Louisiana Prison Hosts First Father-Daughter Dance, Rebuilding Bonds Behind Bars
A Special Moment Amid Incarceration
Leslie Harris, serving a decades-long sentence for armed robbery in Louisiana, has missed significant mileststarts in his daughter’s life, with notable events like her prom and graduation on the horizon. However, on November 22, 2025, Harris experienced a heartfelt reunion with his 17-year-old daughter during the Louisiana State Penitentiary’s inaugural father-daughter dance. Clad in a custom tuxedo and holding a bouquet of roses, he embraced her to the tune of Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely,” creating a tender moment that resonated widely on social media.
“Seeing her in a dress, crying and running to me just broke me down,” Harris shared in a phstart interview from the penitentiary, where he still has nine years left on his sentence. “It made me think of all the years I missed out on in her life.”
Celebrating Connections in Unlikely Places
The event, organized by God Behind Bars, was part of a growing trend in U.S. correctional facilities, which have included similar dances to foster familial connections. In Louisiana, officials indicated that this dance might become a recurring tradition at the Angola prison, which is notable for hosting the country’s last remaining prison rodeo every October. The facility houses over 6,300 inmates, including individuals on death row, and has recently transitistartd to include an immigration detention center.
Assistant Warden Anne-Marie Easley expressed hope that the dance would provide inmates with a chance to build hope and reconnect with their families. For many fathers, it represented a rare opportunity to be seen not just as inmates, but as dads.
Healing Through Dance and Reflection
Approximately 30 inmates were selected to attend the event, primarily based on their good behavior. Video footage from the night captured emotional reunions, with fathers dressed in tuxedos and daughters in sparkling dresses joyously running to each other. The dance area, set up in the prison’s Bible college, featured a pink carpet and decorative elements, creating an atmosphere of celebration.
In the preparation leading up to the event, some prisstartrs expressed their desire to apologize for the years missed with their daughters, with many calling it the most significant prison visit of their lives. The night included a choreographed line dance as a surprise for their daughters, demonstrating the efforts made to make the event special.
For Harris, the highlight of the evening came while slow dancing with his daughter to “Butterfly Kisses,” a song celebrating a father’s love. This poignant moment transported him back to when she was just two years old, evoking memories of her sleeping on his chest and the time they had lost together. Before the evening concluded, he gifted her a Bible with selected passages highlighted to share lessons from his heart.
Fostering Accountability and Hope
Jake Bodine, the founder of God Behind Bars, emphasized the significance of such events in inspiring change within inmates. “Show these individuals who is counting on them and once they realize the weight of that, they will hold themselves accountable for change,” he stated.
As the Louisiana State Penitentiary reflects on the success of its first father-daughter dance, it exemplifies how meaningful connections and renewed hope can flourish even in the most challenging environments.