Jon D. Williams Cotillions
Jon D. Williams Cotillions was founded in 1949 by Jon and Vivian Williams and has been teaching social skills and dance education for over sixty years.
History of Jon and Vivian Williams
A native of Greenwich, Connecticut, Vivian learned ballroom dancing and etiquette at the Miss Blasé Cotillion at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. She later débuted at the Hotel Pierre and attended the Arthur Murray dance school in Manhattan.
In 1932, Jon Williams II began his training with Arthur Murray. His first dancing partner was Jimmy Stewart’s wife, Gloria Hatrick McLean, however, he was informed that she was too tall for him and Murray advised him to begin working with a young blonde débutante named Vivian. Thus began the career of Jon and Vivian Williams as Arthur Murray's number one instructional team, performing in the top hotels from New York to California. The dance partners later became partners in life and were married.
After World War II, Jon was contacted by Fred Astaire and offered the position of setting up the first Fred Astaire Dance Studio across the country. Williams jumped at the opportunity. During this period, Astaire was also looking for dance partners to develop new routines so he asked Vivian to audition. Her first appearance at the Park Avenue studio was vintage 1940’s Hollywood. Astaire and Vivian created several new dance steps, including the “Swing Trot,” which was taught all over the country.
The birth of Jon D. Williams Cotillions
In 1949, now having a family and ready to settle down, the Williams decided to leave Astaire and establish their home in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Soon there after, they organized and directed the first Jon D. Williams Cotillion at the Broadmoor Hotel.
Jon D. Williams III and Cotillion in the twenty-first century
In 1975, Jon Williams III joined the family business, which at the time consisted of six cotillion programs. Over thirty years, Williams developed the company into a multi-faceted, national business with an emphasis on social skills education. Jon III brought cotillion programs to fifty cities across the country now operating as far west as Carmel, California and as far east as Boston. Since the company’s inception, JDWC has taught over 250,000 people in social skills and dance education with around 11,000 students taught annually.
Jon D. Williams Cotillions has six professional full time instructors, including Jon D. Williams III.
Currently, JDW Social Education Programs has four divisions:
- Jon D. Williams Cotillions – for children
- Survival Etiquette Essentials – for teenagers
- Executive Social Presentation – for college students and business professionals
- National Center for Social Education – for certification and licensing
Charity work
Jon D. Williams Cotillions gives over $80,000 in scholarships and complementary memberships to students annually. Each of the six full time instructors donates their time by conducting programs for at risk children and related charities.
References
- Cotillion Website
- Singular, Stephen. "The Long Dance of Jon and Vivian Williams", Denver Post