Encore Ballroom Couture & The Dress Spa have been certified by Green America’s Green Business Network as an environmentally and socially responsible business. “This business has reached the Bronze tier by adopting principles and practices that demonstrate a strong commitment to conserving the environment and supporting social justice. The Green America’s Green Business Network is proud to recognize their contribution to creating and growing a green economy by supporting the needs of their customers, workers, the environment, and the community. We appreciate your continued support of Encore Ballroom Couture & The Dress Spa and thank you for your commitment to sustainability.”

Green Business Network For more information on Green America’s initiatives visit:  greenamerica.org

Virginia has a rich history with American Indians.  Currently there are 11 active tribes in our state!  They include the Mattaponi, Pamunkey, Chickahominy, Eastern Chickahominy, Rappahannock, Upper Mattaponi, Nansemond, Monacan Indian Nation, Cheroenhaka Nottoway, Nottoway of Virginia and the Patawomeck.  In the 1600’s, Powhatan Wahunsenacawh was the paramount chief of many villages of the Algonquian-speaking people.  He ruled over 32 subchiefdoms in over 150 villages.  Powhatan was chief when the European colonists first arrived in Virginia.  One of his daughters, Pocahontas, was kidnapped by the colonists and held for ransom.  In 1614 she married an English colonist John Rolfe in Jamestown, Virginia.  Descendants of Pocahontas and John Rolfe include First Lady Edith Wilson and First Lady Nancy Reagan.

Virginia Indian, Pocahontas

National Congress of American Indians

The National Congress of American Indians established in 1944 works towards protecting sovereign rights of American Indians, securing traditional laws, promoting a relationship with the US government, and improving the lives of tribal communities and peoples.  As we look from our majestic mountains to our peaceful waterways, we remember and honor those who cherish and respect our land the most–our native peoples.  We are a proud Associate Member of this great organization who is preserving the heritage of American Indians.

To learn more about the National Congress of American Indians, visit:  www.ncai.org

Saving the Bay through education, advocacy, litigation, and restoration.

“There is but one entrance by sea into this country, and that is at the mouth of a very goodly bay…heaven and earth never agreed better to frame a place for man’s habitation…”  –John Smith, 1612

“Founded in 1967, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) is the largest independent conservation organization dedicated solely to saving the Bay. Serving as a watchdog, we fight for effective, science-based solutions to the pollution degrading the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers and streams. Our motto, “Save the Bay,” is a regional rallying cry for pollution reduction throughout the Chesapeake’s six-state, 64,000-square-mile watershed, which is home to more than 17 million people and 3,000 species of plants and animals.  The Bay holds about 18 trillion gallons of water. That amount of water would fill more than fifty billion bathtubs to the brim.”
–Chesapeake Bay Foundation

Encore Ballroom Couture and The Dress Spa are proud of the many conservation techniques we utilize in our effort to help protect our waterways including but not limited to using only biodegradable and septic safe products.

For more information on the Chesapeake Bay Foundation visit:  www.cbf.org

Encore Ballroom Couture is proud of our relationship with a fantastic box company here in the United States. They produce post-consumer waste boxes on the east coast, located about two hours away from our studio! Post-consumer waste is material discarded after consumer use, such as old corrugated containers (OCC), old magazines, old newspapers (ONP), office paper, old telephone directories, and residential mixed paper (RMP). Recycling 1 short ton (0.91 t) of paper saves 17 mature trees, 7 thousand US gallons (26 m3) of water, 3 cubic yards (2.3 m3) of landfill space, 2 barrels of oil (84 US gal or 320 l), and 4,100 kilowatt-hours (15 GJ) of electricity – enough energy to power the average American home for six months. We are excited to use these environmentally safe, made in the USA boxes!