East meets Western charm

Proper international behavior and etiquette are especially appealing to the under-35 generation in China.

As Aimee Jin, a shy young Shanghainese student, explains, "I read June's book and became very anxious to take her courses. I'm especially interested in proper table manners and good posture."

Yamada stresses that money and a diploma do not make up for a lack of good manners. "Nothing is more effective than a first impression," she declares. "People evaluate you according to how you look and conduct yourself."

And she feels you're never too young to start. One of the academy's classes is in international etiquette for juniors (ages 13 to 18). Foreign teachers with degrees in childhood education teach the students, and to ensure that what they learn is not forgotten at home, parents are required to participate in the classes with their children, at no extra charge.

Yamada claims she is no magician, just someone who can bring out the potential within anyone. Her latest brainstorm came to her just last week: a "Romance of Dance" mixer, a way for people to network in a fun musical setting where everything from Frank Sinatra to Motown would be played. That trumps standing around at a cocktail party, handing out a business card, and then walking away, she says.

It's just another chapter in the saga of Yamada's effort to improve China's social standards, one city and one book at a time.

The June Yamada Academy in Shanghai, China, teaches courses on a wide range of topics. Nancy Johnston visited a number of them, and this is what she observed:

• The most popular workshop is called Looking Fantastic. But also available are classes in interior design, restaurant operations, corporate training, "makeup T.P.O." (the initials stand for "time, place, occasion"), successful image creation for business executives, the art of relationships for finding Mr./Ms. Right, and the coup de grace: The Ultimate Power Study of Being a Superb Lady or Gentleman. This workshop focuses on international standards of truly ladylike and gentlemanly behavior (complete with a society-style dinner).

• In the Posture, Walking, and Sitting miniclass, June Yamada demonstrates the correct way to stand, sit, and walk. Then students practice, as she calls out directions such as "Don't slump those shoulders! Be proud of yourself! Don't drag your feet like a streetwalker!"

• The elegant dining room of the Okura Garden Hotel is the setting for the table manners class taught by Jane Hunter, a refined British expatriate and former teacher for the International English Language Testing System who also has worked for the Hyatt and Sheraton hotels in New Zealand. The class is made up of Indonesians, Americans, South Africans, Japanese, a Chinese-American businesswoman, and a high-ranking Chinese politician. Ms. Yamada begins the session by stressing that table manners begin before you are seated and end with the good impression you leave. She also emphasizes the importance of intelligent, attentive conversation during a meal. Students, who are seated at perfectly set tables, gaze attentively at Ms. Hunter, dressed in a blue pin-striped suit accented with a pastel chiffon neck scarf. (She also teaches social-skills classes at the academy.) In the table manners course she instructs the class in how to hold a wine glass, how to correctly summon a waiter, and the proper way to fold a napkin on one's lap (with the fold toward your body).

• At a shopping class in the downtown Hiroko boutique, Yamada recommends against spending money on expensive brands just because they are well-known. A better idea is to gain an understanding of color, design, and fabric. With that knowledge, people can gain confidence to choose the right clothes for them, she says.

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