Square Dance Lessons:  Began on Sunday, September 8th from 3:30 PM-5:00 PM at the Milwaukie Community Club, 10666 SE 42nd,  Milwaukie . The class is now closed to new dancers. Please contact rcdpresident@gmail.com or phone 503-661-4366 if you have special circumstances for joining the class late.  At this point in time you will need permission from our caller, Darrell Kalmbach, to join.

Round Dance Lessons:  Please contact rcdpresident@gmail.com to inquire about joining the next class or call 503.661.4366. 

How much do lessons cost? Each lesson is $6 per person.

What should I wear? Street clothes and comfortable shoes. Some of our “angels” may be dressed in traditional square dance attire to add flavor to lessons. This is not an expectation for new dancers. Later you may wish to wear “dance attire” but for the classes just dress comfortably.

Who is a “new dancer”? A person who has not taken square dance lessons in the past or is returning to the dancing world after an absence and wishes to refresh their skills. We do not use the term “student” because we are all continuing to learn.

Who is a “caller”? A caller is the person who “calls” or tells the dancers what moves to take throughout a dance or “tip”.  River City’s caller is Darrell Kalmbach. 

Who is a "cuer"? The caller of a round dance is called a cuer. River City's cuer is Tami Helms and her partner is Tim Keck.

Who is an “angel”? Our club members who are volunteering their time to share their love of square dancing with new dancers.

What if I can’t dance? If you can walk to music you can learn to square dance. Many of River City’s experienced dancers had never been on a dance floor prior to learning to square dance.  It is our responsibility to help you learn to dance – mistakes are our fault not yours.

What if I don’t have a dance partner?  No problem. Single dancers will be partnered with another single dancer or one of our club members.

May I invite a friend to next week’s lesson?  Joining after the 2nd lesson requires advanced approval by the lessons chairs and the callers.  

What if I miss a lesson? We know most new dancers may have to miss a lesson or two. While new dance moves are taught each week they are also reinforced in subsequent lessons. Don’t let a missed lesson discourage you. Our callers and angels will help you catch up.  

What types of music will I hear? River City Dancers dance to a variety of music styles including pop, rock, techno, gospel, country western, and more.   

Online resource:

Taminations – an animated square dance website.

-The steps covered in our lessons are located under the MAINSTREAM tab.

-Steps are listed alphabetically, not in the order they will be taught.