About the Founder

Dick Chaplin was born in Lamar, South Carolina on September 21, 1923. At fourteen, his family moved to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina which is where he began his ballroom dance training. After attending the University of South Carolina, he served in the Navy for six years during World War II. He then moved to New York City where he became a dance instructor for the Arthur Murray Dance Studios. In 1950, Mr. Chaplin came to Dallas, Texas where he found employment as a production/floor director at KRLD Channel 4 in the early days of television. Although he enjoyed his job, he continued to have an interest in ballroom dancing. He therefore opened a teenage social dance studio, which became the largest in the United States. A few years later, he expanded and created The Dick Chaplin Cotillions working full-time in the dance field.    For 60 years, The Chaplin Cotillions have operated all over the state of Texas holding classes in Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Waco and Longview. Mr. Chaplin, as well as his program, have received recognition from local and national media including being listed as "The Best Cotillion" in D Magazine. Town and Country Magazine once featured Mr. Chaplin referring to him as "the Dean of social graces".  Dick Chaplin passed away on April 21, 2003 but left behind a legacy. He touched the lives of thousands of young people by teaching social dance and etiquette and therefore instilling in each of them the confidence, poise and courtesy which they carry with them as adults today.