Dads and Daughters Enjoy Annual Dance at YMCA

Dad and daughter moments are always special, but they’re extra special at the Y’s Annual Daddy Daughter Dance.

The formula is always charmingly the same. Fathers and their beautifully dressed little princesses arrive at the Youth Development Center and get oriented with the surroundings and each other.

First dance is traditionally a slow one, followed by a few up-tempo songs that break the ice. After that, the girls temporarily forsake their dads and join up for mad dashes around the dance floor, complete with whoops and squeals to express their delight.

Pizza and snacks follow, after which the dads and daughters dance away the early part of the evening until it’s “hometime.”

“It sounded like fun, so we came along,” said first-time dad Mauricio Ariza, whose daughter Johanna is a member of the Y’s early learning (pre-school) program.

Other dads and daughters were recognizable from previous years, which clearly says something about the magic of this type of evening.

Pictured is some of the fun at this past weekend’s dance, staged at the Marco campus of the YMCA of South Collier and organized by the Y’s tireless Youth Development Director, Stephanie Pepper.

For more on the Y's wide variety of programs and activities for adults and children, visit marcoymca.org or call 394-YMCA (9622). Follow on Twitter at ymcamarco, on Facebook @marcoymca, and Instagram at ymcamarco.