Shawn Gardner Dancing

We called and were told the free 7 day trial was a specific time that ended up being incorrect. We tried to ask a couple of questions so we could come to the next one with the correct information and the woman we spoke with- quite possibly the owner- utterly dismissed and ignored us. She kind of just cheerfully greeted her, I assume paying costumers, who were there for the next class, while I was actively trying to engage and get more info and we just shuffled off to the side while she loudly beckoned everyone else forward one at a time. It was very much a “oh, that’s too bad, now move” feeling. Mission accomplished I suppose as I have zero desire to return in the face of such blatant rudeness and disregard. It’s a shame because I rushed home from work and was looking forward to signing up for the more expensive membership if things went well. At the very least good customer service would have been to let us know she was currently busy but could help us or find someone to help once they finished greeting this upcoming class. It would appear we weren’t worth her time or attention. Highly recommend Arthur Murray! It can be a bit more but offers many included classes and human decency!

We rented a ballroom for a special event here in September. All the staff was so warm and professional and worked hard to make our event a success. I would absolutely recommend Shawn Gardner Dancing for your special event!

This is such a nice, fun, energetic place to dance with excellent, patient instructors. There are several dance floors, a bar, and lots of different types of dance and exercise.

I attended a class here quite a few months ago, and hesitated to leave a review because of how I've seen the owner respond to people who have less-than-positive feedback. That said, I wanted to share so that others can have a little more information. It was my first time at this particular studio, and my first time dancing after about 6 months off, but I had the required experience (i.e., 6 months of dancing weekly prior) and so I attended their level 2 class. Another student in the class was particularly aggressive/unpleasant in his way of attempting to "teach" me the moves, and that left me feeling insecure and forgetting how to dance altogether. What was most upsetting about this was having the owner come up to me shortly after and telling me I should consider attending their beginner class next time. I don't mind being a bad dancer, or needing to return to a lower level class, but the whole experience felt very shaming and judgmental. I have since found more accepting/fun places in the Portland area where I can dance to have fun and learn, and I sincerely hope others' experiences at Shawn Gardner are better than mine! But I will not be returning. And I am also hopeful that the owner reads this and chooses to consider the possibility that there is some validity to this negative experience so she can reach more students. My advice to anyone who is considering dancing here is to take the level 1 class no matter how much experience you have so you can be trained with Shawn’s expectations from the get-go.

I went there first time last month on a Fri eve. They had my favourite band Son de Cuba playing live. We found everyone - the security guard, receptionist and instructors very friendly and talented. Especially the salsa dancing instructor. He greeted me andy sister (who was visiting from India and has never been to Latin dance before) very nicely and even sang a Bollywood song...lol. It took us by surprise but also made us feel very welcome and relaxed. I love the fact that there are separate rooms for all different dance styles. It was very much worth driving from Salem for a great music and dancing experience. I will go back again.