Des Plaines parks hosts father-daughter ball

Girls and their dads became "royalty" for an evening as they dined and danced Saturday at the 2010 Father Daughter Royal Ball.

The annual Des Plaines Park District event, which drew more than 100 people, included dancing, games and a dinner with "Princess Pizza" and "Charlemagne's Chicken" on the menu.

"It is always a magical evening," said Don Miletic. "My daughter, Katrina, and I look forward to it every year."

Many of the girls, who ranged in age from 3 to 14, have attended the ball in past years. "My daughters have as much fun dancing with each other and their friends as they do with me," said Matt Stack, father of three.

The evening began with a courtly introduction of the couples by master of ceremonies and DJ Brad Block. Then the lords and ladies donned crowns and lined up for complimentary portraits taken by members of the Des Plaines Camera Club.

After dinner the Des Plaines Park District's in-house dance companies, Artistry in Motion and Rhythm in Motion, performed four numbers from their upcoming 2010 Spring Spectacular, set for March 19 and 20 at the Prairie Lakes Theatre.

Then it was the couples' turn to hit the dance floor, where they also could enter a limbo competition, assisted by "Cinderella," played by Amy Dunn, and "Belle," played by Kayla Pasler.

Events also included bingo and an opportunity to guess the number of chocolate hearts in Cinderella's carriage. The winning couple, Dominika Franczyk and her father, Roman, received gift baskets for their winning number.