Dads and daughters enjoy dance date night

Donnie Graft and his daughter Arianne share a slow dance during the Daddy-Daughter Dance at the Marengo American Legion Friday The dance was a fundraiser for Leanne's School of Dance. (Winona Whitaker/Hometown Current) — Donnie Graft and his daughter Arianne share a slow dance during the Daddy-Daughter Dance at the Marengo American Legion Saturday. The dance was a fundraiser for Leanne's School of Dance. (Winona Whitaker/Hometown Current)

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MARENGO — Dads and their daughters made a date to dance Friday at the American Legion in Marengo.

Many daughters preferred playing with balloons and socializing with friends while their Dads sat on the perimeter.

The dads didn’t mind. Their darling daughters held them spellbound. The dads were there to make the daughters happy.

The event was a fundraiser for Leanne’s School of Dance in Marengo. They’ll be performing in Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in New York and need travel money, said the school’s owner Leanne Cronbaugh.

This was the second year for the Daddy-Daughter Dance, said Cronbaugh, and more than 80 couples had registered to attend.

Lynz Thomas finds her wrist corsage uncomfortable as she waits for her father to hang her coat at the Daddy-Daughter Dance in Marengo Friday. (Winona Whitaker/Hometown Current)

Cronbaugh’s daughter, Abby Kasper, helped organize the event which included cookie decorating, professional photos and a selfie photo booth.

Little girls dressed to the nines chased balloons across the dance floor, visited with friends and danced with their dads on the open floor.

On the stage at one end of the room, Tayler Feldman, Emma McCaw, Kelsie Eckhardt and Bridgette Ridenour provided music.

“Abby has a playlist and I play it,” said Taylor Feldman. She selected songs “based on the vibe” in the room and encouraged daughters to dance with their dads.

Tyler and Lyla Mangold share a dance at the Daddy-Daughter Dance in Marengo Friday. (Winona Whitaker/Hometown Current)

Lynz Thomas fiddled with a wrist corsage in the cloak room. Lynz said it was uncomfortable, her father said, but she had a second corsage and a full bouquet, so she wouldn’t be without flowers if she removed it.

Zach Francois and his daughter Shae donned novelty Valentine glasses to take a selfie.

Winnie Stubblefield sat by her brother Asher and ate a snack. “Our dad’s out of town right now,” said Asher, so he acted as substitute.

Morgan Christner chased balloons across the dance floor and sang about gummy bears while Keelie Christner and Katalina Henstorf made Valentines and Lena Meier decorated a heart-shaped cookie.