Charlie Pergrossi

Charlie learned to square dance in the Panama Canal Zone in 1969. After dancing for only a year, he took lessons from the club caller and began calling there in 1971. He moved to the Tidewater Virginia area in 1972 and immediately formed a new club - the Virginia Square Knots, at Little Creek, VA. He routinely guest called at more than a dozen clubs from the Tarheels of Nags Head, North Carolina area through the Eastern Shore of Virginia and Maryland. He even taught square dancing as a physical education program for the Eastern Shore Community College where students received college credits for square dancing!

In 1975, Charlie was transferred to North Chicago Illinois, where he became more earnestly involved with square dance calling full time. He joined Callerlab and The Lake County Area Caller's Association. He was a regular caller for three clubs in the Chicago suburbs and regularly booked calling events throughout Illinois and Wisconsin. Traveling nationally, He called for festivals in St. Louis, MO, Fargo, ND, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MI, and Virginia Beach, VA. Other festival events included National Conventions and state and local festivals throughout Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana.

In late 1979 Charlie's work returned him to Tidewater Virginia where he immediately resumed calling for area clubs. His calling experience grew to include advanced and challenge level dances. He took over from Al Stevens to become club caller for the "A" Squares and held weekly workshops at the C-1 level. During this time in his square dancing career, he enjoyed being club caller for a chapter of the national Bachelor and Bachelorette club where he met a beautiful Bachelorette who soon became his wife, Sarah.

Charlie and Sarah enjoyed calling and dancing throughout Tidewater for several more years before he joined the US State Department. This work took them overseas for the next 20 years. Along with their 2 daughters and son, Charlie and Sarah lived in such places as Puerto Rico, Botswana, Zaire and Senegal (African countries) and finishing their travels in New Delhi, India in 2004. At every post they were assigned, Charlie carried the square dancing torch. He formed clubs within the expatriate communities, organized 4th of July celebrations, and regularly supported school events such as "Father/Daughter" dances. One of his most exciting calling events was at a country western celebration for a diamond mining company in Kimberly, South Africa. Upon their departure for the day, everyone was searched to ensure no one was carrying off diamonds that they may have found at the mine!

Charlie and Sarah returned to the Washington DC area in 2004 and knowing their assignment was temporary, they decided to just take some time and enjoy dancing. They joined a highly skilled demonstration group called the Capital Squares where they performed at state conventions and in national parades. They also helped to Angel new dancers through the Boomerang Club in Fairfax, VA.

Charlie retired from working with the US Government in October 2005 and has taken up residence in Trenton, Florida. Sarah taught first grade in Levy County before retiring in September 2006. Charlie began calling for the Yellow Rockers Square Dance Club of Jacksonville in April 2006. During this same year, he and Sarah started a new club in Trenton called the Tri-County Dancers. In the spring of 2007, they started another new club in Gainesville in the Oak Hammock community. In addition to calling for these three clubs each week, Charlie often calls for Party Nights with various private groups. He's done birthday parties, Girl Scout weekends, middle school groups and holiday events for senior centers. Charlie is available to guest call as his calendar permits.

In addition to calling and dancing, Charlie and Sarah accepted the position of Editors of the Northeast Dancers Association magazine, The Grapevine.