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My dd9 has her very first dance performance rehersal tonight and live tomorrow night.

 

She's very excited and looking forward to it.

 

Except for 2 things.

 

At the end, all the dads are supposed to go on stage and present their ds's with a single rose and dance with them for Father's day. :001_huh:

 

I personally think that weird.

I personally would never have wanted to do that at her age.

 

Kept that to myself though and talked to dh. He agrees with me BUT neither of us want dd to feel singled out or left out.

 

So we decided to leave it up to her with a final decision required this afternoon.

 

She says she doesn't want to do it. She is actually very shy in general and would rather not do something so family feeling on stage. (Her words. I think she associates private and family together.)

 

Am I the only one who thinks this stuff is weird? Flowers and slow dancing is not stuff I associate with df/dd relationships. And my girls are very much daddy girls.

 

Oh the other thing is petty so I told her to get over it. lol. Her performance is early on and after they are done, they have to sit back stage until everyone else is done - nearly 2 hours later. She wants to see the other performances. I tend to agree with her, but it's not worth mentioning to the instructor. Altho the instructor will probably be peeved about her not doing the df/dd thing and send her to me after she's done anyways.

Edited by Martha
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So I'm assuming by your title that this is a Christian dance studio? (And let me just clarify--- I live in the northeast and maybe those exist here, I don't know, but the only place I've ever heard of dance studios, medical/law/dental/ practices, etc. ever referred to as "Christian" is on this board, so maybe I'm out of the loop.)

 

But back to your post--- personally, yes, I feel that's kind of, well, weird. My dd, though an extrovert and a definite daddy's girl (she's an only child) wouldn't want to do that on stage. In fact, it sort of creeps me out a bit, as I associate roses and slow dancing with a romantic relationship, not a paternal one. That's part of what makes me feel the same about those "Purity Ball" events. But I'm probably the odd person out here.

 

Best of luck to your dd! I'm sure she'll have a great time!

 

astrid

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I can see why the dance studio would have people do it. I'm sure some people would be comfortable with it and think it was sweet, and some little girls would be over the moon to have their daddies dance with them and give them a rose. But I can also see why you and your dd would not be comfortable with it. As long as you agree on the course of action, then take it. It should definitely be an optional thing.

 

Perhaps they are thinking of father/daughter dances at weddings? Those are very accepted, though they take place much later in life.

 

Could it be there's not enough room in the audience for all the kids to sit in the audience? I've been part of performances where everyone was required to watch, but there was also room in the audience to reserve seats.

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In fact, it sort of creeps me out a bit, as I associate roses and slow dancing with a romantic relationship, not a paternal one. That's part of what makes me feel the same about those "Purity Ball" events. But I'm probably the odd person out here.

 

:iagree: I wouldn't force my dd to participate if she didn't want to.

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associate roses and slow dancing with a romantic relationship, not a paternal one. That's part of what makes me feel the same about those "Purity Ball" events. But I'm probably the odd person out here.

 

yes! Me too!

 

And sorry - yes it's a Christian dance studio and that's the cause for the title.

 

Perhaps they are thinking of father/daughter dances at weddings? Those are very accepted, though they take place much later in life.

 

Neither side of our families have ever done that either.

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Both of my dds have gone to father/daughter dances with dh. I don't find it at all weird, but they probably wouldn't want to do so on a stage. My dad would give my sister and me flowers on Valentine's Day and I looked forward to it and it never felt weird. My dh does the same with our dds.

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I would not want to be in that situation either.

 

But why did you title your post Weird Christian stuff or whatever...I forgot the exact wording...what do roses and father's day and dancing have to do with Christianity?

 

ETA: Oh nevermind...I've now gone back to read the other posts.

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Well, my dh and my dd's have very good and close relationships...but I can tell you that NONE of them would want to do that!

 

That said, there's nothing *wrong* with it. It is a personal preference thing. But, that is just it, not everyone prefers it.

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My dd5 would be delighted.

 

My dd13 would be mortified.

 

Dad would respect the wishes of each. Perhaps the instructor would consider the same course of action? It's worth asking about. Course, if everyone bails, she's left without a finale.

 

As far as missing the other performances, well, that's show business. As a theater family here I can tell you that dd always wants to see the show from the front of the house, but the privilege of being part of the cast involves such sacrifices.

 

Tough place to be. But I'd be tempted to encourage her to do her part.

 

BTW, what of the young ladies that have no father present? How sad for them.

 

What of the fathers who have more than one daughter at the studio? With whom do they dance?

 

Seems like this part of the show is problematic beyond just the "I don't wannas."

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My children go to father/daughter dances each year and they love it when their Daddy dances with them. I don't find anything weird or creepy about it unless you make it that way. That being said, I would not force my daughter or husband to do it on stage in front of others if they weren't comfortable with it.

 

As for the sitting backstage, that is pretty standard around here. In both studios I have worked with the kids could watch during dress rehearsal but not the day of the show. In addition to their not being room, it is rather disruptive if kids are constantly coming in and out. I look at it as like a theatre production. The actors stay backstage when they are not on the stage. It is just part of the deal.

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My knee jerk reaction was to agree, that's weird...

 

Thinking on it, though, it sounds pretty sweet. I mean, the girls are getting roses for their recitals (ime that's very normal, although families with less money tend to miss out) and the fathers are being honored for Father's Day.

 

I'm picturing a pretty decent number of kids, not a small group and a decent crowd of Dads, meaning this would be a jumble of fathers and daughters which would make it seem like less of a spotlight dance :lol:

 

Yes, now that I've thought over it, this sort of thing would hold a very special place in my heart if it were me. I would've tried to beg out of it, but if my mom made me, I'd end up very grateful.

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It's a small group with boys and girls. About 10 girls total.

 

I would have hated it.

BUT I hate being on any stage at any time.

Not shy, just not my thing.

 

Oh and it's tap if that matters. The costumes are baseball uniforms to a take me out to the ballgame routine.

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I'm guessing that she titled it 'Weird Christian Stuff' because the whole "daddy/little girl" thing is really being played up right now because of the Purity Ball trend, which I also think is just sick,sick,sick. (The idea of a father taking THAT MUCH INTEREST in his daughter's sexuality just completely grosses me out! yuck!) Pledging your purity to YOUR FATHER?! Wrong on so many levels.

 

Of course, I also think the whole "asking her parents for permission to date her/her hand in marraige" is extremely offensive and appalling as well.

 

My dd would NOT do the dance, but mostly because she would die of embarrassment. Ultimately, I would have made it her choice (which OP did as well) and she would have said,"NO WAY!"

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Like someone else said, the rose is a normal tribute to hand to a performer. Having everyone do it keeps some kids from being left out- esp. if it is done in front of everyone.

 

Dancing in baseball outfits with their dads is not particularly romantic. It is just honoring the dad's place in their lives since the recital is so close to Father's Day. A slow dance doesn't mean they have to be seriously entwined. How long is it going to be - 5 min. top? I don't see why she couldn't do that with everyone else and perhaps try to move toward the back of the group if she's shy.

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I see what Jean is saying and I have no issue with the rose. That part is nice, but I think that some of these teachers/planners/leaders forget that not all kids want so much attention on them, even if the kid is in dance class. I like attention, my firstborn, though,.....not at all. She would find it embarrassing. I think it's okay to say to a child, "this is your decision and I will not force you to do something that makes you uncomfortable". (and, of course, if they started to extrapolate that to "doing long division makes me uncomfortable" then we would have words!) ;)

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I see what Jean is saying and I have no issue with the rose. That part is nice, but I think that some of these teachers/planners/leaders forget that not all kids want so much attention on them, even if the kid is in dance class. I like attention, my firstborn, though,.....not at all. She would find it embarrassing. I think it's okay to say to a child, "this is your decision and I will not force you to do something that makes you uncomfortable". (and, of course, if they started to extrapolate that to "doing long division makes me uncomfortable" then we would have words!) ;)

 

WSS

 

The flower itself doesn't both me.

It's the way it's done that does.

I don't think it is sexy or perverted per se.

 

Just what I said - weird.

 

Dd and dh are close. They goof and jive to the radio and such just like any other parent/kid.

 

I think this might just be a reflection of our family dynamics bc we have never been big on PDAs in general, which is what this feels like.

 

Cindy- I agree about pledging purity to fathers - ick. Anyone who thinks it's normal should think about how odd it would be for a son to make that pledge to his mother. Ick.

 

As for asking for dates/marriage - I think it is a curtesy. Obviously they have free will and final decision, but we will insist on meeting all dates while they live in our home. That goes for sons and daughters. No big formal resume required but no honk from the car at the curb either. :)

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I think it's sweet!

 

Me too! Why would it be weird for a little girl to dance with her father? Why is a father/daughter dance at a wedding acceptable, but this is not? I think it is sweet.

 

Now the purity ball thing that someone referred to is strange....but not this.

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personally, yes, I feel that's kind of, well, weird. My dd, though an extrovert and a definite daddy's girl (she's an only child) wouldn't want to do that on stage. In fact, it sort of creeps me out a bit, as I associate roses and slow dancing with a romantic relationship, not a paternal one. That's part of what makes me feel the same about those "Purity Ball" events. But I'm probably the odd person out here.

 

 

 

 

Then I'm odd right along with you.

 

While I understand the roses, as both my girls have been in dance and were presented with roses after their recitals, I find the slow dancing with dad part unsettling.

 

I understand why the op and her family feel uncomfortable with it.

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To me it depends on the type of dance. My parents are into ballroom dancing and my dad used to take me out for one dance when I was growing up, and we ended up being in a restaurant or event that had dancing (most of the time I was just watching my folks). Lots of people dance with their dads, or sons, or other relatives at events. I don't think there needs to be anything sexual or romantic about dancing (waltz, swing, polka, etc).

 

That said, there's a big difference from the kind of dancing I'm envisioning (not necessarily by ballroom dancing experts, but that type of thing) from the clingy shuffle done at proms or whatever. That would be strange with a parent, I admit.

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If we were at an event where everyone was dancing and dh danced with dd - that wouldn't bother me. We have done before. I've danced with my boys, they've danced with their sister and so forth.

 

I don't think the instructor is having do any prom shuffling. I didn't ask.

 

Well it's still weird to me though.

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I see nothing odd about this at all, actually I think it is rather nice.

 

Why would anybody have an issue with a daughter and her father dancing together?

 

I find it rather weird that anyone has an issue with this. That people would see a "romantic" aspect to a father and his daughter dancing is simply degraded and demonstrates an odd view of the familiy unit. Fathers, real fathers (not the sick, twisted, evil and deranged who masquerade as such), could not possibly look at their daughters in a romantic manner, the brain simply does not work that way.

 

Do people have an issue with a father hugging his daughter? How about holding her hand? A father will dance with his daughter at her wedding, is that now a weird behavior?

Edited by pqr
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I think it's weird... My dad is a horrible dancer who gets easily flustered. He would've been horrified to be told to do that -- they're not his dance lessons. Plus - the single rose -- that seems weird. It's a dad, not a date!

 

But mostly... I just hope that there are no children at the studio who don't have fathers or whose fathers have passed away, or are divorced, or in prison, or in the army...

 

It sounds like a potentially disastrous thing.

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My DD's dance studio's teen group has a fundraising "Daddy-Daughter Snowflake Dance" to support their scholarship fund. In practice, it ends up with the little girls dancing on the floor to Radio Disney songs, while the dads take pictures of their little ones. I know that last year, several girls in DD's class came with grandfathers, uncles, or family friends because their fathers weren't available for one reason or another (usually divorced and living out of state, but I know at least one girl who's father was on a 24 hour call at the fire station).

Edited by Dmmetler2
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To me it depends on the type of dance. My parents are into ballroom dancing and my dad used to take me out for one dance when I was growing up, and we ended up being in a restaurant or event that had dancing (most of the time I was just watching my folks). Lots of people dance with their dads, or sons, or other relatives at events. I don't think there needs to be anything sexual or romantic about dancing (waltz, swing, polka, etc).

 

 

I see your point, but in the original post, Martha used the phrase "slow dancing," which, to me has a different connotation than, say, a polka or a waltz.

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I'm guessing that she titled it 'Weird Christian Stuff' because the whole "daddy/little girl" thing is really being played up right now because of the Purity Ball trend, which I also think is just sick,sick,sick. (The idea of a father taking THAT MUCH INTEREST in his daughter's sexuality just completely grosses me out! yuck!) Pledging your purity to YOUR FATHER?! Wrong on so many levels.

 

Of course, I also think the whole "asking her parents for permission to date her/her hand in marraige" is extremely offensive and appalling as well.

 

My dd would NOT do the dance, but mostly because she would die of embarrassment. Ultimately, I would have made it her choice (which OP did as well) and she would have said,"NO WAY!"

 

 

Totally, absolutely 100% agree with you on the whole Purity Ball thing.

 

However.... I wonder if that's the line of thought that birthed Martha's situation. Without knowing what the coordinators of this daddy/daughter dance thing were thinking, it's just hard to say.

 

If it comes from a place of imitating the "values" of the Purity Ball ilk, then no. I don't think it is appropriate at all.

 

However, if it comes from a place of simply acknowledging the girls for their efforts (by giving them roses), and showing appreciation for the dads on Father's Day, then I would probably say that's an okay thing. But... I would still leave it up to the individual girl as to whether she'd want to participate. I am considering two things in that: 1) that a girl (like Martha's for example) might be uncomfortable with having to dance with her dad, and 2) that a girl who no longer has her father around will feel left out.

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I have discussed this with the teacher and she is fine with dd not doing it altho I feel she was rather annoyed about it.

 

And I'll say again, I have never been to a wedding where the bride and her father danced. That is not the norm for either side of our families.

 

So no, it is not a given that fathers dance with brides. Or even that there will be any opportunity for dancing for anyone.

 

No way my father or fil would have ever danced on a stage. With anyone! lol

 

I don't have to think something is perverted to think it's weird. There's a lot of middle area between those!

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I don't find it weird. Our studio did a Father/Daughter dance a couple years ago (the theme that year was "365 Days Of Dance" and whenever possible a dance was holiday-related. That one was obviously Father's Day). It ended up being extremely sweet & DH ended up mad at me because I assumed he thought it would be lame & wouldn't want to do it, when he actually would have loved to do it.

 

As for the staying backstage, that's how it's always been done at our studio. They just changed it this year so any child performing in anything below Level 1 (basically the 3, 4, and some of the 5 year olds) before the intermission can be released to their parents after intermission. Everyone else has to stay in another room with the chaperons. They DO have a closed-circuit TV so the girls are able to watch the other performances.

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At the end, all the dads are supposed to go on stage and present their ds's with a single rose and dance with them for Father's day. :001_huh:

 

 

A waltz? I waltzed with my dad and thought nothing of it, and a more Victorian man (born before WWI) man you could not find.

 

Bump and grind would be out.

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I find this a little.. odd.

 

I mean, in this day and age... there are plenty of children who don't have fathers. Whether they come from single parent families, or fathers stationed overseas, or what have you. How are THOSE little girls going to feel when everyone else is dancing with daddy?

 

And before anyone brings it up, no, I don't plan on sheltering my daughter from EVERY event where a father/daughter type thing would come up, but I wouldn't except that to come up in a dance class recital.

 

FWIW, there is NO WAY my dad would have done this. And I see a big difference between dancing on stage in front of strangers and dancing the first dance at a wedding in front of friends and family.

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I think it's nice and I'm surprised at myself for thinking that.

 

Purity balls for instance give me the creeps although not for reasons related to sexuality but because it seems to be an issue of possession, the father possessing the daughter's virginity, as if it's property.

 

But the dance? Nah. I think we need more of that sort of thing, more closeness between parents and their kids without sex getting read into the situation.

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First let me say I do not have daughters. That said, I do not think this is weird. Our local chrisitan homeschool group just held a daddy/daughter dance and it was very sweet from what I heard. I saw pictures and didn't see anything weird about it. All the Dad's presented the girls with a bracelet of some sort, they had a catered dinner and a dj with lot's of dancing. I think sometimes people just over analyze and read into stuff too much. I don't see the big deal. JMO of course.

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I think it's nice and I'm surprised at myself for thinking that.

 

Purity balls for instance give me the creeps although not for reasons related to sexuality but because it seems to be an issue of possession, the father possessing the daughter's virginity, as if it's property.

 

But the dance? Nah. I think we need more of that sort of thing, more closeness between parents and their kids without sex getting read into the situation.

 

 

Those were the words I was looking for! Thank you!

 

I agree that this dance, with fathers giving their dd a rose, etc, is not weird, creepy, etc. I was speaking to the fact that OP's dd wasn't into it, nor would her father be, from the sound of it. (And, really, does it have to be ON STAGE?! I doubt that the OP's dh is the ONLY one who will be uncomfortable slow dancing on stage in front of people!)

 

I compared it to Purity Balls, which are a different animal altogether.

 

And, ftr, no I don't think that a father hugging his daughter or using other normal displays of affection is weird, twisted, perverted, etc. It is the ownership of her virginity and the fact that she is expected to ''pledge" her purity to her father that is creepy.

 

Hope that clarifies.

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I think it's cute.

My dh is a GUY's guy and he totally dug the Daddy/Daughter dances he attended with my dd through the Junior League here. It's a really special bonding night for them. I was SHOCKED how much HE enjoyed it.

 

I saw video of them dancing to "You are the sunshine of my life" and I melted. My dd was positively *glowing.* So special.

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I'm sorry (very deeply sorry) that there are girls who do not have their fathers with them. My dad was a long distance truck driver and while I know that does not compare to having lost him to death, jerkiness or war, I still went without him much of the time. While I missed my dad desparately when watching others enjoying father/daughter things, I never begrudged the girls who HAD their fathers there.

 

I really can't understand the idea that because some go without everyone should go without. On the one hand, we have people that flip over some kids getting cheese sandwiches, because other kids had food fights. Now, we have girls who have fathers and they aren't allowed to do or participate in something special with their fathers, because some girls don't have their fathers there? How does that make sense?!?

I think it's weird... My dad is a horrible dancer who gets easily flustered. He would've been horrified to be told to do that -- they're not his dance lessons. Plus - the single rose -- that seems weird. It's a dad, not a date!

 

But mostly... I just hope that there are no children at the studio who don't have fathers or whose fathers have passed away, or are divorced, or in prison, or in the army...

 

It sounds like a potentially disastrous thing.

Roses, even single roses, are often given following recitals. I was in many, but only had one where my dad was there to give me the rose. I still have the rose. I have no romantic feelings towards my dad, but it meant a great deal to me to get a token of his affection, even if it was tradition to get one.

 

I see nothing odd about this at all, actually I think it is rather nice.

 

Why would anybody have an issue with a daughter and her father dancing together?

 

I find it rather weird that anyone has an issue with this. That people would see a "romantic" aspect to a father and his daughter dancing is simply degraded and demonstrates an odd view of the familiy unit. Fathers, real fathers (not the sick, twisted, evil and deranged who masquerade as such), could not possibly look at their daughters in a romantic manner, the brain simply does not work that way.

 

Do people have an issue with a father hugging his daughter? How about holding her hand? A father will dance with his daughter at her wedding, is that now a weird behavior?

:iagree:

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A waltz? I waltzed with my dad and thought nothing of it, and a more Victorian man (born before WWI) man you could not find.

 

Bump and grind would be out.

 

This made me smile, and reminded me of a story.

 

Recently I was talking with a dance instructor who is in her late 40s. Her dad was an avid dancer as youth, not in his late 70s now. Everyone knew how to dance when he was a young man (my theory is that men don't have to know how to dance anymore because they can get laid without having to do much wooing, kwim?). So this woman invited her dad along to the classes she was teaching, and he was game to try Zumba. She invited him to be up at the front of the class so he could see the instructions more easily to follow along. He said, no, he'd just be at the back and would be fine. About half way through the class she realized how much he was enjoying himself in the back, smiling... and enjoying checking out the ladies. Daughter did not describe this as a creepy thing, but just as him being a man.

 

Anyhoo, I think dancing has changed a lot in our culture, and like everything else, has become more sexually charged. We dance differently now than we did 50, 60 or 70 years ago. The baseball uniforms and take me out to the ballgame song kinda put a whole different spin on it for me. I think you did the right thing, Martha, in talking to the instructor, and I'm glad she agreed, and your daughter feels okay about sitting out.

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It strikes me as weird too.

 

 

But I don't understand what it all has to do with Christianity (the title of your post).

 

 

:iagree:

My dd went to a Christian dance studio for a few years and this is not something that we did. I think that it is kind of wierd, but I think the instructors had good intentions (for father's day). As for the rose, that is normal, and I think it is sweet!

Edited by mom2denj
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Oh the other thing is petty so I told her to get over it. lol. Her performance is early on and after they are done, they have to sit back stage until everyone else is done - nearly 2 hours later. She wants to see the other performances. I tend to agree with her, but it's not worth mentioning to the instructor. Altho the instructor will probably be peeved about her not doing the df/dd thing and send her to me after she's done anyways.

 

It bothers me when I go to a recital and they let the dancers come out after they perform. I have been to a lot of recitals, and only two have done this. It is so distracting to have them coming in, and then many are hyper. If I'm paying that much for a ticket to an amateur show, I at least want a little peace. :D

 

I don't find anything wrong with the daddy/daughter dance. I think most girls comfortable dancing on stage to begin wtith would be comfortable doing it again wtih their dad. It's fine if your dd doesn't want to, but I don't think there's anything wrong with the studio doing it.

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I see your point, but in the original post, Martha used the phrase "slow dancing," which, to me has a different connotation than, say, a polka or a waltz.

 

I hear you, but she said they were asked to have a dance for Father's Day. Later in her post she seemed to be assuming that meant slow dance, and others assumed that meant a romantic slow dance.

 

I guess I was trying to point out that most "dance with your father" is not a romantic slow dance. I didn't have dancing at my wedding, but I think it is normal to dance with men that you aren't romantically involved, and maybe they are trying to have the girls involved learn that skill.

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Our local public school has father/daughter dances. My youngest dd had a delightful evening! DH took her to dinner and then to the dance. We have a picture of them and it's a wonderful memory. I'm rather taken aback at the hidden meaning of the situation being creepy. I think it's sad that there is so much abuse in our world that a father and daughter cannot dance without the worry that their touching could be considered intimate in any fashion. :001_huh: Hopefully I misunderstood this thread. If it's simply something about the daughter not wanting to have any kind of spotlight, then I find it a bit weird she's in a dance recital.

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My DH has already nixed daddy/daughter dances, purity ceremonies where he has to present them with rings or whatever, and generally anything that makes him a weird, "Prince Charming" for his daughters. I tend to agree. He's my Prince Charming, not theirs.

 

ETA - He HAS danced with his daughters for fun. Fast, goofy, rockin fun. It's the slow, romantic weird stuff he doesn't like. He only dances like that with me. :)

Edited by coffeefreak
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