Anthoston City has more square dance callers per capita than any city in the state—and newcomers often discover the scene by accident, lured in by the fiddle music spilling from the old Masonic Hall on Thursday nights. Whether you stumbled across a hoedown at the Riverdale Farmers Market or you're finally acting on a decades-old curiosity, this guide will help you find the right place to start.
Before you sign up, here's what most first-timers want to know: you don't need a partner, special shoes, or prior dance experience. Comfortable street shoes with non-marking soles and clothes you can move in are enough. Most venues offer a free or low-cost trial class, and beginner cycles typically run in 8- to 12-week sessions costing between $80 and $180.
What to Look For in a Square Dance Institution
- Skill-level matching: Some programs welcome absolute beginners every month; others expect you to know basic calls before you walk in.
- Social vs. technical focus: Clubs emphasize community and fun; academies and private studios prioritize technique and progression.
- Schedule and location: Anthoston's square dance scene is spread across three distinct neighborhoods—downtown, Riverdale, and Westside—so proximity matters.
- Cost structure: Drop-in fees suit the curious; semester packages reward the committed.
Anthoston Square Dance Academy
Best for: Beginners who want structured progression and built-in community support
Location: Downtown, 2 blocks from the Anthoston Transit Center
Cost: $150 for a 12-week beginner cycle; $18 drop-ins for higher levels
Schedule: Beginner cycles start every January and September; intermediate/advanced classes run Tuesdays and Thursdays
Ages: 10 through adult; teen and adult beginners train together
Anthoston Square Dance Academy is the city's largest dedicated square dance school, but its real distinction is the mandatory buddy system: every newcomer is paired with an experienced dancer for their first full cycle. Founder Martha Chen, a competitive square dancer for 22 years, designed this policy after noticing how many beginners quit after feeling lost in their first class.
The academy occupies the third floor of the historic Mercantile Building, a high-ceilinged space with original hardwood floors that give every heel-click satisfying resonance. Chen's curriculum is methodical—students learn 68 foundational calls before advancing—and graduation from the beginner cycle includes a "tip" (a short dance set) at the academy's quarterly public dance.
Good fit if: You want clear milestones, don't mind homework (yes, there are practice recordings), and thrive with one-on-one mentorship.
Rhythmic Roots Square Dance Center
Best for: Dancers interested in both traditional and modern styles, and anyone who wants nightlife with their lessons
Location: Riverdale Arts District, near the Anthoston Folk Museum
Cost: $25 for workshops; $10 for themed dance nights; $120 monthly unlimited pass
Schedule: Weekly workshops on Wednesdays; themed dance nights on the last Saturday of each month
Ages: 16+
Rhythmic Roots sits at the intersection of preservation and experimentation. On any given Wednesday, you might learn 1950s traditional western square dance in one workshop and contemporary "techno contra"—square dance set to electronic music—in the next.
The center was founded in 2014 by caller Darnell Reeves, who wanted to prove that square dance wasn't "a museum piece for retirees." His monthly themed nights draw 80 to 120 dancers and have included everything from a Halloween Blacklight Ball to a Pride Hoedown featuring all-gender calling. The space itself is modest—a converted textile warehouse with string lights and a sprung plywood floor—but the energy is unmistakable.
Good fit if: You care as much about culture and community as technique, or you're a musician/dancer from another tradition looking for crossover appeal.
The Spinning Squares Dance Studio
Best for: Serious dancers seeking technical refinement, competitive preparation, or personalized instruction
Location: Westside, in the renovated Anthoston YMCA building
Cost: $85/hour for private lessons; $200 for 6-week small group intensives (4 students max)
Schedule: By appointment for private lessons; intensives run on 6-week rolling schedules
Ages: Adult; teen dancers accepted by audition
The Spinning Squares Dance Studio is intentionally small. There is no open social dance here, no drop-in policy, and no beginner track. What you get instead is individualized technique coaching from Elena Voss, a former national square dance champion who has trained three All-American dance teams.
Voss's studio has just 900 square feet of floor space, two wall-length mirrors, and a video
