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Janet Orsi Best-Kept Dance Secret YEARN TO SLITHER to heart-pounding salsa music, jump-jive 'n' wail to the hottest retro swing beat, or glide in the arms of your ballroom dancing partner to a Viennese waltz? Monroe Dance Hall has you covered. "There are dances and dance classes every night of the year except Christmas and Thanksgiving," says Steve Luther, one of several dance aficionados who coordinate events and classes in the stately 77-year-old building. The non- alcohol, non-smoking atmosphere is casual, the hall is decorated with old Sonoma County farming artifacts, and there's an impressive 2,600-square-foot hardwood maple dance floor. Dance experts and beginners can gyrate to swing, salsa, ballroom, country-western, square, jazz, and Cajun-zydeco. Most classes and events cost between $4 and $10. Walk-ins are welcome, and no partners are necessary. Check inside the hall for dance schedules. Monroe Dance Hall, 1400 W. College Ave., Santa Rosa; 575-1205. --P.H. [ Sonoma County | MetroActive Central | Archives ]