My final shift in perspective about calling came as a result of several things.

My local dance had an evening where the caller failed to show up. Luckily one of the dancers had some dance cards and was willing to jump in to fill this important role. This averted mishap had me noticing that we could use a few more local callers.

At about the same time, a chance conversation with a long-time musician friend confirmed that there was a local demand for people with the ability and willingness to call for a "barn dance" or "hoedown". "Valerie, have you ever thought about calling dances?" Two-Gun Terry asked. "We get called all the time to play but don't have many callers."

My local dance was having a leadership crisis. (To learn more see the Organizing tab).

I began talking with callers I admired and attending callers workshops at dance weekends. In early 2009 I took a calling class with Tom Hinds and began calling segments of dances with people I'd been in class with. Many, many wonderful callers have contributed to my knowledge base and have been willing to "talk shop" with me, to give me dances, and have generally been supportive. Gaye Fifer and Shawn Brenneman in particular have been amazing mentors. Now, living in the Triangle area, I am part of the Callers Collective and benefit from the wisdom and expertise of the great callers in my new home.

In January of 2010 called my first full length contra at my local dance. Since then, I have called fairly regularly around Virginia and North Carolina. I have also called at other venues, notably Glen Echo Park in the Washington DC area, at Catapult weekend in Atlanta (2012) and at IndepenDance in WI (2013).