Dads and daughters square off for night of fun

Tue, Feb 9, 2010    to del.icio.us

The veteran dads were hardly discernible among the first-timers at the Dads & Daughters Dance at White Pines Middle School on Monday evening.

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"This is our third year coming to the dance," said Scott Clark of Grand Haven, who brought his daughter, Alonna, 7. "We wouldn't miss it. We love it."

However, Alonna said her dad still isn't very good at square dancing, the highlight of the annual event sponsored by the Northwest Ottawa Recreation Authority.

"You're not," the Mary A. White Elementary School second-grader told her dad. "You almost twist my arm off."

To see the video of the event, click here: http://www.grandhaventribune.com/liveique/b_vid_front.bsp

First-timers Dave Mountford and his daughter, Alexis, 6, were excited as they stood in line for their portrait taken by Johnny Quirin of Classic School Portraits.

"It's kind of neat to be able to do this, this evening, and kind of have some special times out," Dave said.

Dave Theune of Spring Lake brought his 6-year-old twins, Ellie and Kaiya — and some help for their first dance. They were accompanied by the girls' godfather, J.B. Meuwenberg, also of Spring Lake.

"We both need dance partners," Dave said.

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The girls received a corsage, and the couples enjoyed Cold Stone Creamery treats and "some quality time together," NORA Coordinator Jill Vander Stel said. But she says the dance may be different in the future.

"We've been doing the dance in the rec department for 23 years and Mr. John Cook's been the square dance caller for that many years," Vander Stel said. "Actually, we're kind of concerned when John retires. There just doesn't seem to be that many square dance callers taking up the art of square dancing."

This year's dances for girls in grades K-2 were Monday and again Wednesday night. The dances for girls in grades 3-5 will be held Tuesday, Feb. 16, and Thursday, Feb. 18. All of them begin at 6:15 p.m. and are held at White Pines Middle School.

For registration information, call the NORA office at 850-5125.

On the Net: www.ghaps.org/nora/