By BETH ALSTON
beth.alston@americustimesrecorder.com
www.americustimesrecorder.com

AMERICUS — The National League of Junior Cotillions (NLJC), Americus Chapter held a winter ball for its young participants.
The Mission of the NLJC is “to act and learn to treat others with honor, dignity, and respect for better relationships with family, friends, and business associates later in life, and to learn and practice ballroom dance.”
The program serves students in grades 5 through 8 who live in Sumter, Schley, Lee and Doughtery counties. In Americus the chapter serves students who attend Furlow Charter School, the Schley County School System and Southland Academy.
Tracy Hall, regional director, explained that her students enjoy five classes of learning etiquette and ballroom dance, and then put all those skills together for two balls, the Winter Ball which took place on Jan. 23 at the Griffin Bell Conference Center, and the Grand Spring Ball which will take place in April at The Carnegie.
Hall commented that the Winter Ball produced some “fantastic winners” which are as follow.
Foxtrot Champions: Tanner Humphrey and Taylor Ragsdale
Swing Champions: Chase Ledger and Morgan Weaver
Cha Cha Elimination Champions: Jack Stapleton and Delaney Comer

Foxtrot Elimination Champions: Jack Stapleton and Madison Barthell
Cotillion Challenge: Adaja Brown
Lead Couple: Ashton Engram and Mary Thomas Smith

Apollo Huss, a fifth-grader at Southland Academy, and a participant in the Americus Chapter of the NLJC, talked with the Times-Recorder about his experience.

When asked what he had learned from the cotillion experience, Apollo said, confidently, “some new dance moves, how to talk to your date or girlfriend. You get some experience so your first date won’t be awkward, and it (cotillion) is also fun.”
Apollo’s father, Derek Huss, took cotillion classes when he was in eighth grade.
When asked how it works, Apollo explained, “You get there and are chosen to go with somebody. Then you can choose your next dance partner or go down three girls for choose a partner.”

He said the classes are held at The Lee Council House.
“It would be a great experience if other kids, from other schools, joined it,” Apollo concluded.