A special date with Dad
Published 7:00 pm Wednesday, February 14, 2007
KINGSTON — After jiving to back-to-back-to-back tunes inside the Kingston Junior High School gymnasium, 5-year-old Maggie Phipps and her suitor and father, Cliff, grabbed a goodie bag and headed to their car.
“Daddy, we’re on a special date,” Maggie said, beckoning Cliff to hold her hand.
That picture served as a portrait of the evening Saturday at the Poulsbo Parks & Recreation’s annual spectacular Daddy Daughter Dance in Kingston. In its 14th year, the event once again sold out, proving how just how special it is.
“This is something that the girls remind their dads of every year,” said organizer Robin Cantwell. “It has steadily grown every year to the proportion it’s at now.”
Mobile Sound DJ services provided music, while the honor societies from Poulsbo Junior and North Kitsap High schools assisted with the candy-colored decorations.
Dolled up girls ranging from kindergartners to a high school graduates pulled their dads onto the dance floor.
But not everyone was able to do so as tickets sold out the week before. By Saturday, there were 40 couples on the waiting list and more than 350 dads and daughters cutting rugs at KJH, Cantwell said.
From the sweet moves on the dance floor to the snicker doodles in the commons, the night was an elegantly delicious ode to the special bond shared by dads and daughters.
“I’ve learned all kinds of stuff from her,” Rusty Burns said of the moves he’d picked up from his daughter Riley, 8, while admitting to his two left feet.
“My favorite part was when we did the chicken dance,” Riley said.
2007 was the Burns’ first trip to the Daddy Daughter Dance, and Riley was quick to note, “(My dad) said we’ll get to come back every year.”
“It’s whatever the girl wants,” said Mike Wall, who attended with his daughters Jordan, 14, and Taylor, 16.
For the Walls it’s been a near-10-year tradition of dancing the night away at KJH — except one year they couldn’t get tickets in time.
“It’s always fun to get out and see everyone,” Mike said, cautioning North End dads to purchase their tickets early.
While next year’s Daddy Daughter Dance isn’t yet scheduled, interested dads and daughters are encouraged to check with PP&R for ticket and dance information in December, Cantwell said.
“Every year it goes way past my expectations, every year is keeps getting better and better,” she said.
