay carried by each student; no corsages
Young gentlemen
Semi-formal • Grades 5–8
- Suit with light shirt and tie or bow tie
- Or jacket with dress slacks, light shirt, and tie or bow tie
- Polished tie-up shoes or loafers
- No dirty bucks, topsiders, or tennis shoes
Holly Ball formal
- Dark suit, holiday-themed suit, or tuxedo
- A dark suit may be worn throughout the season
- Tuxedo rental is optional
- Boutonniere is required and may be homemade or purchased
Please leave bags at home. Purses, totes, and bags are not brought onto the dance floor, with exceptions for insulin, medication, or another necessary accommodation.
Expectations & conduct
Courtesy starts before the music begins.
Students are expected to arrive promptly, dress appropriately, follow instruction, and treat others with kindness. LRJC maintains a gracious, orderly environment where every participant can learn with confidence.
Arrive earlyPlan to arrive 10–15 minutes before the dance begins.
Pick up promptlyBe ready at the scheduled end time to keep traffic moving safely.
Carpool when possibleLRJC provides school-group lists after registration closes to help families connect.
Choose your groupFamilies may carpool with schoolmates, neighbors, or community friends.
Arrival & departure
Know the route before the first evening.
Review the current diagrams with every driver in your carpool. Follow staff direction on site and leave extra time for the opening events.
Pick up
Follow the marked traffic pattern and wait for staff direction.
Drop off
Use the designated approach and keep the loading area moving.
Walk-up option
Use the marked pedestrian route when meeting students on foot.
The next step
Give confidence a place to grow.
Explore the grade-by-grade journey, review this season’s calendar, or begin an application for a student entering grades 5–8.