City of Oviedo's Father Daughter Dance is a Sellout!

On February 9, the City of Oviedo held its annual Father Daughter Dance to celebrate the special relationship between fathers, or individuals who fill the role, and their daughters. There were fathers, grandfathers and other male relatives escorting the lovely young ladies in their lives.

The Oviedo dance took place in the recreation building at Riverside Park. This is the third year that Sal Rovetto, Recreation Coordinator, has organized the event for the City. Sal said the dance has always been special, but this year was the most successful one so far, with a total of 170 tickets being sold; the event was totally sold out. There were door prize drawings after every few dances and many lucky winners received prizes, including stuffed animals and special Valentine gifts. The young ladies represented several elementary schools from the City of Oviedo, Chuluota and Unincorporated Seminole County.

Couples started arriving early. One couple was obviously very excited. Marlee and her dad, Mick, had moved to Oviedo only two months ago from Michigan. Dressed in their finery, they were delighted to be able to enjoy such a warm evening in February and not be bundled up in winter coats, boots, gloves and hats on top of their dressy clothes. Instead, Dad was able to show off his boutonnière and Marlee proudly displayed her wrist corsage.

The only thing missing was a red carpet and a camera crew to capture the wide variety of fashion choices worn by the girls, ranging from dressy casual to formal. Their escorts were obviously proud to be seen with them.

The room décor included tables surrounding the dance floor, with balloons tied to the chairs and Valentine's candy in dishes on each table. At one end of the room was a table featuring finger foods and desserts. At the other end was a platform with a disc jockey. A booth was set up in one corner of the room by Charles Wells Photography where the couples could have professional photographs taken to remember the special evening.

The DJ played a variety of music including both fast and slow songs, but one of the most significant dances of the evening was the chicken dance. Anyone who has ever visited the small City of Oviedo, a northeast suburb of Orlando, is familiar with the "Oviedo chickens" that roam freely throughout downtown. They have become a symbol of the city. With that in mind, it was no surprise that everyone on the dance floor was familiar with this dance.

One father was seen dancing with two girls, both wearing red semi-formal dresses. When asked if these were his daughters, he replied, "One is my daughter and the other is her best friend. I've been bringing my daughter to the Father Daughter Dance each year for six years. She is 9 years old now." He was glowing with pride looking at his little girl who was quickly becoming a young lady.

In a time where the composition of the family is being redefined, the success of an event like the Father Daughter Dance is a tribute to the City of Oviedo and the fact that it still provides a glimpse into small town America.