By Malynda Fulton
VALDOSTA — Dancing with Daddy proved to be extra special during the second night of the Father-Daughter Valentine Dance, as young girls and ladies, dressed in formal attire, clung tight to the arms of their fathers and danced the night away Saturday at the James H. Rainwater Conference Center.
In a wonderland of starlights and popular tunes, couples and groups mingled, took glamour shots and cut a rug, stopping occasionally to enjoy light refreshments and drinks.
Jon Lasseter got to share his fourth Father-Daughter dance with his 14-year-old daughter, Hannah.
“Hannah lives in Savannah but comes to Valdosta every year so I can escort her to the dance,” Lasseter said. “We just enjoy being together and having fun with each other.”
James Foster has been escorting his daughter, Jamie Foster Hill, to the Father-Daughter dance for years. This year, the couple was joined by Jamie’s husband, Torriah Hill and their daughter, 10-year-old Latoriah Hill. Latoriah said that it was her first time attending the dance, but she had been looking forward to dancing with her father for weeks. Latoriah held her father close as they excitedly wandered down the hallway and entered into the exhibit hall, filled with red and white draping toule and floral arrangements.
Twelve-year-old Brittany Blake was escorted by her uncle, Dennis Norwood. Adorned in a pink, flowing ball gown, Blake said that she had been coming to the dance for four years and looked forward to spending time and bonding with her uncle.
Lowndes County Sheriff Chris Prine could be found among proud fathers with his daughter, Christy Hamilton.
“I always anticipate dancing with my beautiful daughter all night,” he said. “This year I may even be able to steal a dance with my two granddaughters.”
Prine’s granddaughters, Sammye, 7, and Maggie Jo, 4, were escorted by their father, Herb Hamilton.
In the absence of her mother and aunt, 2-year-old Kashmere Moore accompanied her grandfather, or “Pa-Pa” as she calls him, to the dance.
“My daughters and I have been planning to come for the past two years and we never came,” said Nashville resident, Gary Hester. “Neither of them could come this year, so I decided to bring Kashmere. Next year, we all will probably come.”
With a pacifier in her mouth and a hand pressed tightly against her grandfather’s, little Kashmere pranced around the dance in her pink sequin dress.
The dance, began by Jeff Stewart and his wife, Becky, graced Valdosta for the first time 14 years ago at the First Presbyterian Church. Since then, the annual dance has become so popular that it was extended to a two-night event.
Stewart reported that the tremendous support the dance has received from the community helped it grow into the largest Father-Daughter Valentine Dance in the nation. This year, the dance sold at least 4,500 tickets.
“This is just an opportunity for fathers and father figures to set an example to their daughters of how a man should treat a lady on a date,” Stewart said. “The benefit is the time spent and the memories made.”
He also expressed admiration for the number of military fathers who attend the dance each year.
Among military dads was Col. Phil Wilelhour who escorted his 3-year-old daughter, Madison. Originally from East Windsor, Conn., the Wilelhours have lived here for a few years, but were never able to attend the dance.
“Madison has been very excited all week,” Wilelhour said. “She has been practicing dancing and her mom got her a special dress. I appreciate the people who put this event together. It’s a nice chance for dads to have a date night with their daughters.”
Not far from the Wilelhours, Gerone Anderson could be found taking pictures with his three dates — daughter, Kari Sands-Easley, and 2-year-old twin granddaughters, Ashlein and Ivana Easley. Anderson has escorted his daughter to the dance for the past five years, and the twins have been attending since they were infants.
“I just enjoy the chance to go out on a special date with my dad,” Easley said. “And the girls enjoy the dancing and the music.”
Throughout the night, love and delight filled the air and fathers got to treat their “little princesses” like royalty.
