Pennsylvania Fabulous Fall Festival

Butch and Roberta Bloxom

Cuer

Butch Bloxom (Winchester, VA) and Roberta Harris (Martinsburg, WV) October 20, 2017 Butch began square dancing in 1984 and cueing and teaching choreographed ballroom (round dancing) in 1986. Butch has been a member of RoundaLab, The International Association of Round Dance Teacher, INC. since 1987 and co‐founder of the Bloxom Bunch Round Dance Club in Winchester, VA with his wife Peggy who passed away suddenly in 2010. Butch is a member of the Shenandoah Valley Callers Council, The Virginia State Callers Association, and Shenandoah Valley Callers Council. Roberta began square dancing in 1977 after being encouraged by her Aunt Ann and Uncle Tyler Rotruck, who were Round Dance Cuers and Instructors with their own dance hall in Denver Colorado called the Rotruck Stop. Gary Shoemake and Ken Bower are just two of the National Square Dance and local callers and cuers who came to their converted church to dance hall to call/cue for many years. Aunt Ann is 91 now and still dancing every chance she gets — even if it’s in a chair. Uncle Tyler passed away 3 years ago. In 1978, Roberta and spouse, at Aunt Ann’s and Uncle Tyler’s encouragement went to their first WASCA Festival and subsequently, started round dance lessons. Teaching and starting their own Round Dance Club began in 1980. Roberta has been a member of RoundaLab since 1981 and co‐founder of the Melody Seekers Round Dance Club in Fairmont, WV. Roberta is also a member of the Shenandoah Valley Callers Council, The Virginia State Callers Association, and Shenandoah Valley Callers Council. Butch and Roberta have known each other through dancing with their spouses participating since the late 80’s when working at the West Virginia State Square and Round Dance Convention. Roberta moved to Martinsburg, WV, in 1997 to continue her Nursing Career at the Martinsburg VAMC where she retired in 2012 after 50 years of Nursing. Butch and Roberta have over 60 years of combined dancing, cueing, and teaching experience. Each have participated in many dance weekends, national square and round dance conventions, and various state festivals in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Since September of 2010, Butch & Roberta have come together to continue their activities of cueing and teaching of choreographed ballroom dancing with a mutual commitment and dedication to furthering the choreographed round dance movement locally, regionally, and nationally.

Tom Denniston and Ellen McCabe

Cuer

Tom and Ellen met while dancing at a RD club in NJ in 1994. They began teaching together in 1997, and continue to dance and teach together today. They were married in 2001. They have cued and taught at National Square Dance Conventions, Roundalab conventions, ICBDA conventions, and numerous regional conventions and events.

They have cued in 23 states and currently cue and teach Phase I–VI in PA, DE and MD.

Tom began teaching in Germany in 1975. Ellen began cueing and teaching in 1983 in Utah.

Tom has been a member of ROUNDALAB (RAL) since 1977, Ellen since 1984, and together they have belonged to the International Choreographed Ballroom Dance Association (ICBDA) since 1997. They served on the Roundalab Round of the Quarter Committees for Phases IV, V, and VI. Tom was a member of the European Callers & Teachers Association (ECTA) RD Council for the 17 years he spent in Germany. He was Liaison to ECTA for the European Association of American SD Clubs. Tom and Ellen were Moderator & Secretary of Northern NJ RD Teachers Association (NNJRDTA). Ellen was also President of Delaware Valley RD Teachers Association (DVRDTA) for 3 years.

Mark Franks

Caller

Mark Franks grew up in southern New Jersey and started square dancing in 1973. At the age of 15, he became interested in calling under the guidance of Joe Landi. At a class graduation in March 1980, he performed his first singing call (“Lucille” on Red Boot Records) — and was hooked. After attending his first callers’ school in the summer of 1981, he called his first dance in June 1982.

As a member of CALLERLAB, Mark serves on the Advanced Committee. He is also a member of the Gay Callers Association and the caller for two clubs in the Philadelphia area: Independence Squares and Y‐Knots. He regularly calls Basic through Advanced in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and New York.

Mark retired from his day job in 2018 after serving 32 years as a probation officer in Adult and Juvenile Supervision with the state of New Jersey. He and his wife, Cheryl, have two grown children, Matt and Renee. In his free time, he enjoys golfing and camping.

Dayle Hodge

Caller

Dayle was introduced to square dancing by his parents in 1981. That same year, befriended by a local caller in Pittsburgh PA, he started calling. His first club was the DC Lambda Squares in 1986. He now calls regularly for 5 clubs and calls 2 nights/week in his basement.

Dayle calls about 200 nights and 20 weekends per year. He calls all programs/levels from basic and first nighters to C3. His favorite is Plus DBD and Hot Hash.

When not calling, you can find Dayle playing board games with friends, or hanging out with his Girlfriend Kathy, his puppy Rosie, and his beautiful daughters.

Dayle is honored to be on staff at this year’s PAFFF.

Chris Jopek and Steve Davis

Cuer

Hanover, PA: Chris began square and round dancing in 2008 and starting cueing in 2012. She has cued, taught or showcased at WV State Convention, Ohio State Convention, PA State Convention, PA Fabolous Fall Festival, Round-A-Rama, Holiday Harvest Festival, National Square and Round Dance convention, SSDUSA (Singles Square and Round Dance Convention), RDTA (Round Dance Teachers’ Association) dances, and ICBDA (International Choreographed Ballroom Dance Association). She is a member of Round‐A‐Lab, ICBDA, RDTA and SVS&RDA (Susquehanna Valley Square and Round Dance Association). She was a round dance chairman for the Star‐Spangled Banner Festival for three years and is currently Vice President of RDTA. She currently cues in the MD, PA, WV, VA and DE area. She was teaching round dance lessons prior to COVID‐19 pandemic locally. She is currently employed as a Nuclear Medicine Technologist for University of MD, Cardiology.

Denison, TX: Steve is a retired firefighter/paramedic and currently is self‐employed in the building industry. He started square dancing in 1975 and round dancing in 2003. He has taken round dance lessons from Ed and Karen Gloodt for many years. He is a member of ICBDA and has been president, vice president and chairman for the Harvest Holiday Festival and past president of Texoma Squares.

Dan Koft

Caller

Dan started square dancing in 1976 and started to learn to call dances in 1979.

He has been teaching and calling square dances since 1981.

He was a member of the Callers Council of New Jersey (CCNJ) from 1981 to 2015 when he and Kathy moved to Pennsylvania. He served as President of CCNJ 2 different terms.

He has been a member of CALLERLAB (The International Association of Square Dance Callers) since 1987 and has served on the Youth, Mainstream, and Definitions committees.

Dan joined the South Central Pennsylvania Callers and Cuers Association (SCPCCA) in the Fall of 2017 and is their Secretary and web master.

Kathy and I served on several New Jersey State Convention committees including as Chairs in 1993.

Kathy and I programmed the rounds and squares for an all day multi hall dance in May 2014 to raise money for the 2015 National Square Dance Convention in New England.

Dan calls dances for people of all ages and from their first night through the Advanced program.

Art LaVigne

Caller

Art started Square Dancing in 1976 at the age of 12 at the “Teen Travelers” in Lowell, Ma. He graduated in June of 1977 the week after graduation their caller Phil Kandrut held an amateur caller night. Knowing this was coming up Art taped Phil’s calling, studied it for hours and memorized it exactly.The night of the dance Art got up and did the singing call he studied (Send Her Roses) verbatim to what Phil did on the tape. Phil was so impressed that he let Art do another later that night.

Art’s mom and dad, who were in attendance at the time, were so excited they contacted their caller who had an old sound system for sale and bought it for Art as a present. Less than four months later, at the ripe old age of 13, Art did his first solo dance — a father and daughter dance for the Girl Scouts of New Hampshire (which he did every year till 1991).

In 1980 he attended callers school at “East Hill Farm” in Troy NH with Al Brundage & Earl Johnston.

In 1980 he called his first club level dance at the “Depot Squares” in Shirley Ma.

In 1982 He became club caller for the “Twirling TNT’s” in Manchester, NH.

In 1985 He met his wife Amy at a square dance.

In 1986 Amy and Art got Married.

In 1988 He became club caller for the “Two Hearts as One” in Gardener, MA.

Also in 1988 He became club caller for the “Spindle City Squares” in Lowell, MA.

Besides his three clubs Art also called as a guest caller at many clubs in New England.

Has Called at the National Convention and New England Convention.

In 1991 Art’s “real” job moved him to Maryland. It was hard to leave his clubs behind. He settled down in Hagerstown.

Club caller for the “Gateway Swingers” in Frederick, MD were he was their caller until they folded in 1998.

In 1997 he became club caller for the “Gad‐Abouts” in Hagerstown, MD.

In 2012 Art recorded his first singing call "Hip To Be Square" on Alter‐Ego Recordings and in 2013 he recorded "The Way" also on Alter‐Ego.

In 2015 he begin recording with Gold Rush Records with the singing call "The Living Years" and in 2016 "Love Song".

Art and Amy have two Children:

• Sondra who was born in 1988
• Randy who was born in 1990

In 2018 he began recording on SDBob Recordings.

Doren McBroom

Caller

Doren started calling as a teenager in 1968. The first 5 years were a flurry of activity. He started two clubs, was calling guest spots in all the neighboring states, and taught 2 or 3 classes each year.

For several years, pursuing an education and career in electronic technology limited his calling to just a couple of classes and an occasional guest spot. After resuming a more relaxed work schedule, Doren gradually started calling on a more regular basis. Today he is the regular club caller for several area clubs, and he calls guest spots throughout the midatlantic area.

Retiring from the day job in the spring of 2018 gave him time to take an extended vacation in Italy, and utilizing some Europiean square dance contacts, he was able to tack on a two week calling tour in Austria, calling every program from Basic to C2 for several Clubs in and around Vienna and Salzburg. The Austrian dancers were friendly and appreciative, and plans are in the making for another tour when the world returns to normal.

Doren has been a member of the local callers association almost since he first started calling and has served several terms as President, Vice President, and Treasurer, as well as Education chairman of that organization. He has also been a long‐standing member of CALLERLAB, attending 30 Conventions of that organization, serving as a panelist at numerous convention interest sessions, serving fifteen years as a committee Chairman and one term on the Board of Governors.

Besides calling, Doren’s other interests are photography, Astronomy, writing fiction, and travel.

Tom Miller

Caller

Tom Miller is a full‐time modern western square dance caller who has turned his favorite hobby into a full-time operation. Tom started calling in 1973. Tom calls the CALLERLAB list, Mainstream through C‐1.

Tom has called throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Japan.

Tom is a recording artist for ESP Recordings. Currently, Tom is serving on the Board of Governors for CALLERLAB, active on several CALLERLAB committees and is an Accredited Caller-Coach.

Tom splits his time between Chest Springs, PA and Guntersville, AL. with his fiancée, Pauline Angress. Tom has two daughters, Candace and Lindsay.

Jet Roberts

Caller

Jet Roberts started calling in 1971 at the young age of eight years old. Three years later he was calling for three local clubs in the Sacramento, California area. He always dreamed of making calling his full time occupation and by age 19 he was established as a full time caller on the west coast.

To date Jet has called throughout the USA and has been featured in other countries such as Sweden, Denmark, Holland, United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Finland, and New Zealand & spent two years calling full time in Perth, Australia. Very excited to have his first opportunity to be featured in Japan October of 2022.

Jet calls levels from basic through A‐2 including the new SSD program.

In 2021 Jet became the newest staff caller on Royal Records which is considered one of the top record labels of all time with an all-star staff. Check out their web site to get your exclusive membership & get some of yesterday & today’s finest square dance music on the market. Royal Records: Home (royal-records.com)

In the summer of 2004 Jet married Sylvia Bjork from Sweden. They had a beautiful wedding in her hometown of Orebro, Sweden with many friends from Europe & the USA in attendance. Jet & Sylvia are currently living in Owens Cross Roads, Alabama. Jet is the proud father of two girls, Lacey born in 1988 & Lindsey in 1991 from a previous marriage. In February of 2009 Jet & Sylvia were blessed with the birth of their daughter Stella.

Jet is known for his smooth & interesting choreography & always puts his heart and soul into the singing calls. If Jet Roberts comes to your area, don’t miss the opportunity to dance in a fun filled & lively atmosphere.

Joe Saltel

Caller

Joe's introduction to square dance calling came at the early age of eight, when his grandfather assisted him in learning his first few singing calls. Joe has been actively calling and teaching Basic through A2 since 1971, and more recently C1. He has been a featured square dance caller for many festivals, conventions, and special dances in over 40 states (including Alaska and Hawaii), Canada, Denmark, England, Germany, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand and Sweden. Joe is a member of CALLERLAB and is BMI/ASCAP licensed.

As a recording artist, his voice can be heard on the Alliance, Arrowhead, Blue Star, Chic, Chinook, DJ, Dance Ranch, Hi-Hat, Rawhide, Riverboat, Royal, SDBob, & Silver Sounds labels, as well as many CD's.

Joe and his wife Chris married in 1982 & they have led ten successful tours/cruises to Alaska, the Caribbean, and Mexico (Puerto Vallarta & Cancun). Chris held a managerial position for 19 years, and has always supported Joe's calling career. In 2001, they relocated from their home on the Northern California coast and now live full‐time in the Rio Grande Valley of south Texas. Their daughter Tanya travelled & called onstage with Dad and has appeared on some of Joe’s CD’s; she is now 36 years old and a mother of her own five‐year‐old daughter Shania.

Joe and Chris spend November–April running a full square dance program in Pharr, TX. The remaining months they tour and travel domestically & internationally to call at festivals & special dances, and frequently visit their daughter Tanya and granddaughter Shania. Joe enjoys what he calls his vocation and avocation, and feels fortunate to be part of this great activity.

Christopher Schlitter

Caller

As a child in California of 1971, Christopher and his entire family square danced twice a week as members of two clubs. But after two years, his father suffered a serious injury, and the family stopped dancing.

Fast forward to mid-life. Remembering the fond experience of childhood, Christopher convinced his wife, Ri-Shea, to learn to square dance with him at a local club. A few months after finishing lessons, they relocated to North Carolina, and the activities of their teen children kept them off the dance floor.

Five years later in 2009, as brand new empty-nesters, Christopher and Ri-Shea excitedly joined the local club but had to quickly relearn everything they had forgotten, which was almost all the Plus calls starting from Circle Left. The next year, they volunteered as class coordinators, and Christopher began leading weekly supplemental review lessons.

In 2011, at his first state convention, he attended an Intro to Hexagons session, and he was hooked! Every day for the next year, Christopher spent untold waking-and-dreaming hours discovering on his own how to dance, teach, and resolve Hexagons. Then he founded Hexcellent Squares and is perhaps the only caller who started with Hexagons before calling “regular” squares.

Several nights a week, Ri-Shea plays hostess to dancers in their Raleigh home dance hall, while Christopher calls Mainstream through C1...and of course, Hexagons. For the past several years, he has taught and called Hexagons at the Star Spangled Banner Festival in Maryland as well as at the North Carolina State Convention.

Christopher teaches and calls Hexagons such that 12 dancers form a 6-sided hexagon and can dance alongside regular squares, hearing the same unchanged call names and dancing per the same definitions, but accounting for the change in geometry. (By definition, Right and Left Grand is still 4 hands.) This year Hexcellent Squares celebrates its 10^th anniversary.

Amy and Ken Shotting

Cuer

Ellicott City, MD: Amy & Ken are both originally from Pennsylvania; ironically, they had to come to Maryland to meet. Ken learned to Square Dance in 1986. They met at a church function in 1988 and he talked Amy into taking Square dance classes and became Amy’s angel. Amy graduated from square dance class in 1989, five days before they were married! Talk about just squeaking in graduation! Amy had taken ballroom dancing in college, so she quickly became interested in Round Dancing. Together, they started Round Dance classes with Doris & Dan Weber in September 1989. In March 1992, Dan Weber got Amy to start cueing by challenging her to cue “Papa Love Mambo”, one of Amy’s favorites at the time. After cueing that first dance, she was hooked. In fall of 1992, Ken and Amy moved off to England for 3 years. Doris sent Amy off with records and lots of blessings to start a club over there. Their first class became Corinium Rounds in Cirencester, England. That is where she picked up her “interesting” accent; just have her say “box”. While there, Amy was certified as a Round Dance Cuer and Round Dance teacher by the Caller’s Club of Great Britain. In 1995 she was selected as one of the staff cuers at the British National. Ken & Amy returned to Maryland in 1995 and started studying under Betty and Irv Easterday. The following year they started a Round Dance class in Laurel that became Amyable Rounders. After the birth of their son, Kenny, they moved to Ellicott City. They scaled back their dancing activities significantly when Kenny started 2nd grade but have been slowly getting more involved again when he started high school. They reformed their Amyable Rounders club in 2016 and have been cueing much more often for local 2x2 clubs along with weekends and festivals. Ken is a retired engineer/mathematician/computer scientist; Amy a retired Registered Nurse. With the nest now empty, they plan to travel more and hope that such plans, after the Covid induced delay, will come true. Along with ICBDA, they are RoundALab and RTDA members.