Nicole Murray won a crown and gave a crown Saturday night. Murray was crowned queen of the 60th Apple Blossom Cotillion.
Robert Layman / Staff Photo Nicole Murray smiles as her date claps after the announcement of her crowning as queen at the 60th Apple Blossom Cotillion in Springfield Saturday night.
Published May 9, 2016 in the Rutland Herald
60th Apple Blossom Cotillion celebrates rock ‘n’ roll and community
By SUSAN SMALLHEER
SPRINGFIELD — Nicole Murray won a crown and gave a crown Saturday night.
Murray was crowned queen of the 60th Apple Blossom Cotillion.
“Before we went out, Christian said to me, ‘Let’s just go and have fun.’ And that’s really what happened. We went out there and had a good time. That’s why I participated in the Apple Blossom in the first place,” said Murray, who plans to attend the University of Vermont in the fall and study physical therapy.
And after all the hugs and photographs and congratulations, Murray and her escort Christian Terry had to race off to crown the new queen and king of the Bellows Falls Union High School junior prom.
“We got there just in time to give out the crowns, the next court and the queen,” she said.
Murray, 18, a senior at BFUHS, may have grown up in Rockingham, the town immediately south of Springfield, but she knew all about the annual Springfield tradition.
“About six years ago, my cousins were in the Apple Blossom Cotillion,” Murray said Sunday, after a few hours of sleep. “I thought, ‘I want to do it when I’m older.’ The big challenge was not really knowing anyone. I am a shy person, and putting myself out there, willing to be judged and looked at, was out of my comfort zone, definitely. But I forced myself and everybody was so nice, the director and choreographer. We learned how to partner dance and work with a big group of people.”
“I had my fingers crossed behind my back, and I guess that worked,” she said.
Murray was the choice of the Cotillion judges, who picked her for her poise, performing ability, and after a judges’ interview. Also in the queen’s court were Rebekah Ferreira, escorted by Elijan Pianka; Elizabeth Mackenzie, escorted by Hunter Grace; Lillianna Moore, escorted by Zachary Tubbs; and Arianna Rowe, escorted by Mason Olney.
Director Pam Shaughnessy gave her Director’s Award to Christian Terry and Alexis Bellows, for showing the most growth and leadership during the four months of rehearsals which started in January.
The contestants themselves selected Miss Congeniality, Arianna Rowe, and Mr. Congeniality, Hunter Grace.
The 2015 queen, Alexis Roldan, and members of her court, crowned Murray and her court, giving each girl a sash and bouquet of flowers. Murray got the tiara and red roses.
The girls, all dressed in long mint green gowns, and their escorts, in tuxedos and matching mint green vests, had danced and sung to a variety of songs picked from the past 60 years. The theme this year was “Shake, Rattle and Roll.”
A group of 18 elementary school couples, dubbed the ‘‘future cotillionaires,’’ performed several numbers with the high school students, in matching gowns and tuxedos.
Other contestants were Calista Polidor, escorted by Matthew Wright; Adrienne Stevens, escorted by Zachary Cooper; Rayven Hersey and E.J. Bromley; Samantha Metcalf and Jon Hildreth; Ayres DeLorenzo and Ryan Cooney; Laurana Slobodnjak and Orion Pfenning, and Alexis Bellows and Conor Foulois.
“I plan to come back here to Springfield and work in the area,” said Murray, who is the daughter of Pam and Randy Murray, who live on Randall Hill Road in Rockingham, just a short distance from the Springfield town line.
The cotillion is open to any high school seniors in Springfield Hospital’s service area. The cotillion, which is sponsored by the hospital, raises money for health career scholarships, according to Larry Kraft, the longtime master of ceremonies for the cotillion, and the development director for Springfield Medical Care Systems, the parent of the hospital.
Murray said making new friends and learning to perform in public were two big reasons she participated in the Cotillion. She said she knew of the other contestants from taking dance classes at The Dance Factory in Springfield.
The 60th anniversary of the tradition brought out former queens of the community celebration, including Joan Ryan, the queen of the first cotillion. Three of the other six contestants that year also returned for the celebration. Back in 1957, the queen was crowned by Gov. Joseph Johnson, who was from Springfield. The Glenn Miller Orchestra provided the music.
Julie Kiniry, 90, of Springfield, has attended all 60 cotillions, and all four of her children participated in the cotillions when they were seniors at Springfield High School.
Nowadays, music comes via a computer, with the contestants singing along. Instead of long white gowns, this year’s dresses were mint green. The first year seven girls were chosen, this year there were 12, down from last year’s group of 20 girls and escorts.
Murray said her favorite song of the 16 songs and dances was “I Will Survive.”
“I just love that song,” she said, “it was a super fun number.”
Back at BFUHS, Murray is in the National Honor Society, and is president of the Student Council, and treasurer of her class. She’s done a lot of volunteer work, from Red Cross blood drives to Girls on the Run, as well as dinners at her church, St. Charles.
Director this year was Pam Shaughnessy, and she was assisted by choreographers Carrie Jewell and Kyla White. Others involved were Pam Donnelly, Ashley Rowley and Kim Rowley. The children’s coordinators for the 18 elementary school couples were Tracy Austin and Candace Groner.
