It was officially spring. The snow had melted, revealing the brown earth below, but the temperatures hung tenaciously in the 30s.

After the long almost endless wait, everyone was ready to celebrate the end of winter and the beginning of spring. And that meant it’s time for the FAAWC rite of spring—the traditional Spring Dance.

Looking for a larger dance floor, the FAAWC staged the Filipiniana Spring Dance 2004 at the Danbury Sheraton Hotel.

Members and their guests filled up 17 tables in the Sheraton ballroom.

Potential "Filipino idols" Elaine Valera and Jaymie Batoon sang the Philippine and American national anthems.

Vil Rasing delivered a bilingual invocation. Barbara Prieto and Lani Gonzales emceed the program.

The Himig ng Silangan choir tried their best to give the Mabuhay Singers a run for their money with their rendition of "Tingnan Natin" and "Fiesta."

The continuity of the Hiyas ng Silangan dance group is assured by a young generation of dancers -- the Valera sister Geena and Gillian, the Romasanta sisters Sarah and Delilah, the Pretto brother and sister Jack and Kristina, the Malaguit brothers and sister James and Chris and Liza, the Ampeloquio sisters Chelsea and Tricia, the Mortera brother and sister Christian and Brittany, Karina and Jules.

They performed most of the dance numbers in the program such as carinosa, itik-itik, kunday-kunday, and tinikling.

The matrons staged a mini-fashion show of their Renee Salud gowns – Alice, Angelie, Barbara, Etta, Hedy, Matty, Nona, (Brenda? Gigi?, too). Greg, Manny and Jerry gallantly escorted their partners on the runway.