DAPHNE, Ala. — A crowd in suits, cocktail dresses and dance shoes gathered outside the Daphne Civic Center Friday night. Little did they know, a surprise performance lay ahead.

Frank Ponquinette, 83, would perform before The Tip Tops. Ponquinette — who’s been coming to the Civic Center for their Wednesday night dance lessons — has the past one musician’s dreams are made of, according to Theresa Yelding, sales assistant at the Daphne Civic Center,

“Mr. Ponquinette has done a little of everything.” Yelding said. “He was a merchant seaman and a jazz musician. He has even played with Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and Ella Fitzgerald, and many more.”

Ponquinette performed “Somewhere over the Rainbow” and “Summertime,” among others. He seemed comfortable behind the grand piano as he entertained the 100-plus crowd.

This local talent was discovered when Ponquinette began attending the city’s free dancing lessons. Each Wednesday, from 6 to 8:30 p.m., the city offers swing and line-dancing lessons.

“The City of Daphne pays dance instructors from Mobile to teach the classes,” Yelding said.

“It’s open to all ages,” she added. “We have ages 6 to 83 right now. … People from Alabama, Mississippi and Florida come to dance.”

Earl Kellam, host of the Community Dance event, said that some snowbirds have even made the lessons part of their plans.

“People from Kansas City and Canada have come and they’re planning to come back,” he said.

But according to Kellam, there’s another factor drawing people from all over the country: the dance floor.

“The biggest place for ballroom dancing is Indianapolis, and we knew someone who went up there last week.” Kellam said.

“Do you know what they were talking about? Our dance floor! It’s a floating dance floor, the best it gets.”

The dance lessons have been such a success that the Civic Center used Friday’s dance as a celebration of their one-year anniversary, according to organizers.

The environment was appropriate for such an occasion — dim lighting spread across the room and onto the dance floor. Icicle lights draped from the ceiling, and silhouettes of musical notes and city façades danced on the walls.

Throughout the night, dresses and coattails fanned as dancers spun across the floor; even an occasional shoe went flying.

One couple did a “Grease”-style dip, where the woman’s head held near the floor as she kicked her legs into the air. Several made a gliding motion, sweeping in broad circles. The couples seemed joined together as their movements kept in unison.

Line dancing didn’t slow any of the action. Dances such as the Cupid Shuffle and the Ballroom Hustle brought dancers of all ages, shapes and sizes from their seats. Some were elaborate professionals; others had fun with simple steps.

Singles or couples, young or old, everyone seemed to have a genre to accommodate them.