Hello.

My name is Lori Duperon. My first and my heart career was as a professional dancer and choreographer. From that experience, I gained a lifelong love of the art of ballet and all kinds of dance that I love to share with others.

My training includes studies at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet in Canada, a degree in dance/choreography from UCLA, studies with Maestro Stefan Wenta and scholarship studies at the Alvin Ailey School of American Dance in NYC. I have toured with Dance/LA, Patricia Coleman & Dancers/The Chieftans, Stephanie Mills and other companies. My choreography has been presented throughout the U.S. and internationally and reviewed by major publications including Dance Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, Drama Logue and many others.

I toured internationally as a company member and as a solo artist at European festivals and was the artistic director of an award-winning dance company in Los Angeles. I am the recipient of a Lester Horton Dance Award for outstanding individual performance and an Emmy Award for a television production of an outdoor performance with my dance company. I also produced and choreographed theatre, film, video, and television projects.

In addition to teaching regular classes for my dance company, I taught as an adjunct professor of dance at Loyola Marymount University and California State University of Los Angeles. I began SpiritJoy Dance, Ageless Ballet and DEBA just before COVID in 2019. I have taught and coached in the US and abroad. Supported by multiple grants, my company presented multiple-week dance instruction and performance residencies in elementary schools throughout the greater Los Angeles area.

After retiring from the stage, I earned a JD/MBA and held director-level positions in brand strategy and technology development. I am currently an arts evangelist, a crisis counselor and act as a digital communications advisor for small businesses and organizations. I am also pursuing a master’s in marriage and family therapy.

After attending a class at the Dance for PD program with Mark Morris Dance Group in New York City, I began teaching movement and dance classes for people with movement limitations and Parkinson’s. I find this research-supported endeavor rewarding and useful to communities seeking more opportunities for an aging population. In DEBA Class (Dance for Every-Body & Ability) participants of all abilities – standing and sitting as is comfortable for the dancer – experience the benefits of dancing, developing strength, mobility, artistry, joy, and hope in a supportive community.