Square Dance Caller & Teacher
Jerry LeBlanc devoted over half of his life to promoting, perpetuating and thereby preserving square dancing. He began dancing in 1963 and began calling the same year. In 1964, Jerry recorded “Kingston town,” a promo, on a local radio station to help launch his first square dance class in Westerly, RI. That May, he graduated 79 new dancers for the Surfside 8 Square Dance Club. Jerry taught classes in Westerly for the next 34 years and also taught in Ledyard and East Lyme, CT. During his calling career, Jerry ran 1-3 weekends each year, always giving the dancers his best right through the After-Parties! He called in every New England state, Maryland, Florida, Pennsylvania, New York, and Canada. Jerry called at most of the CT and RI Festivals and New England Conventions and also donated his. time and talent to bring dancing to church Vacation Bible Schools, local fairs, craft shows, Seafood Festivals, and school fundraisers. A highlight of his career was when he called at the pre-show for the Westerly, RI Community Chorus outdoor concert with the Surfside 8 Square Dance Club with an audience of 28,000, where he sang “Oklahoma” to rave reviews. Jerry was known for his beautiful singing voice and his patient teaching technique. He loved square dancing–it was his life. In addition to his square dance career, Jerry worked for Pfizer, Inc. for 38 years where he was Chairman of the United Way Campaign for several years and continued in this position into his retirement. In his leisure time, he enjoyed golfing and spending time with his grandchildren.
It is in grateful recognition of a lifelong and far-ranging devotion to our dancing activity in clubs and communities that the SDFNE honors Jerry LeBlanc this day with his and Evelyn’s election to the Hall of Fame.
