Every Thursday night, the second floor of a former bank on Main Street fills with the scrape of leather soles and a caller shouting "Allemande left!" The vault downstairs still works. The dancers upstairs haven't stopped in 40 years.
Caribou City doesn't broadcast its square dance credentials on billboards or tourism brochures. But this former logging town—population 34,000—has sustained one of the liveliest traditional dance scenes in northern New England. After a near-collapse in the 1990s, interest rebounded in the 2010s when younger dancers began blending old-time calling with indie-folk soundtracks. Today the city supports three distinct venues, each with its own philosophy, crowd, and weekly rhythm.
Whether you're a curious first-timer or a seasoned dancer hunting for a new home base, here's exactly where to go, what to expect, and how much it will cost.
The Spinning Squares Studio
The polished downtown option
Location: 214 Main Street, 2nd floor (look for the bronze elk above the doorway)
Best for: Beginners, professionals seeking structured progression, anyone who wants live music
Cost: $18 drop-in; $140 for a 10-class pass; first-timers pay $10
If Spinning Squares is the polished downtown option, it's polished without being stiff. Instructor Marie Deluca, a three-time New England square dance champion, has taught here since 2008. Her Monday beginner series assumes you've never heard a call in your life. By week four, most students can navigate a full tip without freezing.
The studio's real draw is Thursday "Vintage Vinyl" nights. A live caller pairs original 1950s square dance records with modern choreography, and a local string band sets up in the corner. The crowd skews twenty-five to forty-five. Dress code is casual—clean sneakers or flat-soled boots, no cowboy gear required.
Pro tip: Arrive by 7:15 p.m. to claim a spot near the windows. The mirrored wall on the east side gets crowded fast.
Rhythm & Roots Dance Center
The scruffier, historically minded cousin
Location: 89 Mill Street, in the old textile district (red brick building with the mural of dancing moose)
Best for: Dancers interested in tradition, history buffs, workshop hounds
Cost: $15 drop-in; workshops priced individually ($25–$45)
If Spinning Squares is the polished downtown option, Rhythm & Roots is its scruffier, historically minded cousin. Co-founders Jake and Paula Halloway opened the space in 2014 to preserve what they call "calling as storytelling"—the practice where the caller improvises verses about local events, weather, and rival towns.
The main floor is scuffed pine, salvaged from a demolished grange hall in nearby Fort Kent. Classes run Tuesday and Friday evenings. Tuesday focuses on traditional Southern Appalachian squares; Friday experiments with "contra-square fusion," blending square formations with contra dance figures. Guest callers arrive monthly—recent visitors included a team from Asheville, North Carolina, and a Quebecois group that taught in French and English.
No partner? No problem. The Halloways rotate couples every tip, and regulars are aggressively welcoming to newcomers.
Pro tip: Check their bulletin board for the "Caller Apprentice" program. For $60, you get six weeks of instruction in basic calling, culminating in a live practice night with forgiving friends and family.
Caribou Country Dance Barn
The authentic, no-frills social experience
Location: 1562 Ridge Road, 4 miles northeast of downtown (GPS tends to place it 200 yards early; watch for the hand-painted "DANCE" sign)
Best for: Families, anyone seeking community over instruction, potluck enthusiasts
Cost: $12 at the door; ages 16 and under free
For a more rustic experience, Caribou Country Dance Barn offers an authentic setting that transports you back to the roots of square dancing. The building is a working dairy barn converted in 1987, with a sprung-wood dance floor installed over the former milking parlor. String lights hang from the hayloft. The bathroom is an addition from 2003.
Monthly socials run the first Saturday, September through May. A live band—usually the Ridge Runners, a five-piece local institution—plays from 7:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. The caller walks beginners through a simplified tip at 7:15. The potluck dinner starts at 6:00 p.m. in the side room; bring a dish or a $5 contribution.
The crowd here spans eight to eighty. You'll see teenagers in sneakers, retirees in full prairie skirts, and plenty of people who fall somewhere
