AUBURN - Patrice A. Henry, owner of the Irie Jamaican Queen Restaurant, was listening to the Family Life radio station one evening early in October, when she heard the story of an estranged father and daughter who grew closer after the daughter invited her dad to a father-daughter dance. During this process, Henry said, the father gave his life to Christ.

“It touched me,” Henry said. “I thought about my relationship to my father (who is still in Jamaica), and my daughter's relationship to her dad.”

Henry reflected on daughters who don't forgive their dead-beat dads, for example, or fathers who can't open their hearts to their daughters. Then she thought of having a father-daughter dance at her church. She asked her pastor, the Rev. Douglas Taylor-Weiss, who agreed to the idea.

The first Father-Daughter Dance held at SS. Peter & John Episcopal Church in Auburn took place in the church hall Friday night.

Nick Diego, a star dance student at the regular Monday night dance classes at the church, took charge of the East Coast Swing lessons, with dads and daughters of all ages stepping along. He lined up the big band numbers as disc jockey and also brought along his daughter, Hanna, 6.

Patty Lincoln helped decorate the church hall with orange autumnal lighted garlands, and the tables were set with fall colors and centerpieces. Patty's husband, Sam, danced with their daughter Paige, 6.

Taylor-Weiss led his daughter, Esther, 17, through the swing dance steps. Esther is a liberal arts student at Cayuga Community College with a math/science curriculum.

“I didn't like the idea of a father-daughter dance at first,” Esther said, “because I thought it was for younger kids, but I'm having a great time.”

Bill Clark, of Auburn, kept his daughter, Janica, 13, on her toes.

David and Bernice Davia of Auburn, in reality, husband and wife retirees, decide to crash the dance.

“She's my daughter for the night,” David said. They have been regularly attending the Monday night dance lessons for four years. and decided to help out at this event.

Betty Beckwith, a Cortland student working on a master's in math education, said she loves to dance with her father, Jim.

Henry's Jamaican chicken wings were the most popular food at the buffet. A sheet cake provided by Wegman's read, “SS. Peter and John Father-Daughter Dance.” Food and door prize gift certificates were donated by local merchants.

Henry said she had expected about 50 to attend the dance, but about half that number came. She still wants it to be an annual event and is hoping to hold a Mother-Son Dance in the future.

“The important thing is that people are having fun,” Henry said. “You just have to keep trying and trying until you succeed.”