Springfield Vermont News: Search results for Apple Blossom

Since January, 22 high school senior girls and their escorts have met every Sunday to practice dance steps to enable the girls to compete for the crown of Apple Blossom Queen.

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Apple Blossom season
Youngsters sharpen dance moves for annual Cotillion
By Josh O'Gorman Herald Staff - Published: May 2, 2008

SPRINGFIELD — Tonight and Saturday, 44 teenagers and 44 elementary school pupils will perform in the 52nd annual Apple Blossom Cotillion at Riverside Middle School, and if their dance steps appear flawless, it's the result of practice, practice, practice.

Since January, 22 high school senior girls and their escorts have met every Sunday to practice dance steps to enable the girls to compete for the crown of Apple Blossom Queen.

In what many people call Springfield's largest single community event, as many as 1,500 people are expected to turn out.

With only days before the competition, contestants have met every night this week to hone their dance steps and to put a final polish on the production.

At the start of practice, the 22 couples formed a circle around Cotillion producers Pam Church and Carrie Patch as the two paired up to demonstrate the cha cha.

The Cotillion is definitely a throwback to an earlier time when ballroom dancing skills were more common. Originally, the cotillion was a "coming out" ceremony for young women who would be presented to the community on the arm of a prominent businessman.

This year's theme, "It Takes Two," draws music from famous duos, including Sonny and Cher, Ike and Tina Turner and Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond.

The Cotillion is a fundraising event for the Springfield Hospital Foundation, which since 1991 has used ticket sales to award more than $92,000 in scholarships to local high school seniors who intend to seek a career in medicine. Last year, proceeds from the Cotillion enabled the foundation to award three $2,000 scholarships and six $1,000 scholarships.

In addition to the contestants and their escorts, 44 elementary age children will perform as well, some of them aspiring to compete when they are seniors.

Cassidy Otis, 9, said that this was the second year she will perform as a future Cotillionaire.

"I think it's pretty fun," Otis said. "We get to dance and we get to be with older kids."

Otis said that she hoped to one day be the Apple Blossom Queen.

Levi Perham, 7, said he liked the dancing too, but found the fast dancing to be difficult.

On the other side of the gymnasium, the older kids sat on the bleachers between dance numbers and the escorts waited to be called for their tuxedo fitting.

William Race, 18, of Claremont, said that he was no longer feeling self-conscious about singing and dancing in public.

"The first few times it was awkward," Race said, "but when you're stuck together for hours, you get to know people."

Josh Bruce, 17, of Springfield, said he has learned a couple of valuable lessons during the four months of practice.

"There's always somebody who's a worse singer and there's always somebody who's a worse dancer," Bruce said.

Green Mountain High School student Sam Joynas said the amount of practice involved was a bit of a surprise.

"I was asked a year ago," Joynas said, noting that the girls ask the boys, "so long ago that I had no idea how much commitment it would take."

Caitlin Chaffee, 17, has dreamed of the Apple Blossom Cotillion for years.

"I heard about it when I was a sophomore and I wanted to do it, but then I found out it was only open to seniors," Chaffee said.

Chaffee, who is a senior at Fall Mountain Regional High School in Langdon, N.H., saw the Cotillion as an opportunity to be social.

"I like to do things in other towns so I can meet other people," Chaffee said. "This has been great."

While Chaffee has waited two years for the Cotillion, Springfield High School senior Taryn Sidney, 17, has been looking forward to this for a lot longer than that.

Sidney first performed as a future Cotillionaire when she was in kindergarten and has been looking forward to competing for the title of Apple Blossom Queen ever since.

"Can you imagine if I win?" Sidney asked her friend Chaffee, and despite the competition, the two encouraged each other.

There will be two performances — tonight and Saturday — of the Apple Blossom Cotillion in the gymnasium at Riverside Middle School. Doors open at 6 p.m. each night, with performances beginning at 7:30. Judges will crown the Apple Blossom Queen and her court at the conclusion of Saturday's performance.

Tickets for Friday's performance are $8 and will be available at the door. Tickets for Saturday's performance are $10 and are on sale at Arlene's Hallmark Shop, Hidden Treasures eBay store on Main Street and the Corner Gift Shop in the Springfield Hospital lobby.

AApple Blossom season

Youngsters sharpen dance moves for annual Cotillion

By Josh O'Gorman Herald Staff - Published: May 2, 2008

SPRINGFIELD — Tonight and Saturday, 44 teenagers and 44 elementary school pupils will perform in the 52nd annual Apple Blossom Cotillion at Riverside Middle School, and if their dance steps appear flawless, it's the result of practice, practice, practice.

Since January, 22 high school senior girls and their escorts have met every Sunday to practice dance steps to enable the girls to compete for the crown of Apple Blossom Queen.

In what many people call Springfield's largest single community event, as many as 1,500 people are expected to turn out.

With only days before the competition, contestants have met every night this week to hone their dance steps and to put a final polish on the production.

At the start of practice, the 22 couples formed a circle around Cotillion producers Pam Church and Carrie Patch as the two paired up to demonstrate the cha cha.

The Cotillion is definitely a throwback to an earlier time when ballroom dancing skills were more common. Originally, the cotillion was a "coming out" ceremony for young women who would be presented to the community on the arm of a prominent businessman.

This year's theme, "It Takes Two," draws music from famous duos, including Sonny and Cher, Ike and Tina Turner and Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond.

The Cotillion is a fundraising event for the Springfield Hospital Foundation, which since 1991 has used ticket sales to award more than $92,000 in scholarships to local high school seniors who intend to seek a career in medicine. Last year, proceeds from the Cotillion enabled the foundation to award three $2,000 scholarships and six $1,000 scholarships.

In addition to the contestants and their escorts, 44 elementary age children will perform as well, some of them aspiring to compete when they are seniors.

Cassidy Otis, 9, said that this was the second year she will perform as a future Cotillionaire.

"I think it's pretty fun," Otis said. "We get to dance and we get to be with older kids."

Otis said that she hoped to one day be the Apple Blossom Queen.

Levi Perham, 7, said he liked the dancing too, but found the fast dancing to be difficult.

On the other side of the gymnasium, the older kids sat on the bleachers between dance numbers and the escorts waited to be called for their tuxedo fitting.

William Race, 18, of Claremont, said that he was no longer feeling self-conscious about singing and dancing in public.

"The first few times it was awkward," Race said, "but when you're stuck together for hours, you get to know people."

Josh Bruce, 17, of Springfield, said he has learned a couple of valuable lessons during the four months of practice.

"There's always somebody who's a worse singer and there's always somebody who's a worse dancer," Bruce said.

Green Mountain High School student Sam Joynas said the amount of practice involved was a bit of a surprise.

"I was asked a year ago," Joynas said, noting that the girls ask the boys, "so long ago that I had no idea how much commitment it would take."

Caitlin Chaffee, 17, has dreamed of the Apple Blossom Cotillion for years.

"I heard about it when I was a sophomore and I wanted to do it, but then I found out it was only open to seniors," Chaffee said.

Chaffee, who is a senior at Fall Mountain Regional High School in Langdon, N.H., saw the Cotillion as an opportunity to be social.

"I like to do things in other towns so I can meet other people," Chaffee said. "This has been great."

While Chaffee has waited two years for the Cotillion, Springfield High School senior Taryn Sidney, 17, has been looking forward to this for a lot longer than that.

Sidney first performed as a future Cotillionaire when she was in kindergarten and has been looking forward to competing for the title of Apple Blossom Queen ever since.

"Can you imagine if I win?" Sidney asked her friend Chaffee, and despite the competition, the two encouraged each other.

There will be two performances — tonight and Saturday — of the Apple Blossom Cotillion in the gymnasium at Riverside Middle School. Doors open at 6 p.m. each night, with performances beginning at 7:30. Judges will crown the Apple Blossom Queen and her court at the conclusion of Saturday's performance.

Tickets for Friday's performance are $8 and will be available at the door. Tickets for Saturday's performance are $10 and are on sale at Arlene's Hallmark Shop, Hidden Treasures eBay store on Main Street and the Corner Gift Shop in the Springfield Hospital lobby.

Apple Blossom season