History

The Jon D. Williams Cotillions were founded in 1949 by Jon and Vivian Williams, who recently passed away. Their objectives continue today with an exceptional staff that was personally trained by them. Their talent, devotion to dance and social education, and an illustrious career are not forgotten.

Jon and Vivian Williams danced through several generations and across the breadth of America. A native of Greenwich, Conn., Vivian learned ballroom etiquette at the Miss Blase Cotillion in the Plaza Hotel in New York City, debuted at the Hotel Pierre and attended the Arthur Murray dance school in Manhattan. With her trim figure and swept-back blond hair, Vivian's pictures from early womanhood evoke the 1930's version of Greta Garbo.

Jon grew up in Orangeville, Pa. (pop. 500). His grandfather and father owned a summer resort and got the boy passes to hear the big bands of Ted Lewis and Tommy Dorsey in their ballroom, where he instantly fell in love with dancing. In 1932, when he was attending medical school in New York, he read an ad for Arthur Murray in a mail-order catalog ("We'll teach you to become a dance instructor"). Once accepted, he dropped medicine flat. At Arthur Murray's, his first dancing partner was Jimmy Stewart's wife, Gloria. He was informed that she was too tall for him, and Arthur Murray advised the young man to begin working with a blond debutante named Vivian. Thus began the brilliant career of Jon and Vivian Williams as the number one instructional team for Arthur Murray, performing in the best hotels from New York to California. Soon the perfect dance partners became partners in life and were married.

After World War II, Jon was contacted by Fred Astaire and offered the position of setting up the first Fred Astaire Studios across the country. Jon jumped at the opportunity. During this period Astaire was also looking for dance partners to develop new routines. Astaire asked Vivian to audition and her first appearance at the Park Avenue studio was vintage Hollywood of the 1940's. As the other dancers gathered to watch, the new partners walked to the middle of the floor, the music was cued and the moment of revelation had come. Could she dance with him or not? Vivian followed with perfection everything Astaire did and one of Astaire's most formidable new dance partners was born. Among other new steps, Astaire and Vivian created the "Swing Trot," that they demonstrated to the instructors, who in turn taught it to studio pupils.

In 1949, now having a family and ready to settle down, the Williams decided to leave Fred Astaire and establish their home in Colorado Springs, Colo. Thus was born the first Jon D. Williams Cotillion at the world famous resort -- The Broadmoor Hotel. Since that beginning the Jon D. Williams Cotillions and social etiquette programs have become an institution across the nation with their son, Jon D. Williams III, President of their national organization, leading on the next generation.