Join Us To Square Dance Weekly At Riderwood
Lessons Begin Twice A Year
Watch this video to see why so many residents square dance at Riderwood since 2002:
- Visit us Wednesday mornings in Studio 1 (Wellness Center, 2nd Floor) between 10:15 AM to 11:50 AM.
- Send us an email to tell us of your interest.
- Talk with one of our dozens of square dancers
Learn To Square Dance at Riderwood
We welcome beginners (or to refresh your experience from decades ago).
We teach you the calls and pair you with an experienced partner (or, bring your own partner. Singles or couples, men and women, come!)
Want to try? Join us for a no-risk Open House, FREE for first-time dancers – typically around Presidents Day and after Labor Day – to discover square dance at Riderwood is fun, health-improving, and social. You will be square dancing within the first hour!
Lessons for beginners start twice a year following the Open House. Email us now at squaredance@riderwoodlife.com so we alert you to our Open House, FREE for beginners.
Beginners: Our Introductory Approach, Over 8 Consecutive Weeks
Lessons – Our introductory lessons for beginners come in three parts:
- Start with 1-hour on 8 consecutive Wednesday mornings to learn the foundation calls, helped by experienced Riderwood dancers. You are familiar with some calls – Dosado; Circle Left; Forward and Back; Swing Your Partner; and Promenade. Veteran East Coast caller Kenny Farris sings, provides music you recognize, and teaches.
- Reinforce your instruction on 8 Monday nights with a 1-hour relaxed-pace, no-music practice, led by residents who have square danced for years. Experienced dancers partner with our beginners to review the calls.
- Review at home at your pace in your free moments. Video demonstrations, with explanations of the calls, are available for free on the Internet through your computer or phone.
Cost – The fee for the 8 consecutive hour-long lessons on Wednesday morning and reviews on Monday nights is $40, payable following the FREE Open House for first-time dancers. (This entire fee goes to our caller/teacher, non-refundable after the first lesson. No credit for a missed session.)
Participants limited – The number of beginners enrolled is limited to pair our experienced dancers as partners. Beginners are enrolled based on date of payment. Reserve a spot at any time. (If too many enroll, priority is given for the next introductory lessons.)
Following the Introductory Lessons, More Calls for 12 Weeks for Beginners
When the introductory lessons conclude, beginners will have been taught 25 to 30 square dance calls. There’s more to learn in the 12 weeks that follow.
The Wednesday morning lessons and Monday night reviews continue. The online video demonstrations support the learning.
Cost – Each Wednesday morning dance costs $5, all of which goes to the caller. The reviews on Monday night and the online videos are free.
Participation – The more regularly you attend, the faster you will enjoy and be comfortable on the dance floor. We know absences occur – appointments, vacations, illnesses, care giving. Be sensitive, please, to those who regularly attend who desire to master and progress to more calls rather than to repeat calls missed because of an absence. Study the online videos at home; attend the reviews on Monday nights.
Success! Square Dance On . . . After Lessons
With the completion of beginner lessons, your square dance repertoire will keep growing. Dance every Wednesday morning to calls you have been taught – and add more to keep you challenged – plus, as an experienced dancer, you partner with the next class of beginners on Wednesday mornings and for the review on Monday nights. Helping others helps you reinforce your skill.
| Our Square Dance Schedule at Riderwood (Effective January 1, 2026) Wednesday Mornings, Studio 1, Wellness Center, 2nd Floor Instruction and Dance, Music and Called by Kenny Farris, $5/dance 10:15 AM – 10:50 AM – Experienced (Post-beginners) 10:50 AM – 11:50 AM – Beginners, with experienced partners Monday Evenings, Chesapeake Room (downstairs), Montgomery Station Review led by residents (no music, no fee) 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM – Review for Beginners, with experienced partners Summer (July/August) 10:15 AM – 11:50 AM, Wednesdays – – Everyone dances for 90 minutes (No review sessions on Monday evenings) Introductory Lessons for Beginners Start around Presidents’ Holiday and after Labor Day |
Quick References – Click a highlighted link to help you square dance
Email to Riderwood Square Dance at squaredance@riderwoodlife.com
“Time to Square Up”, Riderwood Reporter, Sept. 2, 2024
“New Year’s Resolution: Start to Dance”, Riderwood Reporter, Jan. 8, 2024
“Eleven Residents Graduate Square Dance”, Riderwood Reporter, July 7, 2025
“Square Up for Beginner Lessons”, Riderwood Reporter, Aug. 25, 2025
| Calls Taught at Riderwood (Beginners and Advanced) Videos of all calls available at Video Demonstrations For individual call, click below on the call name / link |
|---|
| Alamo Style Wave (Followed by Balance and Swing Thru) |
| All Around the Left-Hand Lady |
| Allemande Left |
| Backtrack (Roll Back) Ex: “Gentlemen, Roll Back (Backtrack) to Promenade Your Corner Lady” |
| Bend the Line |
| Cast Off 3/4 |
| Centers In |
| Chain Down the Line |
| Circle left / Circle right |
| Circle to a line |
| Circulate – By Named Dancers, by Gender or Position (such as Men, Women, Ends, Centers, Couples, All 8) – [also All 8 Circulate animation] |
| Circulate – Column (aka Column Circulate) [also Column Circulate, called 1 time, animation ; also Column Circulate, called 8 times, animation] |
| Circulate – Split |
| Circulates – Couples (aka Couples Circulate) |
| Cloverleaf |
| Courtesy Turn |
| Cross Fold |
| Cross Run |
| Dosado |
| Dosado to an Ocean Wave |
| Double Pass Thru |
| Extend |
| Ferris Wheel [also Ferris Wheel animation] |
| Flutter Wheel (Women begin) |
| Fold (see also Cross Fold) |
| Forward and back |
| Grand square [also Grand Square animation] |
| Half Tag The Line |
| Heads and Sides – How to determine who is which? |
| Hinge (done with partner or “Couple Hinge”, with the other couple) |
| Ladies Chain (such as 2 ladies chain, All 4 ladies chain) |
| Ladies In, Men Sashay |
| Lead Right (similarly, Lead Left) |
| Partner Trade |
| Pass the Ocean |
| Pass Thru |
| Pass to the Center |
| Promenade – Ladies (or Gents) in center |
| Promenade as couples (and Single File Promenade) |
| Promenade Halfway |
| Reverse Flutter Wheel (Men begin) |
| Right and Left Grand |
| Right and Left Thru |
| Right arm turn; aka Right hand turn; Turn Thru |
| Run (Boys, Girls, Centers, Ends) (also see Cross Run) |
| Sashay – Half sashay; Rollaway with a half sashay; Ladies In, Men sashay |
| Scoot Back (also Scoot Back animation] |
| See Saw (Typically, first Walk Around Corner, then See Saw Your Partner) |
| Separate |
| Slide Thru |
| Spin the Top [also Spin the Top animation] |
| Split Circulate |
| Square Thru (4, 3, 2, or 1) [also Square Thru animation] |
| Star – “Box” Star – Combines Right-Hand Star followed by Left-Hand Star (video demonstrates one star only) |
| Star Left or Star Right |
| Star Promenade |
| Step to an Ocean Wave |
| Sweep a Quarter |
| Swing (Your Partner) [Alternate hands-together swing not demo’d] |
| Swing Thru |
| Tag the Line (The, face in, out, left right) |
| Touch A Quarter [also Touch a Quarter animation] |
| Trade (as Couples) |
| Trade (Named dancers, such as Boy, Girl, End, Center) |
| Trade By |
| U Turn Back |
| Veer Left / Veer Right |
| Walk and Dodge |
| Walk Around Your Corner (Left Hand Lady) (typically followed by See Saw Partner) |
| Weave the ring (Right and Left Grand, with no hands) |
| Wheel and Deal (From a 2-faced line) |
| Wheel and Deal (From an all out-facing lines of 4) |
| Wheel Around |
| Zoom |
Video demonstrations and explanations of the calls used at Riderwood (courtesy of Saddlebrook Squares)