Bringing square dance fun to Ithaca High School

Posted on September 27, 2025 at 9:00 pm by Pete Thompson

Ithaca High School choir students come together and enjoy a square dance.
Image from Kristin Zaryski

This past Friday, the Kulp Auditorium at Ithaca High School was barely able to contain the sound of choir students belting at full volume.

Perhaps during the rest of the 2025-2026 school year, those same voices will be filling that room with their sonorous harmony led by Choir Director Kristin Zaryski. But on that particular day, these young singers were emitting sounds of unbridled excitement and shared joy.

Ithaca High School choir students come together and enjoy a square dance.
Image from Kristin Zaryski

After lining up in the hallway for salad, pasta, pizza, stuffed grape leaves, and meatball subs, the choir students packed into assembly hall to find a live string band warming up with some fiddle tunes.

FLX Squares was ready with a live band and caller to be the fun keynote activity for IHS’s annual Choir Kick Off event.

The Rough and Rowdy Ramblers played for a packed assembly hall stage of Ithaca High School choir students.
Image from Kristin Zaryski

The Rough and Rowdy Ramblers (Jason Loux – guitar, Pete Thompson – fiddle, Sam Stallings – banjo) brought the frantic and energetic music and Marc Faris led this massive group of teenagers in swinging their partner, do-si-doing, etc.

The students brought the infectious energy and a genuine appreciation for what was going on. A good handful of students came up to the band and expressed gratitude for the activity.

Ithaca High School choir students come together and enjoy a square dance.
Image from Kristin Zaryski

Going on its fourth straight year of hosting square dances in Ithaca, New York and the surrounding area, this was FLX Squares first time putting on a dance in a public school. And hopefully it won’t be the last.

In the meantime, you don’t need to be a member of a high school choir to have great square dance fun in the Finger Lakes in October.

On Friday, October 3rd the Enfield Grange is hosting a square dance at 6:30 pm. See more details here: Enfield Grange Square Dance – Oct 2025

Looking ahead to Friday, October 24th, FLX Squares will be putting on a special square dance that is a fundraiser for WRFI radio station and is sponsored by the New York State Council on the Arts. Read more here: Community Square Dance at Stone Bend Farm – October 2025

Hope to see you at a square dance soon!