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About the Studio

Offering fun, affordable dance instruction that makes sense.

RJ Dance Studio, LLC, is a professional quality, locally owned, established teaching studio serving Salem Oregon and the surrounding area since 1984. Weekly social dances have been hosted by the Studio since 1991.

The Studio is currently located in the beautifully renovated Pearce Ballroom, located Upstairs at 317 Court Street NE, Downtown Salem.

Our teachers are professional instructors. They regularly attend dance camps and their own lessons and classes to maintain and improve their teaching skills and provide the student with the best and most current dance material.

The Ballroom is a no smoking and no alcohol environment, so you have a healthy, safe environment in which to dance.

Upcoming Events

Nothing from October 3, 2024 to October 17, 2024.

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  • Life is short and there will always be dirty dishes, so let's dance.

    James Howe

  • I do not try to dance better than anyone else. I only try to to dance better than myself.

    Mikhail Baryshnikov

  • I don't want people who want to dance, I want people who have to dance.

    George Balanchine

  • You have to love dancing to stick to it. It gives you nothing back, nothing but that single fleeting moment when you feel alive.

    Merce Cunningham

  • Every day brings a chance for you to draw in a breath, kick off your shoes, and dance.

    Oprah Winfrey

  • Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance. Great dancers are great because of their passion.

    Martha Graham

  • We should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once.

    Friedrich Nietzsche

  • There is a season for everything under heaven; A time to mourn, and a time to dance.

    Ecl 3:1, 4b

Meet Our Instructors

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Lora LaMon

Lora is available full time for classes, private lessons and technical coaching. She teaches primarily out of RJ Dance Studio, LLC, located in downtown Salem Oregon. Lora’s reputation is that of a technician. One of her own coaches has remarked that she has one of the best eyes in the business for spotting what’s happening in one’s dance. She agrees with her coaches, who prefers quality to quantity, and always stresses to her students that “better” is nicer than “more”. She says, “Just about anyone can learn a hundred patterns and do them badly. But we all enjoy watching a proficient dancer execute a few patterns done well.

Lora’s strong sense of rhythm and music composition stems from a very early start. She began playing classical piano at the age of 4, eventually developing an interest in contemporary pieces. At 14 she composed her first short concerto. During the mid-70’s, she studied and performed classical and contemporary voice for eight years. Lora’s dancing began at the age of seven with ballet and tap. She continued dancing through college where she was introduced to ballroom, latin and swing.

In 1984, a group or co-workers talked her into joining them at a country western club where for the next four years she mastered all the country couple dances popular at that time. In 1988, Lora re-entered the world of Ballroom. Shortly after that, she began training and teaching.

Meaghan Feeback

(Irish Step Dance – Hard and Soft Shoe)
Meaghan started Irish dancing at age 10 after watching Riverdance obsessively on OPB. For the next 15 years, she trained as a competitive soloist and team dancer in addition to participating on a performance troupe for 13 years. As both a solo and team competitor, Meaghan traveled all over North America and to Ireland and Scotland to dance in regional, national and world level competitions. She was a top five podium soloist in the western region and a top 25 soloist at the nationals. In 2014 she sat and passed her TCRG certification, making her a registered dance teacher with the Irish Dancing Commission (CLRG) in Dublin, Ireland. She teaches with the Yeates Academy of Irish Dance.

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  • You are a highly gifted teacher! We have so enjoyed getting to know you, in the process of learning to dance. We will continue to frequent the studio as we endeavor to get better and look forward to our continued fellowship with you.

    Dana & Chris Cheney

  • There is no 'one' word that can express my gratitude for all you did for us at our Saturday night party. My clients are still talking about it! Thank you very much. It went exactly as I had hoped.

    Jack Goldberg

  • It's unbelievable that six years ago we started taking private lessons from you. Those lessons started us on a wonderful road, holding each other close, delighting each other with endless variations, and lots of just plain fun. So, here we are between Barcelona and Florence in the last third of our trans-Atlantic cruise and we are not only having the usual fun, but feeling very grateful to you for giving us that kick start. Life's good, and you're a part of that.

    Davey & Vera Randall

  • I have very high regard for Lora LaMon and her Studio, RJ Dance Studio. A year ago, my wife and I did not know how to dance. Lora has taught us how to confidently take to the floor and dance Swing, Waltz, Tango and seven other styles of dance. Dancing is now a very fun part of our lives and a great way to spend time together doing something we both enjoy. Finding Lora and RJ Dance Studio made that possible for us.

    Bill & Laura Post

  • Lora is an excellent dance instructor! Just completed the basic waltz class where she taught body mechanics and the how and why of certain steps and movements. She has a relaxed, yet thorough approach to the lesson and we enjoyed her often humorous explanations. We look forward to many more lessons.

    DanaMarie Augustine

  • Wonderful teacher, wonderful atmosphere, great fun!!!

    Heather Anthony Carlow

  • Over the months we have found that beyond simply learning dance steps, we have learned to DANCE! We are acquiring a new strength and hopefully grace of movement. Our balance has improved. The mental exercise of moving in the right way at the right time in partnership with another person is so valuable. Thank you! You are a gifted teacher. We appreciate the methodical, purposeful, and joyful manner in which you approach dancing lessons. We are truly enjoying learning to dance!

    Dale & Wendy Sroufe

  • Thanks for the lead/follow workshop this afternoon. Cat and I really enjoyed it and feel that we learned something we can bring to our dancing.

    Steve & Cat Cromer

  • Lora is a fantastic instructor and brings a light, fun atmosphere! We look forward to taking more classes with her!

    Chelsea Carlow

  • My husband and I have been taking dance classes from RJ dance studio for over a year now. Lora LaMon is a very friendly and likable person. She instructs well and is very patient. We have also regularly attended weekly social dances. The atmosphere is welcoming and the people are friendly. It is an easy place for beginners to learn a variety of dances. We have had a lot of fun!

    Tessa Gault

  • We love our dance lessons at R.J. Dance Studio- Can't wait to rock our moves on the dance floor this weekend! Lamar and I have thoroughly enjoyed all the classes we've attended! It's been lots of fun meeting new people and learning the basics.. Lora is a great and patient teacher; she is also energetic, her feet never stop moving even when the music stops!

    Jody Jacobs Beck

  • Lora has been great with teaching the basics, she keeps things light and positive, and I am amazed at how quickly I have become comfortable!

    Katie Carpenter

  • Excellent instruction from Lora!!! What a fun and friendly class! We are NOT natural dancers but with her great instruction and practice, we are starting to get it! Thanks so much!

    Jakki Pageau

  • I enjoyed taking dance lessons from you and the confidence it gave me to have such a solid dance foundation. Your attention to detail, clear instructions and some of your metaphors have encouraged and supported me in many areas of my life. I wanted to thank you for continuing to follow your passion and teach people the art of dance.

    Sara Faville Nusbaum

Our Services

GROUP CLASSES

New series of group classes start every month, usually the 1st or 2nd week. There are Level 1 classes, most of which ...

PRIVATE LESSONS

Time restrictions in group classes do not always allow time for some individual needs to be addressed. Private lessons ...

YOUR VERY OWN CLASSES

Your Wedding Party, your First Dance at your wedding, your social/civic club, your work organization, church, youth ...

TECHNIQUE CLASSES

Due to time restraints, technical information is often just touched upon in a general group class, so these classes ...

SOCIAL DANCES

RJDS has been the Willamette Valley Dance Connection hosting a weekly Social Dance every Tuesday night ..

GIFT CERTIFICATES

A perfect give that can last a lifetime. A gift of no fat, no sugar, no cholesterol, no sodium, and no calories! Purchase below...

WEDDING PREP.

Dancing is a part of almost every wedding, especially the wedding couple’s First Dance.

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