Callers We Dance To

Ken Burke

Ken notes that his profession is not square dance caller, but rather entertainer. Square dancing is simply the medium by which Ken accomplishes this.

Ken is a real entertainer who combines smooth and innovative choreography with his vocal talents.  Those that dance with him have a great time.  Ken’s widespread appeal can be attributed to his distinctive styling (as well as his offbeat sense of humor).

Ken has been featured at many festivals, weekends and conventions across the country.

He also reaches out to the public in exhibitions and in teaching lessons.  Ken maintains that one of his biggest thrills is from conducting “one night stands” introducing our great activity to people of all ages.

Ken calls through the A-2 level and is currently on staff at Chaparral Records.  He’s also recorded on the Four-Bar-B/ Quadrille label.

Some of his hits include:

Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine

Small, Small World

Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain

Back In The Saddle Again

Streets Of Bakersfield

Livingston Saturday Night

Ken's website is here: www.callerken.com

Curt Braffet

Curt began dancing in 1972 and didn’t catch the calling bug until 1985. Once he started, it didn’t take long before his calling took off. With the help of his father Pat, Charley Engelhardt, and Brad Carter, Curt quickly honed his skills and became very popular where-ever he called.

A dancer once said about Curt - “He takes the same old call and makes it look different while keeping a smooth flowing dance”, That’s one of the best compliments I’ve ever received said Curt who always strives to give the dancers a challenge, yet let the dancers enjoy the “dance”.

Curt has recorded for various record labels like Nickle, Chicago Country, Miracle, and Royal. He is on the calling Staff at Pride RV resort in Maggie Valley N.C., Turkey Run State Park in IN., Chula Vista Resort in WI., Shady Rest Lodge in WI., and will be calling at the WIPAC (Wisconsin Plus*Advanced*Challenge) weekend this August in West Bend, WI.

If you’ve never heard Curt Braffet call, your in for a treat. He has great timing for your dancing pleasure, and his singing voice is top-notch!

Bob Asp

Bob Asp started square dancing when he was 8 years old with the Turtle Squares of Oregon, Illinois.  Bob’s parents had already been dancing for several years.

Bob attended a caller school in Omaha, NE, run by Harold Bausch and started Hub City Squares in Rochelle, IL, in 1978.  Bob helped start the Panhandlers square dance club in Martinsburg, West Virginia, and was the club caller for the Gateway Swingers in Fredricksburg, Maryland.

Bob records for Solid Gold Records and partners with Tom Manning (producer/owner of Solid Gold Records) in Solid Gold Sound, providing sound equipment for state conventions and regional festivals.

Bob is involved in several major square dance weekends:

Solid Gold (Davenport) in March with Tom Manning, Don & Doug Sprosty, and Natalie Sprosty

Rivercity Weekend over Memorial Day Weekend with Jerry Story & Curt Braffet

Chula Vista, Wisconsin, in September with Curt Braffet

Bob is a member of Callerlab, the professional organization for square dance callers.

Dee Dee Dougherty-Lottie

Dee Dee is a full-time traveling square dance caller with over 25 years of experience.  She also teaches C/W Line Dancing, currently working at 6 parks in the Phoenix area.  She lives in Mpls., MN but winters in Arizona.

Dee Dee calls extensively throughout the year, including flying out for weekends and festivals.  She has called in almost all 50 states, as well as Denmark, Japan, England, Sweden and Germany.  She teaches one-nighters, corporate parties, girl scouts and any other group that might be interested in line dancing or having a DJ of sorts!

Dee Dee is a member of Callerlab, Minnesota Square Dance Callers Association (MSDCA), and National Teacher Association for Country Western Dance (NTA).  She is BMI/ASCAP licensed and presently a recording artist with RHYTHM RECORDS.  Her latest tune is: Call Me Maybe.  She's also recorded I Need You Now, Turn On The Radio, Gimmi Gimmi, Honey Honey, and Feelin' Kinda Lonely.

Her CD’s (all with yodeling!) are always available, along with Country Western line dance booklets.

C:  480-510-3318    H:  763-788-5576

Dee Dee Dougherty-Lottie

3922 Tyler St. N.E.

Minneapolis, MN  55421

See Dee Dee's website here!

Tom Davis

Tom Davis is a nationally known caller who has been calling for the past 35 years. He belongs to the American Callers Association (ACA) and currently is the President of ACA. He is BMI and ASCAP licensed to use recorded music.

He is a local and regional traveling caller, calling dances and festivals through most of the Eastern United States. He calls for beginners through C1. Tom enjoys teaching classes and doing 1 day workshops/blasts. Tom has been the featured caller for many state conventions.

He is presently one of the staff callers for several weekend dance festivals with in the region. He also is an Accredited Caller Coach who teaches other callers the basics of square dance calling and the qualities of leadership needed to promote the activity. He has conducted numerous caller schools, seminars and workshops at state festivals and conventions.

Tom and his wife Bernice and step-daughter Madison live in Dayton, OH. In 2014 he relocated from the Chicago area where he had lived for the past six years. Tom has been working in the insurance restoration field for the past 36 years. He currently is Senior Large Loss Project Manage at A. E. Fickert Company in Dayton Ohio.

Tom & Bernice enjoy the square dancing activity and the people involved in it. Much of their lives has been dedicated to the promotion and educational values of the activity. "SQUARE DANCING IS FUN AND FELLOWSHIP SET TO MUSIC"

Booking festivals thru C1.

Lottie Buckbee

Started Calling in 1987. Enjoy and am experienced working with people on a variety of levels and ages ranging from Country Western Party Dances and Line Dances, School Programs, Home School families, Girl Scouts, DBD, Basic thru A-2.

Experienced in Multi-Cycle and Fast Track Lessons. Believe in thinking "Out of the Box" to promote Square Dancing. Will travel.

Have called in 17 states, in addition to many National, State and Camping Conventions. Member of International Square Dance Campers Association. Accredited Callerlab Member. Active in New Caller training.

Tom Manning

Tom has been around square dancing all his life, starting in a beginners class at the age of 8, beginning his love for dancing.

In 1974 caller Don Roberts of Cedar Rapids, Iowa told Tom he danced like a caller, He gave him a record to learn, the calling bug bit and at age 12 Tom was calling guest tips around Southeast Iowa.

Tom married his high school sweetheart, Ella in 1983. They have three daughters, Sara, Amanda and Ashley and they enjoy dancing as their schedules allow.

Tom has called full time for 15 years starting in 1984. He traveled extensively, calling in approximately 40 states and Hawaii, He now stays closer to home and teaches at Burlington High School in the Business Department. Tom calls for Circle Square B Promenaders plus club, and has an advanced workshop group. Although Tom has limited his travels, he still calls some week-end specials and festivals.

Tom owns and produces Solid Gold Records and is partner with Bob Asp in Solid Gold Sound and has recorded on several labels, He is a member of CALLERLAB, Southeast Iowa Callers Association, and Iowa State Caller, Cuer & Instructor Association.

In 2002 Tom was inducted into the Iowa Square Dance Callers Hall of Fame and in 2010 he and Ella were inducted into the Illinois Square Dance Hall of Fame.

Joe Saltel

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 recently began calling C1.

He has been a featured caller for many festivals, conventions, and special dances in over 40 states, 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, Blue Star, Chinook, DJ, Dance Ranch, HiHat, Riverboat, Royal & Silver Sounds labels, as well as many CD's & cassettes. Joe is also a member of SAG, and choreographed and appeared in a made for TV movie, "Blue Skies".

Joe and his wife Chris married in 1982, and they have led nine 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. Their daughter, Tanya, 29 years old, is an accomplished vocalist and has appeared on some of Joe's CD's. In 2001,  Joe & Chris relocated from their home on the Northern California coast to south Texas.

Joe and Chris spend November-April running a full square dance program, Beginners through C1, in Pharr/McAllen, TX in the Rio Grande Valley, "The Square Dance Capital of the World." The remaining months they tour and travel domestically & internationally to call at festivals and special dance events. Joe enjoys what he calls his vocation and avocation, and feels fortunate to be part of this great activity.

Joe's website is here www.joesaltel.com

Mike Hogan

I began calling in 1976 as a teenager. I call through A2 and travel primarily on weekends. I call several weekends and festivals each year.

My real job is in Marketing and I am now doing a lot of caller/dance leader workshops and clinics as well as calling.

Mike is a member of Callerlab, the professional organization for square dance callers. as well as licensed by ASCAP and BMI.

Learn more about Mike here;

http://www.squaredancene.org/callcuer/hogan/

Noah Siegmann

Noah Siegmann is one of the most exciting callers to come onto the Square Dance scene here in Southeastern Wisconsin.

Noah’s upbeat calling and use of popular music has made him a favorite with both the young and old.

According to Noah’s Bio, he comes from a family where his father and grandfather are Square Dance callers. In 2001 Noah was introduced to a recording by Jerry Story and made the decision to become a Square Dance caller himself.

From Noah's Bio;

“Noah has attended Pride Caller College in N.C., and travels doing club dances, weddings, anniversaries, parties, and other special occasion all over the U.S.”

“Noah currently reside in Rubicon, Wisconsin with his wife Anna and two daughters, where he raises grass-feed beef and also plays music with some of his siblings in a band called “Solid Ground”.

Noah’s full Bio can be found here.

Jerry Story

Jerry Story is a well known national caller we love to dance too.

From Jerry's webpage Bio;

"Jerry began calling in 1969 at the age of fourteen in Fairfield, IA. During the early 1970s he taught many classes and traveled throughout the Tri-State area of Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri.

In 1976, he married his high school sweetheart, Kristy, who was in his second beginner class. Two children, Joshua and Jacob, soon followed and his career picked up momentum. He found himself touring full time calling dances and festivals coast to coast and in a dozen different countries.

Jerry and Kristy raised their sons in Mission, Texas while operating a very exciting square dancing program at the Peppermint Palace in El Valle Del Sol RV Park since 1983. There he holds classes, workshops, and dances from beginners through C-1.

In the spring of 2002, Jerry and Kristy, along with lifetime friend and business partner Tony Oxendine, opened Pride RV Resort in Maggie Valley, NC. Jerry and Kristy run Maggie Valley Square Dance Vacations and are extremely proud of new PRIDE CENTER, a 3000 sq. ft. floating hardwood floor ballroom with 2 beautiful stone fireplaces and built in concert sound. "

Jerry's full Bio can be found here.