Renaissance Debutante Program FAQs
Answers for the Most Frequent Questions About the Cotillion
Who can be in the Cotillion?
The Renaissance Debutante Program and Cotillion is centered around Debutantes (HS Junior and Seniors) and Junior Debutantes (HS Freshmen and Sophomores), but there are additional participants as well!
Each Deb must also have…
Escort: A High School-aged young man who escorts the Debutante at the Cotillion.
Male Presenter: A father figure who presents the Debutante at the Cotillion.
Lady in Waiting: An Influential woman in the Debutante’s life who is NOT her mother or guardian, who will stand in the role of support and guidance for the Debutante during the program and the Cotillion
Is there a fee to participate?
Participation in the Renaissance Debutante Program is free, but there are related costs (see more info below). Also we ask every Debutante and Junior Deb (and their families) to sell tickets for the event and journal ads. More details about that will be given in the information session.
Do you have to attend Convent Avenue Baptist Church to be in the Cotillion?
No! We welcome all qualified participants.
When is the Cotillion?
The 2020 Renaissance Debutante Cotillion will be held on May 9th, 2020. But the Cotillion is the ENDING point! There’s are workshops and rehearsals that precede the big day, and they’re all essential and required components for participants.
What is the Renaissance Debutante Program?
The program is an approximately 10 week* enrichment initiative, starting in January, providing faith-centered programming relevant to current challenges and life experiences young Black women are facing, and the skills to help them succeed in the world ahead.
Workshop topics include:
- Public Speaking
- Etiquette (traditional & digital)
- Creating Your Personal Brand
- Healthy Relationships
- Managing Stress
- Financial Skills
- Leadership Development
WHAT ARE THE REHEARSALS FOR?
A Cotillion is a ball, which means dancing, speeches, bows, and pagentry! (Don’t worry if you/your Deb isn’t a “pageant girl.” While we do encourage a reach beyond their comfort zone, we work with each Debutante and Junior Deb to ensure she feels true to herself along the way.)
After a few weeks, we start learning and rehearsing speeches and bows. Later, the Debutante’s escorts, and then the rest of her court start attending rehearsals with our Cotillion Director. It is essential that the people you select to be in the Cotillion with you are able to attend rehearsals! A tentative schedule will be shared at the beginning of the program.
We’re interested. What are the next steps?
2. Come to our next information session (check back here for the date soon.)
or
3. Complete the registration form here, and we’ll be in touch!
