12 Daddies’ Princesses

The weekend before Valentine's I was asked to teach a few basic social dance steps at a Father Daughters Dance. I have taught a workshop for ballroom dance in college, once upon a time. I figured I could remember enough to teach them, so I agreed. I am so grateful that I did! The girls were all between the ages of 8 and 11 years. Once they arrived and I assessed the situation I concluded that this was going to be unlike any other teaching experience I have had up to this point and I was right.

I had them get into closed dancing positions and right off I had to make adjustments, these girls were not going to be able to reach their dad’s shoulders. I thought I had prepared but here already I was thrown - they put there hands on their dad’s elbows. I then went on to teach the very basics of waltz. I was inspired to describe the waltz as the princess dance that most Disney princesses do with their prince, at the end of the movies. Their eyes lit up. We also went over a few steps of Cha Cha. Sure they were far from perfect but what I saw that night touched my soul. These girls came in with their dads and there before my eye transformed into the princesses they were dancing like.

This took place as their dad with gentle love directed their girls through the steps I taught them to the best of their abilities. It also brought back memories of dancing with my own Dad, and how I felt like I too  transformed into a princess while dancing with him. This night I learned or relearned that dads have the power to change their daughters into real princesses, not just through dance but by the way they treat their daughters. I am sure that moms get to take pride in many of  these tender moments as I did this night.