Dale Hoppers, Square Dance Caller

Thank you, Dale, for 17 wonderful years!

Click HERE to view the booklet presented to Dale.

It’s disappointing that our class instructor for the past 17 years found it necessary to leave us so close to the end of this year’s classes.

Apparently, the time required to make the weekly trip from Mission Hills to our classes in Orange, more than an hour’s drive, has become too much. Just imagine Date driving from home, teaching a two-hour class, and then driving back home. That’s a minimum of four hours out of his day every week for about 30 weeks every year. Wow, he did this for us for 17 years. Dale didn’t endure this hardship for the money; he did it for our dub and square dancing. In fact, there were several occasions where Dale returned his instructor fee when our dub was struggling.

Dale has supported our club by calling at any promotional event we thought to contrive. Whatever or wherever the event, Dale would volunteer to demonstrate the fun of square dancing. Date excelled at these events, whether at a church, park, university, county fair, or community center. We’re not just losing our instructor; we’re losing one of Ichabod’s biggest supporters.

Every year Dale teaches square dancing for clubs all over Los Angeles and Orange County. We don’t know if Dale is keeping track, but he must be responsible for training thousands on the fundamentals and fun of square dancing. Dale will make the drive if you are a club out in the middle of nowhere and you need a caller for your dance. If it looks like your club will lose money, Date has been known to return his fee.

We’ll miss Dale with his line dances, duck jokes, King Kong circulate, and fun nature. Next time you see Date, give him a solid handshake or stack the wood and thank him for doing an excellent job for our cut; we thank him for his teaching skills, his dedication to our club, and we wish him the best.

Tom & Pat Hamilton