VALDOSTA —
Three-week-old Emmaline Taylor lay contentedly on dad Trey Taylor’s shoulder Friday night, completely oblivious to the sights and sounds of the Father-Daughter Valentine Dance.
Now in its 16th year, the popular annual event is sponsored by Valdosta’s First Presbyterian Church and held at the James H. Rainwater Conference Center.
“We’ve been looking forward to this,” Trey Taylor said. “When we first got pregnant, (my wife Sheya and I) looked to see if she would be here in time for the Father-Daughter Dance.”
One day the sleeping princess will see pictures of herself dressed in her frilly best, in the arms of the man she adores.
Dad Allon Boatright has been bringing 9-year-old daughter Maggie to the dance each year.
“I don’t think we’ve missed since she was born,” he said. “The first years I was holding her, and the next years she was dancing on my shoes.”
Boatright has received a certain amount of notoriety coming to the dance.
“College friends Google my name, and the Father-Daughter Dance comes up,” said Boatright, who had previously been interviewed.
He praised the dance for “bringing families closer together.”
“They grow up so fast. It gives you a chance to reflect and see how much she’s grown since the last year. Instead of the growth chart, you measure by how high she comes up on your shoulder.”
Boatright said Maggie enjoys looking at what all the girls wear.
“She gets her dress a month before the dance and does a dress rehearsal, wearing her dress around the house. She starts shopping for a new dress the month after the dance.”
Often the younger girls prefer dancing with their friends, while their dads stand proudly and protectively behind them, “probably because we don’t have any rhythm,” joked Danny Orozco.
His daughter, 4-year-old Alina Orozco, was having fun dancing with Addison Morris and Abigail Wells, 4, and Sammi Sayers, 5. Orozco, Ray Morris, Mike Wells and Chuck Sayers and their princesses had met for dinner before coming to the dance.
“The four of us sticking together, we thought we’d have a better chance of survival,” Orozco said. “We are just trying to
keep them from running into each other.”
Three-year-old Miracle Beaufort, in her tiara, was holding court in the hallway, enjoying a glass of punch, with her dad, Marlin Beaufort.
The dance was a family affair for David Heruska, 59, who brought his daughter, Brandy Van Jura, 32; her husband, Matthew, had their 2-year-old daughter, Emme, in his arms. Heruska’s son, Wesley, 35, brought his daughter, Abby Heruska, 4. All live in Hahira.
Retired Air Force Tech. Sgt. Christian Lefebvre, dressed in his military best, kissed the head of his 10-year-old daughter, Caitlyn, as they entered the dance floor. When asked what she liked about the dance, Caitlyn said, “Just having fun with my daddy.”
Lefebvre said he enjoyed the variety of music offered by the dance — for both the young and older.
Cornelius Boney, sporting a red vest, was doing the twist with 3-year-old daughter, Katayla Boney, decked out in a frilly red dress. It was the second year he had brought her “so we both could have a bonding experience and a good time with each other.”
The dance continues tonight, with tickets still available for the 9-11 p.m. session. Tickets may be purchased online at fatherdaughterdance.org until 6 p.m.
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