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A Dance at a Louisiana Prison Gives Fathers and Daughters a Rare Moment to Reunite
The dance allowed nearly 30 inmates to rebuild family bonds and express apologies, with organizers aiming to make it an annual event fostering hope and accountability.
On Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, the Louisiana State Penitentiary held its first father-daughter dance inside the prison's Bible college, organized by God Behind Bars, reuniting inmate Leslie Harris with his 17-year-old daughter.
Organizers said the dance aimed to rebuild family relationships and let fathers be seen as parents rather than inmates, with God Behind Bars, nonprofit, motivating the Angola event.
The prison picked nearly 30 inmates to participate based on good behavior, and videos showed fathers in tuxedos giving gifts like a Bible to daughters in sparkly dresses.
Assistant Warden Anne-Marie Easley said she hoped the dance would bring hope, and prison officials said it could become a tradition at the rural lockup that hosts the prison rodeo.
Photos and videos from this month showed the Louisiana State Penitentiary , housing more than 6,300 prisoners including dozens on death row, drawing attention after a similar event featured in last year’s Netflix documentary 'Daughters'.