Ashleigh’s favorite cotillions come from Dancing and Its Relations to Education and Social Life, With a New Method of Instruction Including a Complete Guide to the Cotillion (German), With 250 Figures, by Allen Dodworth, Illustrated, New and Enlarged Edition. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1888. You can find it on this page.
Mr. Dodworth, who was born in 1822, was a composer and leader of brass bands in New York and the proprietor of a dance school. In his book he uses chapter subheadings like Julie's, but his capitalization is much more consistent. For example, here are his title and headings for Chapter III:
Chapter III.
MANNERS, OR MORALITY OF MOTION.
Manners.—Morality of Motion.—Not Truly Valued.—The Opinion of a Great Philosopher.—Easy
to Learn.—Football Habits.—Gentlemen in our Exchanges.—Effects of Boxing, Wrestling,
etc.—A Strong Influence Required.—Two Examples.—What Good Manners Are.
Here’s Mr. Dodsworth’s description of Cotillion No. 32, The Deceitful Round: “Two couples.—Ladies select another lady; the first gentleman chooses two gentlemen, the other, one; they, with the conductor, form a circle in the middle of the room. The ladies, in the meantime, having placed themselves in the four corners of the room, the gentlemen circle round rapidly, and upon signal break, and endeavor to secure partners. The one failing to do so returns to his seat. This figure is sometimes called, ‘Puss in the Corner.’”
And here’s No. 234, The False Noses. This is Ashleigh’s favorite: “Ten or twelve false noses, with a number on each, are distributed to gentlemen, who wear them; a bag is provided in which are an equal number of cards with corresponding numbers; the first lady then draws one of the cards, and upon showing it the gentleman with the corresponding number on his nose rises to dance with the lady; the card is returned to the bag, when another lady draws, and so on in succession for all the ladies.” (Ashleigh made a little adjustment to this dance so that the ladies wear false noses too.)
