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Dads, daughters dance in Marysville school
Timensi Stewart was determined to teach her father the Dougie dance.
Her bright pink-clad legs and black patent-leather shoes rarely stopped moving during Covillaud Elementary School's father-daughter dance Friday evening.
"Keep this arm straight. Bend this knee," the 6-year-old Timensi said, correcting her grinning dad.
Principal Doug Escheman's latest school-related family event drew more than 125 school girls and their fathers, uncles or grandfathers.
Next month, a mother-son game night is scheduled at the school.
"It helps build good relations between families and the school," Escheman said of these newest additions to Covillaud's already busy social calendar.
"We want to get parents involved in the child's education. If we can do that with one more parent than we have today," he said, "it will be successful."
Xyleyna Medina, 7, donned a polka-dotted dress and a wrist corsage with baby roses and fancy ribbon. The flowers had been a gift from her father, Robert Medina, who helped organize the event.
When asked about her father's dancing skills, Xyleyna flashed a dimpled smile and tried to think of something nice to say.
Quality father-daughter time can be difficult to come by for Covillaud dad Joseph Coats.
He lost his business when the economy went sour and took a job that has him traveling out of town most weeks.
He was in Redding when he learned that his daughter, Elyssa Jo, 6, had been working extra household chores in an effort to earn money and buy a new dress for the special dance at school.
"I left (Redding) early today, so I could make it here on time," he said.
Timensi's dad, Antoine Stewart, was beginning to slow down on the dance floor, but his daughter was having none of it.
Stewart recently returned to Marysville after nearly a year away, he explained, while his giddy daughter threw herself into another dance step.
She demonstrated the twirl-and-dip move her dad had just shown her.
"I missed him," she shouted, throwing her arms around Stewart's waist and grinning.
CONTACT Nancy Pasternack at npasternack@appealdemocrat.com or 749-4781. Find her on Facebook at /ADnpasternack or on Twitter at @ADnpasternack.
