A Valentine’s Day love story – Part II
By: Kristin Boyd
On a special night, a father dons his dancing shoes and showers unconditional love on his girls, one wiggle at a time.
Russell Geoffrey is one lucky guy. It’s Saturday night, and instead of curling up in front of the television, he’s juggling three beautiful dates: Beyla, Amelia and Tamasin.
He dotes on his girls before they leave the house, helping one slip on her coat and another with her plastic tiara. They vie for his attention, grabbing at his hands and hugging him again and again. Clearly smitten, he smiles at each of them.
"I love everything about them," says Mr. Geoffrey, 53, of Princeton. "They’re smart, sweet, cute and funny. They just crack me up. I love them to pieces."
Beyla, Amelia and Tamasin are Daddy’s Little Girls, and in true fatherly fashion, Mr. Geoffrey treats his daughters like princesses every day. But this night is special, he says, because the family is again attending the YWCA of Princeton’s annual Father-Daughter Dance.
"It’s nice because we don’t always get to go out with Daddy," 8-year-old Beyla says. "It’s special … like finding a needle in a haystack."
Mr. Geoffrey has attended the YWCA Father-Daughter Dance for the past four years. The event began as a way to bond with Beyla but has since grown into a treasured tradition. Amelia, 6, was attending for her second time, and Tamasin, 4, was making her dance debut.
"I wanted it to be special for Beyla, something we could do together," Mr. Geoffrey says. "So it’s a little ironic now that three-quarters of the family is going."
By 6:30 p.m. Saturday, the girls were anxious to leave their Gallup Road home. They passed the time by twirling across the hardwood floor, bouncing around like Tigger and playing with their big brother, 12-year-old Alex.
They showed off their matching sequin purses and new hairstyles Beyla with ringlets, Amelia with two French braids and Tamasin with soft curls.
"Who needs shoes?" Mr. Geoffrey calls out.
"I’m going to dance in my socks," Beyla says.
"Yeah, but you have to wear shoes there," he says.
After thinking for a second, Beyla agrees and runs through the kitchen to find her pair of red crocks. The other girls race to grab their jackets and heart-shaped magic wands.
"Is it time to go?" Tamasin asks.
"Yes," her mother, Katharine, says.
"You’re not going, Mommy," she says.
"No, it’s just you and Daddy tonight," Katharine says. "You’re Daddy’s princess. All three of you are daddy’s princesses."
Mr. Geoffrey ushers the girls into family station wagon. They sing the entire way to the YWCA on Paul Robeson Place, he says. Once there, it doesn’t take long for the girls or their father to cut loose.
They take pictures in front of the Valentine’s Day decorations, sip red punch and snack on cookies and chocolate pieces. And they dance in one big circle to songs like "Rockin’ Robin, "La Bamba" and "Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch."
Throughout the night, the girls yank Mr. Geoffrey in every direction. But he’s sure to shimmy with each of them, sometimes holding their hands, sometimes scooping them into his arms. He even keeps up during the "Chicken Dance."
"I love dancing with my dad, even though I sometimes get a little dizzy," Beyla says.
Mr. Geoffrey loves it, too. Quoting Shakespeare, he says, his children have been "an unforeseen joy."
"(Fatherhood) has just added so much to my life," he says. "I just feel so lucky because they’re all so sweet. I’m so in love with my kids."

