Joe Kromer - Callerlab Caller Coach
Joe Kromer was born in Freiburg im Breisgau and is married to Caroline. Together they have three children: Lukas, Stefan and Lucie Caroline and Joe live in Tannheim, a small village near Villingen-Schwenningen in the beautiful Black Forest. In her "normal" life, Caroline works as a quality management consultant and Joe works as a planning engineer for commercial kitchen equipment.
Joe started dancing in 1991 with the Schwäbisch Sweethearts. Already during the course, his club caller Hans-Gerd Gasser suggested that he become a caller after all. On May 10, 1992, the day of his mainstream graduation, Joe called his first tip and decided to become a caller.
During the summer, Joe got the opportunity to regularly call some tips at the Very Hot Square Dancers, where his brother Martin Kromer was the club caller, and was eventually asked to become Martin's co-caller.
In October 1992, Joe attended his first caller school with Al Stevens and Bill Peters. In January 1993, Joe was signed as a mainstream club caller by the Tambourines Stuttgart, where he also called his first Special Dance in March together with Plus Club caller Martin Kull and guest Dave Preskitt.
Through hard work in his clubs and at events, Joe has become more and more famous and so far he has called at various special dances, regional conventions and nationwide jamborees in Germany, Canada (ON, AB, BC), USA (IL, FL, TX, MI, WI, CA, AZ), Australia, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Great Britain, Czech Republic and Slovakia, Austria, Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands.
In 1995 Joe started a class at the adult education centre in Albstadt-Ebingen. From this class came the Alb Dream Dancers. for which he called until the end of 2000. In Albstadt, he also trained Alex Johannisson as a caller.
In 1999, Joe formed the Black Forest Ghosts, for whom he currently calls Plus, A1 and A2. Also in 1999, he was asked by Kenny Reese if he was interested in caller training. Joe agreed and was accepted in 2000 to the staff of Kenny's Caller Schools since 2000.
In July 2003, Joe passed his exam to become an Accredited Caller Coach by Callerlab. He is thus the second German to have gone through and passed the elaborate process of preparation and examination.
In 2005, Joe founded his record label, Gramophone Productions, breaking new ground in the field of music production for Square.
In 2011, Joe took over the School of Caller Education and Leadership Development when his role model and partner Kenny Reese passed away far too early.