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Daddy Daughter Dance Shines Light on Fathers

Daddy Daughter Dance
The annual Daddy Daughter Dance was held February 4 | Image by City of DeSoto

The 29th annual Daddy Daughter Dance hosted by DeSoto Parks and Recreation went off without a hitch Saturday evening.

Nearly 300 attended the event that brought out fathers and daughters to celebrate the bond between family members.

As attendees arrived, they were greeted by members of DeSoto Parks and Recreation in front of an alluring decoration for the theme, a night in Paris.

Once inside the ballroom, visitors were immediately impressed by the décor and the smell of delicious food.

The Dallas Express was on hand to cover the event and spoke to a few of the attendees.

“The ironic thing about this whole dance is I was here 20 years ago with my oldest daughter. There’s a 20-year difference between my oldest daughter and my baby girl, so kind of déjà vu,” said Ta’chea Franklin, who attended the dance with his daughter Kayla.

Fathers and daughters from around the city of DeSoto entered the decorated room, and the looks on the faces of the attendees were looks of astonishment and excitement.

“For me, it’s about the growth of a family,” said Bana Cradle, who attended the event with his granddaughters and son-in-law.

“I want my granddaughters to have something to remember. To be able to experience that inside of this community with the people that she goes to school with, that looks like her … it’s a great opportunity to support such an event. Look at us! It’s amazing. It’s exciting. I am blessed to be heard and enjoy this,” said Cradle.

Having two parents essentially gives children a leg-up in the world. Having a good father in a child’s life is beneficial throughout life.

“Even from birth, children who have an involved father are more likely to be emotionally secure, be confident to explore their surroundings, and, as they grow older, have better social connections,” Psychology Today tells us.

Fathers, like mothers, play an important role in a child’s emotional and social development.

Father-daughter dances, such as the one hosted by DeSoto Parks and Recreation, showcase the importance of father-daughter relationships and bonds.

“I’m here with my daughter. She’s the greatest thing in the world to me. Anytime that I can show her that she means the world to me I’ll take every opportunity to, and this is just an example showing how black fathers can step up and come out and be there for their children. On a Saturday night, on a Friday night, on a Monday morning, doesn’t matter what day it is I’ll be there for her, said Kelvin Baker.

Even on the way out, The Dallas Express ran into more fathers and daughters walking into the dance.

Chris May spoke about why he thinks events like this are important.

“It’s a good event for fathers and daughters, and I’m glad that the city is actually hosting this because I think little girls need to experience this with their dads. I think that it’s just beneficial for them to kind of see what’s right is in terms of a man treating a woman,” said May.

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1 Comment

  1. Pap

    Amen to that.

    Reply

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