Kathleen Gilley
Kathleen Gilley, who along with her husband Gil were the driving force behind the famed Dancing Greyhounds, died Feb. 8 at the Gilleys’ home in Williston, Fl. She was 62.
Their programs entertained countless thousands of people across the country, introducing them to a special canine breed that Kathleen dearly loved.
Dancing Greyhound history stretched across many states and several countries. In 1978 it began as the all-breed Panama Canal Kennel Chapter Drill Team in Central America. In 1996 it was reborn as The Dancing Greyhound Drill Team covering North America. In 2003 it became The Dancing Greyhound Comedy Show. In 2007 it became The Singing and Dancing Greyhound Musical Comedy Review, complete with music to dance by. In 2011, it ceased. Whatever it was, it was the only one in the world. The Girls did some obedience moves, free-style dancing, retrieving, leaping and jumps. But, also included and never predictable, were the improvisations they chose on the spur of the moment.
This was a greyhound show, run by greyhounds. From the beginning, The Dancing Greyhounds were a full-time, owner-funded, unsponsored, not-forprofit, volunteer effort. It supported greyhound adoption and all-breed education, with a wide variety of other public services included. The Team accepted invitations September through May. The winter months were spent servicing the Southeast; the summer months, they work camped in the cool mountains of Colorado to make gas bucks. The greys helped with trail patrol.
Kathleen Gilley, captain of the Dancing Greyhounds, was a nativeborn Zonian, raised in the Panama Canal Zone. She was a board member of the Club Canino de Panama and the Panama Canal Kennel Chapter. Kathleen was the Registrar for all purebred dogs born in that country, a licensed obedience instructor and a judge.
She remained in the Panama Canal Area until the political situation became difficult. Gil retired in 1989 and North America became her new location.
Kathleen returned to her involvement with dogs by giving performances and seminars on traveling with canine companions to recreational vehicle groups. For nine years Kathleen wrote a monthly dog column for a major motorhome travel club. She developed programs to promote responsible dog ownership for schools and other civic groups in addition to the shows. Greyhounds have been her dedicated breed since 1992.
Her Team did therapy dog activities and dog safety programs for libraries and elementary schools. They accepted any kind of invitation as long as it was not anti-racing or animalradical connected. She did not charge for her mission; it was what she was doing with her life.
The Dancing Greyhounds passed the half-million mile mark. They performed in 32 states, three Canadian provinces and at 17 tracks. There were 16 Grey members over the years. The Team started with three but usually had six performers.
The next scheduled show for the Dancing Greyhounds was supposed to have been their last, before the Gilleys planned their full-time retirement.
“My only love and lifetime mate,” writes Gil (who contributed nearly all of the above text). “We had a good time together for 37 1/2 years.”
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