Dress is always casual. No partner is required. Tips alternate throughout the dance for the scheduled programs. The caller will announce which program is coming next before each tip begins. Just join the closest square when the music starts and let the fun begin!
We occasionally have a two-session event. At such dances, we may also welcome any interested GCA Callers to call one of two 15-minute tips during the break between sessions to encourage the next generation of upcoming callers.
Dance Schedule
Download a printable copy of the 2025 dance schedule here.
| Date | 2025 Events | Caller(s) | Location | |||
| Saturday August 23 1:00-5:00 | Summer Splash MS-C1 | Dayle Hodge with guest: Cameron Harnish (1:00-3:00 only) | Unitarian Universalist Society of Mill Creek | |||
| Tuesday September 16 7:00-9:00 | Open House No experience needed! | Clay Goss | Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion, 2111 Sansom St. Philadelphia | |||
| Saturday October 11 | Combo Dance MS/Plus 3:00-5:30 Dinner break 5:30-7:00 A2/C1 7:00-9:30 | John Hawley | Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion, 2111 Sansom St. Philadelphia | |||
| Saturday December 6 3:00-6:30 | Glitter Ball MS*-C1 *Class Level | Mark Franks | Merion Friends Meetinghouse | |||
| 2026 Events | ||||||
| Saturday January 3 7:00-9:30 | A2/C1 | Brian Jarvis | Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion, 2111 Sansom St. Philadelphia | |||
| Saturday February 14 7:00-9:30 | Valentine’s Day Dance MS*/Plus *Class Level | Betsy Gotta | Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion, 2111 Sansom St. Philadelphia | |||
| Friday to Sunday March 13-15 | Independence Squares Fly-in | Sandie Bryant, Ted Lizotte, Chris Phillips | Sheraton Bucks County Hotel, 400 Oxford Valley Rd, Langhorne, PA | |||
| Saturday March 28 7:00-9:30 | A2/C1 | Kent Forrester | Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion, 2111 Sansom St. Philadelphia | |||
| Saturday April 18 | SSD/Plus 3:00-5:30 A2/C1 7:00-9:30 | Mark Franks | Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion, 2111 Sansom St. Philadelphia | |||
| Saturday June 13 7:00-9:30 | Pride Dance MS/Plus | Betsy Gotta | Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion, 2111 Sansom St. Philadelphia | |||
| Saturday August 15 1:00-5:00 | Summer Splash MS-C1 | Dayle Hodge | TBD | |||
| Saturday October 17 | A2/C1 3:00-5:30 MS/Plus 7:00-9:30 | Betsy Gotta | Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion, 2111 Sansom St. Philadelphia | |||
| Saturday December 5 3:00-6:30 | Glitter Ball MS-C1 | Betsy Gotta | Merion Friends Meetinghouse | |||
| 2027 Events | ||||||
| Friday to Sunday April 2-4 | Independence Squares Fly-in | Barry Clasper, Mark Franks, Eric Henerlau | Sheraton Bucks County Hotel, 400 Oxford Valley Rd, Langhorne, PA |
Dance fees
Cost for most dances is $10 for one session, or $15 for dancers attending both sessions of a two-session event. Open houses are typically $5 to attend. Registration fees for the upcoming fly-in are available here.
Reduced Dance Admission
Independence Squares is a not-for-profit organization and is offering limited financial accommodation to
encourage you to dance on a regular basis. Financial accommodation may be available to those who are
unable to participate regularly in dances due to our fee structure prohibiting them
from dancing. The Fly-In is not included in this program.
Complete this application to make a request for reduced dance admission. Applications should be returned to the Finance Committee. All information will remain confidential and be shared only with the Independence Squares Finance Committee.
Venue details
– Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion – 2111 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(If you look up the Lutheran Church on the web, you’ll see that their main entrance is on Chestnut St. We use the back entrance at 2111 Sansom St.)
– Unitarian Universalist Society of Mill Creek – 579 Polly Drummond Hill Rd, Newark, DE 19711
– Merion Friends Meetinghouse – Activities Building – 615 Montgomery Ave, Merion Station, PA 19066
(at the intersection of Montgomery Ave. and Meetinghouse Lane, between Narberth and Bala Cynwyd)
Activities Building sits back off of Montgomery Ave tucked behind the Meetinghouse itself and the old General Wayne Inn.
Parking Near the Lutheran Church
There is a parking garage (at 2107 Sansom St) right next to the Sansom St. entrance of the Lutheran Church (the attendant parks your car). The garage offers a discount to people attending events at the church. Please note that the garage does not accept cash.
There is also a nearby self-park option. It is two blocks away. You can enter 164 S. 24th St. Philadelphia in your GPS. It’s on 24th St. between Sansom and Walnut, on the right, and hard to miss. You can only use a credit/debit card there, you can’t use cash.
There is on-street parking in the area around the church, Finding a spot is a combination of luck and persistence, and many of us are successful. You can pay at a kiosk, or you can use the ParkMobile app. The app is easy to use, and offers the advantage of being able to extend your parking time from your phone, without running back to your car. It works throughout Philadelphia, and other major cities as well.
Upcoming Nearby IAGSDC Fly-ins
Below are links to some of the fly-ins that are close by (relatively speaking)! Always check with the home club’s website for any updates.
For Nationwide Conventions, Fly-Ins and Dances, check the IAGSDC Event listing.
| Date | Name, Club | Location | Caller |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 1-3, 2026 | Pass The Ocean Hon! Chesapeake Squares | Rehoboth Beach, DE | Ken Burke, Dayle Hodge, Justin Russell |
| October 25 2025 | Peel the Pumpkin. Times Squares | New York, NY | Betsy Gotta and Kenneth Burke |
| November 7-9, 2025 | Harvest Festival Hoedown, DC Lambda Squares | Harrisburg, PA | Jenn Engimann, Kent Forrester, Michael Kellogg |