Chuck Palmer Oral History

Interview with Chuck Palmer conducted by Sheila Sharpe. Chuck Palmer received a B.S. in 1976 and a M.S in 1989, both in Electrical Engineering at CU Boulder. Along the way he discovered Boulder International Folk Dancers, Calico and Boots (square dance), Waltz balls in Fort Collins, Contra Dances and Tea Dances at Denver Temple Events Center, and Swing at Telluride Bluegrass Festival, to name a few. He says social dancing put a smile on his face; dancing made his body smile. As a Board member of the Boulder Dance Coalition (BDC), Palmer worked on long-range plans to bring these pleasures to the wider community by providing a dedicated facility. He purchased the building now known as The Avalon in 2004 and used his engineering skills to redesign the space which includes a ballroom, dance hall, and two studios, and hosts over 1000 classes and dances a year. Palmer continues to support the Avalon by overseeing regular building maintenance and most recently designed and built large structures which cover the parking lot and hold the largest solar panel array in Boulder. Working with the BDC, Palmer also helped create the web site and reservation system used by over 50 groups year-round. Based on the agreement created by Palmer, the BDC is purchasing the Avalon from him so it will eventually be a dance community-owned facility.