Patty is known for her singing, sense of humor and love of dancers. She calls from square dance party nights to the Plus program for square dance clubs and private groups all over the country. She has taught square dancing for clubs since she started calling 1996, and enjoys teaching new dancers and workshopping with seasoned ones.
Patty has served in various leadership roles for local, regional, and national organizations since 1996. She is currently a member of the Metrolina Caller and Cuers Association, a member of the North Carolina Callers Association, and program chair for the North Carolina Square Dance Convention. Patty & Steve were the Square Dance Program Vice Chairs for the 68th NSDC in Atlanta. She regularly attends CALLERLAB conventions, has served on many panels and participated in many special convention theme dances, and serves on the Board of Governors and Executive Committee for CALLERLAB. She served as the Chairman of the Board for CALLERLAB from 2017-2019, and is the second woman elected as Chairman in the history of the organization and the first to complete two terms. She has been a panelist at the national convention and the CALLERLAB convention, and while in New England was a NECCA-approved education specialist, speaking on the role of computers in square dancing, which she presented to caller and dancer organizations throughout New England.
Patty has called at the North Carolina Square Dance Convention, the New England Square and Round Dance Convention, at many National Square and Round Dance Conventions, at the Canadian National Square and Round Dance Convention, and has been on staff for several local square dance weekends. In 2012 she was invited to travel to Tokyo to be on staff for the Chiyoda Square Dance Club’s 40th Anniversary Dance with Tony Oxendine and Jerry Story. She currently is on staff for Chic Recordings, recorded on Royal Records, and has been a guest on Double M Records, Acme Recordings, Riverboat, and Mesa Apache Productions.
How Did We Start Square Dancing?!
Thanks to Steve’s parent’s “gentle” prodding, we started dancing in 1990, and have been dancing up a storm ever since. We took Mainstream and Plus lessons from Ed Monty through the Allemande 8’s of Manchester, New Hampshire, and completed A-1 (after three times!!!) with Norm Poisson and Marilyn Rivenberg at the Mill-A-Round Dance Center. We have danced all over New England, on our honeymoon in the Pocanos, in Hawaii, on vacations, wherever we have been where we could find a dance… We have met wonderful people, and have made some great friendships through our square dancing.
During our first square dance lessons, Ed invited me to sing with him a couple of times, which I enjoyed, but never gave calling a second thought until winter of 1994, when Chris Pinkham, a dancing/caller friend of ours, informed me that I was joining him in the spring in the duets hall at the New England Square and Round Dance Convention. A couple of months of frantic practicing, and one convention later, I was hooked! I had finally found a way to use my music major from Plymouth State College (NH). Not exactly what I had envisioned, but boy, what a blessing it has turned out to be!