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I was first hooked and addicted to Square Dancing in Sydney as a teenager. That first contact was with a caller named Len Woodhead. He had a dance at Rockdale and shortly after I started, he opened a second dance at Collaroy Plateau (which eventually became Greenwich Swingers at Artarmon). I danced enthusiastically over a period of about three years at both of Len’s clubs and at several others, including Ron Jones at Punchbowl Wagon Wheels.
Many, many years later back in Sydney in the 1990’s, having by then spent quite a few years living in Country NSW around both the Tamworth and Bathurst regions, my partner Laurel and I found Square Dancing again, with Ross Kinney and the Cross Trail Club at Erskineville.
We learned Plus and danced again with Ron Jones at the Belmore Bells Club right up until his retirement and the club’s closure after 50 years of operation.
Subsequently, we were both heavily involved in the running of the 2001 Tamworth National Convention and we continued to dance regularly in Sydney with the Knee Deep, the Red Baron and the Top Cat Clubs.
My interest in trying to become a caller developed after my retirement and once for health reasons, Laurel had to stop dancing.
After a period as a Guest / Trainee Caller, I opened my “Just Bliss” Club at Randwick in 2014. It is now in its fifth year of operation.
I was a Scout and have been very involved as a Leader with the Scout Movement for most of my adult life. Although I’m no longer directly involved, I remain an Honorary Commissioner and continue to have an active interest locally. It was through the Scouts when a teenager that I had that first contact with Len Woodhead and Square Dancing.
I am also actively involved in a local “Probus” Club and participate weekly in a social Games and Cards Group.
My all-time favourite book and movie is “To Kill a Mocking Bird” and I especially love musicals with magnificent lyrics as well as music – eg: My Fair Lady, Oliver, Fiddler on the Roof, Carousel.
Picking a favourite Singing Call is too hard – but perhaps “Little Girl – when your mine all mine”