~ ANNUAL DEBUTANATE BALL ~

UNDERCONSTRUCTION: More details to come.

The culminating event of program is the Victorian Debutante Cotillion Ball, to be held at the end of the summer in which the debutantes are formally presented in Victorian Society and their local communities. Ms Frothingham's Debutan Ball, while cotillions are more focused on teaching young people how to be respectful members of society, debutante balls mark the official joining of society once those children age into young adults. Depending on the town, debutante balls feature the "debut" of young ladies from age 16 to 21 as official members of society. Once considered to be a family's announcement that their daughter was of good breeding and of marriageable age, today the balls—although still steeped in tradition and rituals—are more about fostering community, supporting charity, and appreciating the maturation of teenagers into young adults. Young women are presented, and typically escorted by one or two younger escorts of their choosing.

Imagine The Queen’s Levees at St. James's Palace recreated. The Noblemen and Gentlemen, who propose to attend Her Majesty's Levees, at St. James's Palace, are requested to bring with them two large cards, with their names clearly written thereon, one to be left with the Queen's Page in attendance in the corridor, and the other to be delivered to the Lord Chamberlain, who will announce the names to the Queen. It is Her Majesty's command, that no presentations shall be made at the Levees, except in accordance with the above regulations. It is particularly requested, that in every case the names be very distinctly written upon the cards to be delivered to the Lord Chamberlain, in order that there may be no difficulty in announcing them to the Queen. It is desirable to be early, in order to avoid the great crowd, which, of late years, has rendered attendance at the drawing-room a great effort, even to the strongest. Our debutant waits until her turn comes for presentation : she then proceeds to the Presence-Chamber, which is entered by two doors ; she goes in by that indicated to her, and, on finding herself in the Presence-Chamber, lets down her train, which is instantly spread out by the Lords-in-waiting with their wands, so that the lady walks easily forward to the Queen. The card on which the lady's name is inscribed is then handed to another Lord-in- waiting, who reads the name aloud to the Queen. When she arrives just before Her Majesty, she should curtsey very low, so low as almost, but not quite, to kneel to the Queen, who, if the lady presented be a peeress, or a peer's daughter, kisses her forehead; if merely a commoner, holds out her hand to be kissed by the lady presented, who, having done so, rises, and making another curtsey to Prince Albert, and also severally to any member, of the Royal Family present, and then passes on, keeping her face towards the Queen, and backing out to the door appointed for those who go out of the Presence-Chamber.