Kenton Sullivan
Golden City, Missouri

2015 Caller / Cuer Hall of Fame

Kenton Sullivan is an ardent supporter of square dancing at the local, district, state and multi-state level. The necessity of providing a livelihood lies in his occupation as a farmer but his enjoyment and fun of life comes from square dancing both as an active caller and as a participant. Just for the record, square dancing is where he found Mrs. Sullivan.

Kenton was born and raised in southwest Missouri with his primary occupation as a farmer. As a young man, he was involved in other activities and did not participate in square dancing as did his siblings. However, in the early nineties after much persuasion by friends, he had a change of heart and took square dancing lessons with the Jasper Eagle Squares of Jasper, Missouri graduating in 1992.

Kenton was a "shy" person and did not like to ask women to be a square dance partner, thus his next step was to investigate square dance calling. He successfully completed his calling training and on August 19, 1993, he called his first square dance for the Route 66 Squares of Carthage. In 1994 Kenton became the club co-caller for the Rangers Square Dance Club of Springfield, later becoming their club caller which he served for several years. February 1994, at a "Doins"' dance in Springfield, Kenton met Karen who, later in that year, became his wife.

In September 1996, he decided to blaze his own trail and started a new club in Ozark, The Ozark Trailblazers, which later moved to Nixa.

Kenton, over his 20 plus years of calling, has called for many clubs in the four state area of Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. He is a regular caller at the Missouri State Festival, Missouri State Fair, and district dances. He has also taught many student classes graduating new dancers to go out and promote square dancing.

Kenton welcomes opportunities to promote square dancing by calling for school parties, physical education classes, reunions, anniversaries, birthdays, and exhibitions at fairs and festivals traveling many miles at his own expense.

Kenton not only enjoys calling, teaching, and promoting square dancing but is also an avid square dancer taking advantage of opportunities as a participant.

If Kenton is at a square dance function, and not calling, look for him and Karen across the square. If you don't see Kenton and Karen across the square, look for Kenton as he might be dancing with another partner as he is no longer "shy". Karen wonders if this is a positive result.