Johnstown Concert Ballet hosts father-daughter Valentine's event

Dads and daughters danced the day away to 'My Girl' at the Papas and Pirouettes event.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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The Johnstown Concert Ballet hosted a Valentine's weekend event called 'Papas and Pirouettes' where young ballet students and their fathers or father figures gathered for a group dance class. The event gave the dads an opportunity to experience what their daughters go through in ballet classes.

Why it matters

The event provided a special bonding experience for fathers and daughters, allowing them to share in the joy of dance and creating lasting memories together on Valentine's Day.

The details

The event featured two dance classes - one for girls ages 4 to 9, and another for girls 10 and over. The dads and daughters danced together to the Temptations' classic 'My Girl'. According to the Johnstown Concert Ballet's executive artistic director, Eden Mishler Ihrig, the event was a 'wonderful opportunity for dads and daughters to come out and have so much fun together'.

  • The event took place on Sunday afternoon, February 16, 2026.

The players

Eden Mishler Ihrig

The executive artistic director of the Johnstown Concert Ballet.

Christopher Mack

A father who attended the event with his daughter, Emma.

Emma

Christopher Mack's daughter who participated in the younger dance class.

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What they’re saying

“It's a wonderful opportunity for dads and daughters to come out and have so much fun together. Valentine's is a special time no matter what age your daughter is. And so for them to come in, just share a moment dancing, just get to learn a combo together, it's a really enjoyable time for them. It's special – hopefully a good memory they'll have for a long time.”

— Eden Mishler Ihrig, Executive Artistic Director, Johnstown Concert Ballet (Tribune-Democrat)

“I didn't know what to expect, but I have a lot more appreciation for all the hard work that everybody does and puts into this now — definitely a lot of hard work. I love seeing her smiling doing this stuff. It means everything.”

— Christopher Mack, Father (Tribune-Democrat)

“I like that there are age groups. There's a lot of hard work put into it. All kids of all ages, except for some ages, can go and so parents can go too.”

— Emma (Tribune-Democrat)

What’s next

The Johnstown Concert Ballet plans to host similar father-daughter dance events in the future, providing more opportunities for families to bond over the shared experience of dance.

The takeaway

The Papas and Pirouettes event demonstrates the value of creating special intergenerational experiences that allow fathers and daughters to connect, learn from each other, and make lasting memories together.