Graham Rigby
From Queensland – Inducted in 2000
About
Dear Gail
28 Kapunda St
TOOWONG QLD 4066
As a financial member of the S.BAR.B Square Dance group of Brisbane I would like to nominate our caller Mr Graham Rigby for inclusion on the honour board.
Graham has been calling forcover forty years and in that time would have introduced hundreds of people into the Square Dance movement.
He has held senior executive positions in the movement and attended all of the National Conventions held in that time.
All this coupled with his exemplary character make him a suitable recipient for this award.
Profile:
Has called Square Dancing professionally for over four decades.
Has called in all Australian States, New Zealand, The Philippines, England and across the U.S.A.
Has conducted his own radio and television shows and has recorded extensively through
R.C.A. for schools and country areas throughout Eastern Australia.
Is the only caller programmed for all 40 Australian National Conventions and now a Life Patron.
Is Past President and Director of the Square Dancing Society of Queensland.
Is Foundation Member and Past President of the Queensland Callers’ Association.
Is a Life Member of the Australian Callers’ Federation.
Was first caller to receive “Silver Spur Award” for outstanding service to Square Dancing in Queensland.
Was second Australian caller invited to the U.S.A. to join “Callerlab” (International Association of Square Dance Callers) and there to receive the “Small World” Award.
Prepared, presented and called for the “Sunshine State Stylists”, representing Australian Square Dancing at “World Expo ’88” in Brisbane – perhaps his “finest hour”!!
Has called Square and Line Dancing for clubs through Brisbane full-time over the last five years.
Yours sincerely
LAURIE YOUNG
Farewell to a great man. Graham Rigby passed away at Prince Charles hospital on the 14th of December 2018 from a heart attack. He was almost 86.
Graham will be remembered by his long association with Square Dancing and his passion for the activity. He lived and breathed squares – he even wrote books to preserve our history. He and his wife Val
were very well known around Australia (and possibly around the world)
He wrote 2 books on square dancing –
Great Australian square dance callers : over half a century / by Graham Rigby
My life’s a dance : an autobiography / by Graham Rigby
21st December 1932 – 14th December 2018
Keep smiling, keep, dancing, happy times to us all. And thanks for the memories!
Graham called square dancing at Langham Park on Wednesday nights attracting over 300 dancers who parked in a circle, then setup tables chairs and rugs so they could rest between dances and have supper later.
In 1958 Graham began calling full time, producing “Square your Sets”, a monthly magazine and started “Square Dance Spotlight” on Radio 4KQ.
After being elected President of the Square Dance Federation of Queensland on April 14 1959, he bought the ownership of the Square advance Society of Queensland on November 16 1959, including the badges, blocks and literature for the sum of £8
In 1960 he presented “TV Square Dance Club” which was a ten-minute segment viewed fortnightly on “Channel Niners”.
In 1977 Graham did a14 day tour of USA after being invited to call in Los Angeles, Texas, Omaha, New York, Chicago as well as other cities.
On Friday July 22 1988 Graham’s “Sunshine State Stylists” danced at the World Expo 88, one of his proudest moments.
Over a period of 30 years Graham and his wife Val ran a series of “Summer Camps”, the last being held in 1999. Graham held his last club night at St Barnabas Church Hall, Ashgrove after the death of his wife. he club had run continuously for a period of more than 50 years, featuring 2,145 programs, 45,044 dances and 75,075 dancers coming in the door to enjoy his entertainment.
Graham also left for future generations two books, both registered with the National Library of Australia: “Great Australian Square Dance Callers: over half a century” and “My life’s a Dance: an autobiography”.
It is no wonder that he became known as “Mr. Square Dance”.
Courtesy of Suzie Dillon is this video clip of Graham – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeFWBNGawhs&ab_channel=SuzieDillon