Dave Taylor - 1927-2017

Dave passed away February 12, 2017 in Spring Hill, Florida. Dave was a founding member of CALLERLAB, serving several years on the Board of Governors and two terms as Chairman of the Board. In 1971 Dave was inducted into the Square Dance Hall of Fame. He received the CALLERLAB Milestone Award in 1986.

Dave was "drafted" into a career in calling. In 1953, while working part-time for the Detroit Parks and Recreation Department, he was put in charge of Saturday night activities, which included teaching children's square dance classes. This was the beginning of square dance calling for Dave.

Before long, besides teaching school, he had a busy home-club and class program underway. This lead to a full travel/calling schedule with appearances at some of the most prominent festivals, conventions, weekend and week long square dance institutes, i.e. Boyne Mountain, Michigan for 11 years and Kirkwood Lodge, Missouri for 26 years. For two years Dave called a weekly Saturday afternoon Radio Program "Square Dance Club of the Air". He called over the Radio and people would gather the squares wherever to dance. In 1966 he began one of his many Taylormade Holiday Weekends in Niagara Falls, Ontario. The Maple Leaf Weekend continued for 31 years.

In 1972 he moved to Naperville, Illinois and established his home clubs and classes in the Chicago area. His Tuesday workshops at the Boy Scout Center drew over 200 dancers. Soon he was teaching all levels, from beginners to C-1. Dave organized and formed The Callers Co-op for Chicago area callers to promote good calling, teaching and dancing. By the mid-1990's Dave had made more than twenty calling tours to Europe and had sponsored an annual World Square Dance Convention that attracted dancers from many countries. In February 1994, he called his final dance while on a tour to New Zealand and Australia.

Dave was always very generous with his time & knowledge of Square Dancing. He took the time to share his expertise with callers, leaders and dancers all over the United States and foreign countries. Dave conducted many callers' clinics in North America and wrote numerous articles for square dance publications. He appeared on several TV Shows in the U.S, Canada and New Zealand. He recorded 52 single records, four albums, and one stereo tape. He called in 45 of the 50 United States.

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SIO Article: Our Cover Caller for this month can attest to the fact that being "drafted" can have advantages. For in 1953, while working part-time for the Detroit Parks and Recreation Department he was put in charge of Saturday night activities, which included teaching children's square dance classes. This was the beginning of square dance calling for Dave and today he enjoys an international reputation. In addition to being a full-time school teacher Dave makes many personal calling tours, has recorded for Windsor Records and recently for Blue Star. He has appeared on the staffs of many institutes across the country and is the director of his own Boyne Highlands Squarama in Michigan. Most recent among Dave's many accomplishments is the chapter on Teaching which appeared in the December and January issues of Square Dancing magazine. Dave and Angie's home square dance activities range from beginner groups to advanced level club dances, and altho' Dave is known as an "advanced level" caller, he and Angie still derive a great deal of pleasure in working with beginners. Regardless of the level, Dave's effervescent personality shines thru. And so we take pride in adding to The Sets in Order American Square Dance Hall of Fame the Gene Anthony portrait of Dave Taylor.