If you’re a person who likes building community through movement and music, Rhizome Roots studio in Ypsilanti is right up your alley. Rhizome Roots studio also offers kid-friendly programming for the whole family to enjoy.
“The main programs we offer right now are dance, yoga and outdoor adventures,” said Charlie Fuller, founder of Rhizome Roots. “When i first started, I was asked, how do those three things align and make sense? But the community is growing.” Rhizome Roots recently had 25 people attend their bachata class and attendees were intrigued that Rhizome Roots also does backpacking adventures outside. “It’s cool to see people have hobbies that are cross disciplinary with the same premise—you’re moving your body intentionally, trying to make new friends, and willing to do new things. The combination is working really well right now.”
The concept of Rhizome Roots
Although Rhizome Roots only officially moved into their studio in Ypsi in 2025, the concept started in Fuller’s heart ten years ago; she even created a design and logo for it.
“I didn’t pick the name because it’s easy to spell or pronounce,” she notes with a laugh. She’s a botanist at heart and the name is a botany term. “The way rhizomes grow is inter-dependently. The roots of those plants grow down and then also horizontal and create a new plant. If for some reason the parent plant gets separated from the new growth, they both exist on their own. I love that model of interdependency where you don’t need the main plant to survive, prosper, or flourish, and that’s how i want our community to grow.”
Prioritizing healthy growth
Rhizome Roots stands out from other dance studios in part because they don’t ask their instructors to sign non-compete clauses, but are focused on healthy growth of their attendees rather than maintaining dependency of clients.
“We are always looking for people, instructors, and volunteers, to collaborate and teach in the space too,” Fuller said.
Fuller’s worked with employee health and wellbeing for years as a safety and wellness director, and she’s been teaching yoga for a decade and teaching dance for almost as long.
“The dance floor is an equalizer,” she said. “Having people come together in a genuine way, whether you’re young or new or dancing for a lifetime. I want everyone to meet each other where they’re at and be excited about being in a place they want to be. Everyone has a million places they have to be during the day, but I wanted to create a place where people want to be.”
Rhizome Roots offers many opportunities for people to explore themselves, their movement, and their community. This upcoming month they’re offering social dances such as bachata, blues and west coast swing; next month they’re offering waltz as well. They also host ecstatic dance, a disco morning, acro yoga and donation based yoga where they are incorporating local artists during for sound healing. There’s a tai chi class in the works, and every third Sunday they do a queer-focused offering and in March that’ll be a burlesque class.
Rhizome Roots is queer-owned and woman-owned. “I’m queer, so everything in the studio is inherently queer,” Fuller said. Rhizome Roots is working with Ypsi Black pride on a speed dating event and loves working with other queer events.
Fuller loves seeing so many people have hobbies that are cross disciplinary, with the same premise of moving your body intentionally, trying to make new friends, and being willing to do new things. “It’s working really well right now.”
Kid-friendly programming
Developing kid-friendly programming is on Fuller’s heart too. Fuller notes that she sees a lot of recently separated or divorced parents because they’re trying to reinvigorate their life after a huge social change, and many of them have children.
“I am developing plans to have a space where parents can bring their kids to some events so they don’t have to choose one or the other,” said Fuller. “Our ecstatic dance facilitator brings her kid, and sometimes kids will come to yoga too.”
Fuller notes that their first Sunday nature walk, approximately 1.5 hours, is family friendly and all ages are welcome. There are five different weekend excursions planned this year, and a couple of them will be family friendly as well.
In her personal life, Fuller said that one of her favorite ways to be active is with her dog—a half German Shepherd, half Australian Shepherd named Jemma. Having a dog forces Charlie to get outside even on the darkest, dreariest days—”We have to walk because it’s good for both of us!”
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If you’re interested in learning about Rhizome Roots offerings, they recommend you check out their Facebook or Instagram as they post all their offerings there, or sign up for their email newsletter by emailing them.
