Young Professionals hosting dance for dads, daughters

Published 8:57 am Friday, January 24, 2020

DOWAGIAC — An annual dance happening next week will be representative of the decades.

For the sixth year in a row, the Young Professionals of Greater Dowagiac will host its annual Daddy-Daughter Snowball Dance from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1, at Dowagiac Middle School, 57072 Riverside Dr., Dowagiac. Tickets in advance cost $5 per person, and tickets the day of the event will cost $10. Tickets are available for purchase in advance at The Baker’s Rhapsody, Miss Michele’s Dance Studio, Bakeman Barbers, Lifestyle Nutrition and online through a link on the young professionals’ Facebook page.

Back in November, members of the group decided on the official theme, “Old School Cool.” Ticket and flier designing came next in the process. 

With the tagline, “From ‘50s Sock Hop to ‘90s Pop Rock, come dressed to impress, and we’ll do the rest,” the Young Professionals are encouraging the community to attend, as attendees will dance throughout the decades.

“We love that people want to dress up,” said Rebecca Steenbeke, a member of the young professionals.

While wearing costumes is encouraged, organizers said it is not required.

Steenbeke said the dance might see attendees dressed in a poodle skirt representing the 1950s, as a hippie for the 1970s, in neon for the 1980s with crimped hair, or in 1990s plaids.

Every year at the daddy-daughter dance or the mommy-son dance hosted by the young professionals, Steenbeke said she sees children having fun with their parents.

“These are low cost events that a lot of people can participate in that didn’t exist before,” Steenbeke said. “This is a great community, and they are very supportive of our events.”

Steenbeke, who is the owner of Blue Print Photography, runs a photo booth for the event and is in the process of creating a backdrop representative of the theme.

Also in keeping with the theme this year, there will be a focus on the music aspect of the dance, Steenbeke said. Tru Entertainment will be playing music appropriate for the differing decades. 

Also in attendance will be the Miss Lake Michigan court, the Miss Dowagiac court and possible future contestants.

Miss Michele & Co.’s competitive dance team will also help lead the dads and daughters in some of the dances to get everyone involved.

Honor Credit Union will be sponsoring an ice cream sundae bar.

Along with the purchase of a ticket, there are dance deals that can be used at a number of local businesses the day of the event or at a later date specified.

Every year, Steenbeke said the dance sees a large number of attendees from the community and beyond.

“Lots of people come out, and I think a lot of people enjoy having an event that they can afford to come to,” Steenbeke said. “They know that it is going to be a good time.”

The snowball dance will also be hosted in conjunction with the Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce’s Ice Time Festival beginning at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1.

“You can go downtown, throw a frozen fish and then go to a local salon, get your hair and nails done, change your outfit and come up and have fun at the dance,” she said.