Callers
We have engaged seven callers from Sweden, Germany, the USA and Canada to call at our Convention. The dance levels will be from Basic up to C1.
Michael Gerkman
Micke was born in Sweden by parents from Åland. He grew up on Åland but now lives in Norrtälje, Sweden. When square dancing came to Åland in 1991, he started dancing. He started calling in 1993. He now calls B-A2 and holds classes for Eightmakers and Oakhill Square Dancers. He has called in Finland, Norway and Denmark and at the Swedish Convention in 2012, 2013 and 2022.
Hanna Tenenbaum
Hanna lives in Malmö, but was born in Poland. An early hobby was horse riding, American Style, and at a meeting with her club some square dancers appeared and demonstrated their dancing. She enjoyed watching the show and after a little trial dancing, she was hooked on square dancing. When she had been dancing for two years, she started calling. She now calls B-A2, but dances up to C1. She regularly calls for a club in Denmark and has called in Norway, Denmark, Russia, Germany, France, Great Britain, Austria, Poland and the USA. When she comes to Mariehamn, it will be the fourth time she calls at the Swedish Convention. Recently, she has called at two Conventions in the USA.
Hanna is a member of Callerlab, DACT and SACT.
Ett McAtee
Ett lives in Severn, Maryland, USA. She began square dancing in Baltimore's only gay and lesbian square dance group in 1987 in order to "have something to do." She started calling in 1989 when she noticed that she could do Grand Square just as well behind the microphone as in front. Ett started with calling the Mainstream group's workshops, but quickly switched to teaching Plus and Advanced to the club members. In 1990 she started calling for a group in Virginia. This group soon became her home group and is called Ettseteras.
The Covid pandemic almost meant the end of all square dancing, but Ett became one of the first to start square dance calling over Zoom. Today she has several groups of Zoom dancers at Advanced, C1 and various higher challenge levels. Ett is happy to provide more information on how you can join these dances.
Ett is happy to be at the Swedish Convention in Mariehamn 2025. She has called at several IAGSDC Conventions (International Association of Gay Square Dance Clubs) and also around the USA and Canada. She has called several times in Sweden and Germany. She has also called in the Czech Republic and Japan. It is the first time she is calling at the Swedish Convention.
Ett is a member of Callerlab, WASCA (Washington Area Square Dancers Cooperative Association) and GCA (Gay Callers Association) and calls SSD-C4.
Christer Bern
Christer lives in Karlskrona. He started dancing in Hamboringen in 1981, then with hambo, schottis, etc., but in 1982 a square dance course for beginners was started which he and his wife Karina got hooked on. It was something new that appealed to him. Back in 1983, Christer led his first Basic course at his home club and he still calls there every week.
Interest in technology and how the dance worked led him to take his first caller course in 1986, which then became the start of his caller journey. A fantastic trip that gave a lot of friends and experiences. A journey that has taken him as a caller to, in addition to dancing around Sweden, also Åland, Denmark, Norway, Germany, Poland, England, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, Cyprus and the USA including Hawaii. Having called at the National Convention in the USA in 2001 and 2010 as well as during a stay in Hawaii in 2008 are really "highlights". In addition to four Danish Conventions, he has also been employed as a caller at six Swedish Conventions.
Christer calls B - C1 and is a member of Callerlab and SACT.
Joachim Rühenbeck
Joachim lives in Wuppertal, Germany. He graduated in 1980 and started calling in 1981. He now calls M-C2. His specialities are hexagons and octagons. Joachim works for EAASDC as a hearing aid technology consultant in the dance sector. He is involved in introducing the system in different countries. In addition to Germany, Joachim has called in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Great Britain, Italy, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria as well as in the USA, China, Australia and New Zealand. He has also called once at the Swedish Convention.
Hunter Keller
Hunter lives in Billings, Montana, USA and grew up with square dancing in the family. He started dancing himself in January 2004 and already in October 2004 he started calling. Now he calls B-A2. He has called in 46 states in the USA and in Canada, but also in Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Germany, Japan, Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand. Hunter has also called at the Swedish Convention 2015.
In 2006 he became a member of Callerlab and in 2023 he was elected to Callerlab's board for a three-year term.
Barry Clasper
Barry is from Toronto, Canada. He started dancing in 1973 and has been calling since 1984. Now he calls B-C4. Barry has called all over Canada and the USA as well as in Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Great Britain, the Czech Republic, Japan, China, Taiwan and New Zealand. It is the first time he is calling at the Swedish Convention.
Barry is a member of Callerlab and was its chairman 2013-2015. Since 2022, he is an accredited caller coach.