Ted Oakes

Ted Oakes making announcements at Cross Trails In The Desert, May 1988

Theodore Wallace Oakes
15 Jun 1954 - 19 Feb 1996

Clubs & Associations

Medallion Dancer

1994 | 10 Year Medallion at Stars & Squares Forever

Remembrances

It is with sadness that I report that Dr. Ted Oakes of Phoenix passed away today. Ted had been fighting serious AIDS complications and problems since July of last year.

Ted was one of the pillars of Desert Valley Squares. At the IAGSDC Executive Board meetings, where he was DVS's delegate for many years, Ted's willingness to share (and share and share and share....) his opinions will be well remembered. Ted was active in the planning and execution of the 1988 IAGSDC convention in Phoenix. He was also a subscriber to this list and frequently contributed to it before his health declined.

Ted is survived by his lover of many years, Michael Hansen.

Arrangements for services will be announced at a later time.
— darrell

The Ted Oakes Memorial Dance Series is posthumously sponsored by the estate of Dr. Oakes, founder of Desert Valley Squares, who passed away in February, 1996.^[1] This yearly day-long event features workshops and an evening dance.^[2]

Ted did learn to square dance in San Francisco when he was with Don Durham. I believe Don discovered it first and then took Ted with him to dance. Ted moved to Phoenix and Don moved to Albuquerque where I believe he started the Wilde Bunch and called for them. I'm not sure what brought Ted to Phoenix but I assume it was for a job.

Ted started a group in Phoenix, but it folded when the group went below 8 dancers. I believe that was late 1982 or early 1983. He advertised again and this time the group stayed together. I would assume that was August 1983 as the documents you have were filled out by Ted and should be accurate.

I joined in Fall of 1984, the initial group was dancing Mainstream at the time. I know many of the founding members went to Reno to a rodeo to dance. After they returned was the first I heard talk of the IAGSDC. But DVS might have already been members.

When I joined we were dancing at the Phoenix Arts Council Hall on Latham. I assumed that was the original location but have no personal knowledge of that.

Ted taught with singing call records. I remember in April 1985, Don Durham came to Phoenix for a weekend and that was the first time I danced to an actual caller. After the dance my partner and I went out with the club to a men's bar attached to a bathhouse. We were feeling a bit out of place and mentioned maybe the group would prefer to be just men. Don Durham was adamant that we were wanted and emphasized they wanted to get more women involved and needed women to stay to help make that happen. We felt wanted and important to the group and stayed. We ended up attending the Denver convention and were hooked. The rest is history.

— Linda Harry