Plural of cotillion; 18th-century European ballroom dances or the musical compositions written for them.
From French 'cotillon,' possibly from 'côte' (side) or diminutive forms, becoming an elaborate quadrille-style dance and its accompanying music.
Cotillions represented democratic dancing—unlike rigid court minuets, they involved switching partners and complex figures, letting 18th-century commoners experience ballroom egalitarianism.
Cotillion was a 18th-century ballroom dance with gendered choreography and etiquette rules that strictly regulated female and male roles. The formal structure encoded expectations about women's passivity and men's leadership in social performance.
Use neutrally when describing the historical dance or modern variations. Consider noting the historical gender rigidity when teaching or performing.
["ballroom dance","quadrille","group dance"]
Women choreographers and dance teachers modernized cotillions in the 20th century, removing gender-prescriptive elements and creating versions valuing all participants equally.
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