Bill Roles

After many years of calling, Bill Roles will be retiring with his last square dance for Frontier Twirlers on May 3, 2013.

 Bill started square dancing in 1954 while stationed at Forbes Air Force Base in Topeka. Bill was serving in the Air Force and would travel to DeSoto, KS each Saturday night to take lessons with a club called by TJ. Miller, a pioneer in modern western square dancing in Kansas. At that time, only eight lessons were needed to be a club dancer.

While dancing with the Sage Brush Shufflers in Mountain Home, Idaho, in 1958, he was asked by the local caller to teach the class which Bill accepted; thus began Bill's calling endeavors. Bill was transferred to England in 1960 and was asked to be the club caller for the Swingin' 8's in Bentwaters, England to replace a caller who was transferred back to the U.S.A. During the next nine years and while still in the service, Bill served as club caller for five clubs in Louisiana and California. In 1969, Bill received orders to serve at Danang, Vietnam, so his calling came to a halt. He retired from the Air Force in 1975, but didn't return to square dancing until he visited a square dance in May of 1979. He then met Jan, who became his wife in 1980. He also returned to calling in 1980. Sadly, Jan passed away a few years ago.

Bill has called for various clubs throughout Kansas and was the club caller for the DeSoto County Swingers, the Kountry Kut Ups of Drexel, MO, and the Frontier Twirlers in Osawatomie, KS. Bill is a long-time member of CALLERLAB, the Kansas State Square Dance Callers Association, The Northeast Callers Association, Heart of America Callers Association and KAMO Callers Association.