Ollie Loehr

On May 13, 2016, the St. Louis Round Dance Community lost an Icon with the passing of Ollie Loehr. As I told him many times, he was the smoothest of them all. His cues were always spot on and seemed to flow effortlessly. He always had a twinkle in his eye, like he was up to something. He will be sorely missed.

After serving in the Marines he went to work for his uncle as a glazier. He wanted to be a caller but couldn't sing. When he learned to Round Dance in 1973 there were about 10 choreographed songs with recorded cues but you could not hear the cues very well. Most dancers had to memorize the choreography. When he was dancing with his wife Donna, he began to shout out the cues to help other struggling dancers. Donna said you better get up on the stage with a microphone so they can hear you better. The rest was history.

He retired from cueing as the club cuer for West County Spinners over 10 years ago. He also cued for Rafter Rockers, Melody Squares, Boots & Slippers, Spanish Lake Quadrilles, Boxinettes, and others. He taught the Tevlins to round dance and later mentored them as they began cueing.

At his peak in 1988, he was cueing 19 out of town weekend events and had only 1 Wednesday a month free from cueing and teaching. He cued at the Lake of the Ozarks, Mt Vemon, Chicago, and 2 years at the Tennessee State Square Dance Convention.

Ollie is best known for his choreography of "Gateway Foxtrot". He wrote it for the 1993 National Square Dance Convention held here in St. Louis where he served as Assistant Vice Chairman of Rounds. On their 50th wedding Anniversary he choreographed "More and More" for his wife Donna.

Ollie was a charter member and served as an officer of the St. Louis Area Round Dance Council, was a board member and officer in the Missouri Round Dance Council, and a board member of the St. Louis Folk and Square Dance Federation. At his passing he served with Jean Barry as Secretary-Treasurer of River City Rounds.

The following is a list of songs he choreographed: