Square Dance
I figure I’ve been square dancing since I was 9 or 10 years old. It began with 4-H in Kansas where we competed against other clubs. Even then I was no stranger to the activity as my parents danced and would take my two younger brothers and I to dances with toys and coloring books and plenty of things to occupy us… including a stern warning to behave.
Later, in college, at Kansas State University (Go Cats!), I would dance every Sunday evening with about sixteen squares on the floor. It was then, (late 70s) with the encouragement and tutoring of callers like Ken Oppenlander, Dana Schirmer and Danny Geisler, I began to dip my toe in the pool of square dance calling. K-State is also where I first dated my eventual wife, Tana Jo. When we got married I had a stipulation. She had to learn to square dance. We danced together, and she supported my calling, for the next 35+ years. Over the years I’ve called and taught new dancers for a youth club near Kansas City, a Plus club on the far south side of Chicago and a Plus club in central PA. And most recently, a SSD/Plus club in the Arlington Heights suburb of Chicago. Now I’m back in the Chicago area (West) and opening the next square dance chapter in my life. |
Other Interests
I suppose I'm somewhat of a renaissance guy in that I have many interests and am always on the go. But my passions are, of course my family, and music.
We have a daughter and a son who are both married and have blessed us with five grand children - three girls and two boys. I was profoundly saddened and suffered a great loss when my wife, Tana Jo, succumbed to a neurological disease in the summer of 2019. Music has been a major part and passion of my whole life. I can remember being excited to be selected to join the chorus in grade school, being in an 8th grade boys quartet and later being Drum Major and student director of the KSU marching band. Currently I sing in church and direct hand-bells. I occasionally dabble at arranging music. and, of course, I particularly enjoy the singing call part of calling. I also love to do theater though it's been a while, and I'm a pretty good hand around the house. In fact I put myself though college as a carpenter - my dad was a general contractor - I guess I learned a few things. I also love cooking - well, maybe not so much when it's just for one. |