Callers School is held in Nova Scotia in late August on odd-numbered years. Staff includes Dottie Welch, Kerry Fletcher, and a special guest teacher identified in the following links. Information on making a contribution to the Alguire Callers Memorial Fund which supports the School is found below.
| 2003: Norm Wilcox | 2005: Jack MacArthur | 2007: Ken Ritucci |
| 2009: Barry Clasper | 2011: Andy Shore | 2013: Roy & Betsy Gotta |
| 2015: Kerry Fletcher and Dottie Welch |
2017: Gerry O'Hara |
JIM ALGUIRE
Prominent Square Dance Caller and former Chairman of DANS,
James Gordon Alguire (Jim), died August 28, 1993.
Jim was a very active and hard working member of the Board of Directors and Square Dance Consultant to Dance Nova Scotia for many years and served as its Chairman through a very difficult period in development of DANS. For his outstanding contribution to Dance Nova Scotia, Jim was awarded an Honorary Life Membership.
Jim started and with his wife, Pat, was caller for several Square Dance Clubs in the Metro area, including the Metro Merry Makers, Crosstrail Dancers, Scotia Dancers, and Ocean Waves Square Dance Club. He also assisted other Callers in the development of Clubs in Nova Scotia and in Newfoundland.
He was a staff member for DANS Summer Leadership Course which helped develop and train many new Square and Round Dance Teachers. Members of Nova Scotia Dance Federation know Jim as an excellent Caller/Teacher at their Annual Dance Camp.
An active member of ANSSRDT (Association of Nova Scotia Square and Round Dance Teachers), holding executive positions including President and Square Dance Coordinator, Jim was notably successful with the training program for Callers. He was closely involved with MCCA (Maritime Callers and Cuers Association) where he also held prominent executive positions and was Convention Chairman on numerous occasions, including the most recent held at the World Trade & Convention Centre in Halifax this past November. He was also a member of CALLERLAB (an international organization of Callers) and served on its Education Committee.
Jim was a successful businessman who owned and operated Plastics Maritime Ltd. An avid outdoors man, he was a past game warden in Shubenacadie and operated several woodlots throughout Nova Scotia. He was active in hockey, football, cross-country and downhill skiing. He was a member of Bay Road Volunteer Fire Department and Bay Road BMS Club.
Jim was a dedicated individual who set goals for himself and worked tirelessly toward their achievement. His accomplishments and accolades are many, but most numerous of all are his friends. BACK
Dear Square Dancer and Square Dance Clubs:
Regardless of where you square dance in Nova Scotia, you are reaping the benefits of the countless hours of Caller training conducted by the late Jim Alguire. A past president of ANSSRDT and MCCA, two Callers associations devoted to Caller training and improvement, Jim also served on the Staff of the DANS Square and Round Dance Leadership Course for eight of its ten years of operation. He served as Chairman of Dance Nova Scotia, a Government agency devoted to the promotion of all forms of dance in Nova Scotia. Jim also conducted his own Callers Schools for the Callers of Newfoundland. I can think of no Caller in our Province, old or new, who has not been influenced by Jim and his efforts to improve the quality of square dancing for our dancers.
In an effort to continue the training of new and existing Callers, to which Jim dedicated so much of his time, a scholarship fund has been established in his memory. If, as an individual dancer or as a club, you would like to see the square dance activity continue to grow and prosper, you can invest in its future leadership. Let us all give something back to this activity that has given each of us so many hours and years of good times and good friends. BACK
Contributions to THE ALGUIRE CALLERS MEMORIAL FUND can be forwarded to:
The Alguire Callers Memorial Fund
Alex Ritchie, Treasurer
58 Oakdale Crescent, Dartmouth, NS B3A 2L8
Our partner in presenting the Alguire Memorial Callers School is Dance Nova Scotia. Tax creditable donations to Dance Nova Scotia may be directed to the Alguire Memorial Callers School and may be made by sending a cheque in the mail (1113 Marginal Road, Halifax, NS, B3H 4P7) or over the phone by credit card by calling 902-422-1749. All of the funds donated will be used towards the expenses of the Alguire Memorial Callers School. BACK