Zack’s Dance Loft

I bought the Groupon for this place and I couldn’t even go!!! The only reason why I’m giving it 2 stars as opposed to one is bc the guy was nice on the phone.
You have to sign up via email. I don’t understand why my email didn’t go through and why we can’t just call.
I managed to find the number and the guy says they only offer pole dancing classes on Tuesdsys. How can you only offer it once a week? I like many other ppl in nyc, have busy schedules and need options. What a waste of time! Really wish they had shown this on their groupon.
Groupon was nice enough to refund my money, but they can’t mend my utter dissapointment!

Threw my husband’s prohibition, swing dance, jazz party here this weekend.
Zack is disorganized. I asked for a contract and he couldn’t provide one. He instead said that he emailed me and put all of the details to the event in the SUBJECT line of the email. Who puts 10,000 characters in a Subject Line expecting someone to read it? Ridiculous. Also, he kept texting me and I asked him to NOT text me, I would much rather speak over the phone because so much can be misconstrued via text or email (considering he didn’t answer half of my questions in an email).
One of his assistants who cannot spell her own name would spell it «Cindy» and «Sindy.» Then she emails me after all of the emails stating it was a couples party for Swing dancing, to ask if the party was for all girls Salsa classes.
This place couldn’t be more unprofessional and disorganized.
Also, I wanted to see the venue prior to solidifying it. I asked to stop by with my Husband only to be told that he cannot see the place as Zak was hosting a pole dancing class that night and no men were allowed. When we went for our event we noticed that he has cameras EVERYWHERE. The staff even told me that he was currently looking at us and the party. This means that he is a creeper and watches you girls Pole Dance. GROSS.
His bartender was the worst, she didn’t know how to mix drinks. She poured basically straight alcohol all night. The staff ate our food and cupcakes without asking us.
I wouldn’t give this place my money again if you PAID ME. I would avoid this creeper at all costs…
Oh, all of you pole dancing girls that want to try it, go somewhere else… some place that is cleaner with changing rooms for you. The bathroom is disgusting. We saw roaches as well. Just don’t do it.

Like many, I had a groupon for a few classes. Just got finished with my first class and it was pretty good. Only about ten girls showed up so everyone had a pole which was awesome (how it should be). The instructor was fun and made everyone feel comfortable. A gentleman, who I assume is the owner just sat in the back on his computer the whole time but it didnt bother me. Just know that you are going to be sore if you dont usually work out. No complaints here :)

My review is only for the customer service experience and not the class itself. Like many others, I had a Groupon deal (10 classes). With these deals you must start the classes before the expiration date, which is mid-​Aug (not a problem) My problem was that the school expects all classes to be taken consecutively, or face $ penalties. I explained that I was going out of the country for approximately a month and wanted to know if i can take 2 classes a week for 5 weeks… the answer was no. Then i asked if i could take 5 classes now and the other 5 when i returned… the answer was no. Without getting too specific, basically the owner didnt budge & didnt care that I would have lost my money. Thankfully Groupon did care and refunded it back. Also thankfully I never did take a class as the reviews are horrible

Like most others, I came because of a Groupon deal I found and wanted to try something fun with my lady friends. $ 35 for 5 classes sounded like a good deal.
Yes, the sign-​up process via email is a bit maddening with its 100 steps. Yes, Zack isn’t the most welcoming guy. But even that wasn’t what made these classes lackluster for me. They seemed to be designed mainly for the short-​term Groupon/​Living Social attendees and new students are mixed in with those who’ve been there for 5+ classes so:
1– Classes lacked a certain structure I personally wish it had. It just felt like the teacher was trying to teach us all these things at once under the assumption we could easily do all of them. There wasn’t any distinct direction aimed clearly at the beginners and the more experienced members. However, the second teacher I had only for the last of my 5 classes (technically 4 because I missed one class and got a make-​up but I had no motivation to come back) did teach beginners easier alternative moves for those they might not be able to do.
2– I wasn’t really sure what I was working towards. Each class didn’t really allow us to practice moves from the last class since not everyone necessarily learned them if it was the first class for some, and we’d sometimes be expected to learn increasingly difficult moves without much of a foundation. Everyone moves at their own pace, and I clearly wasn’t keeping up with the teacher because I’m disgustingly unfit (Ok, I did my time… back to vegging out for me),
Overall, glad I tried it but not as great as I was expecting it to be. And I call bullshit on not needing upper body strength to pole dance. YES. Yes you do.

Pole pros, management woes. :(
Two friends and I bought a Groupon for 5 lessons at $ 35, although actually, it’s 5 lessons for $ 42 because they add a mandatory $ 7 tax/​gratuity, which you only find out about after purchasing the Groupon. Fine, I’m fine with paying that, but if you need to charge this separately from the Groupon price, just say it somewhere in the deal so people aren’t blindsided by it. You have the option of getting a refund for the entire deal if you don’t want to pay the extra, but c’mon.
The Groupon scheduling process, while laborious, didn’t give me any particular problems. But my friend had the worst luck. She went to one class before we did, and she was told to go at 6 but nobody even showed up until 7. Then, when she went to schedule the rest of her classes for March/​April, she received a confirmation email — for classes in November/​December. This was obviously incorrect but she couldn’t get in touch with anyone on the phone for days. She finally wrote a very long and detailed email to get the issue sorted out. To their credit, management did offer her a free class for her troubles.
As for the pole classes themselves, they weren’t bad. I never ended up having to share a pole, but some girls did, so we had two groups which significantly reduced pole time for the sharers. They start with about a 15 minute stretch/​warmup, which I was fine with because I like stretching. The next 35 minutes are reserved for learning pole moves, with the last ten minutes reserved for a sassy pole routine. I think we did learn a new pole move each time, but they all felt pretty similar toward the end. The moves do require anywhere from a little to a lot of strength, and this is where the workout part comes in. The routines were fun but we spent a lot of time rolling around on our knees on the hard floor– ow! Maybe my knees are just extra sensitive, but they couldn’t take it, the result being me thrashing around trying to get more comfortable, looking and feeling very unsexy. I will say that the girl who taught our class the first 4 weeks was incredible at her craft, and also very nice and encouraging to the rest of us, who were not so incredible. She explained things very well and went around and offered tips to people individually.
One additional issue I dealt with that I can’t really blame Zack’s for was that my hands are apparently abnormally sweaty, and during the first class I couldn’t grip at all and slid right down the pole every time I tried to do something. I asked the instructor what I could do about it, and she suggested that I clean my pole with this alcohol solution they had on hand. This didn’t really help. It was only when I remembered that another studio I previously went to had some sort of grip solution and asked her about it that she said they had this on sale at the studio, too. If I didn’t already know it existed, I might never have found out about it. When I eventually got the solution, it did help somewhat, but I had to apply the (expensive) stuff frequently. It never helped enough to allow me to climb the pole even a little bit — which was something we worked on for at least 10 minutes most classes — as my hands would just slide down the pole immediately upon trying to climb it.
One thing I actually really did like about this studio was that I didn’t feel pressured to wear heels. At the previous studio I went to, pretty much everyone had these massively high stripper heels rented from the studio (you weren’t allowed to bring your own pair). They were so high my foot was almost vertical to the ground, I could hardly walk, and I hated them. Here, you can bring your own heels if you want, but the majority of the girls actually went barefoot, which I found refreshing, and so would the American Podiatric Medical Association, probably. So this was good, but not enough to save Zack’s from being a somewhat disappointing experience.

If you’re looking for legit pole classes this isn’t the place. Over crowded, lack of structure and questionable instructors. The man behind the bar is the owner and should find another place to wait beside looking at women in their short shorts.

Don’t waste your time!
They will never pick up their phone, barely return emails, & would rather give you a refund than change their archaic sign up process. They want to lock you in at the same time every week, which is insane in NYC. And they want a TIP! I have been dancing since the age of 2 and taken all sorts of fitness classes around the city & have never heard of tipping.
They are clearly on living social & groupon because they don’t know how to run a studio successfully, but their lack of tech savvy & heinous customer service makes you wonder why they’d even bother. My suggestion: stay far away from this sinking ship.

I bought a beginner 10 class packageon Groupon for this place earlier this year. My regular studio isn’ t open on Sundays so I wanted to try a new place out and Groupons are the best way to do that. Anyways, I have to say first that scheduling with this place is a NIGHTMARE! When I originally scheduled by their weird email system I got an automatic confirmation but I was never put into the classes. I had to repeatedly call to make sure I was put into the class. They limit you to going only once a week if you get the 5 classes and twice a week with 10 classes and you’re automatically signed up for the 5 weeks consecutively. There isn’t much flexibility and I sometimes like to go to class several times a week. Also, the attendance isn’t even properly tracked on Zack’s spreadsheet.
The classes are huge during the week. They have about 10 poles and will try to cram in enough people to have 2 to a pole. (It would get really really crowded and not all of the poles are spaced out enough from each other to freely do a move without hitting the person next to you. A class up to 20 is too big to really get any proper instruction in a beginner class, especially if you need assistance. Thankfully, I’m not actually beginner but I could see several of the other girls struggling. I’m used to a studio having a small class with 3 poles up to 6 in a class or 10 poles and each person has her own pole.
Another thing is that the classes are co-​ed which they don’t warn you about. I’m pretty comfortable now after a couple of years of pole but if it had been my first class that might have been something I would like to know ahead of time. There is really only one guy that goes there and he was in my first few classes and is actually pretty good. There were 2 classes that he was all of a sudden teaching towards the end of my package. The first time it seemed like they asked him at the last minute and he was completely unprepared with a proper «lesson» for that night. The 2^nd time he was better.
I gave this place 2 stars because I actually like a couple of the instructors but none of them focus on building your strength on both sides. They will show you a move on one side and then move on without encouraging you to do it on both sides so that the strength is there.

I signed up for pole dancing classes with a Living Social Deal. It was a deal for 5 classes. The initial sign up process went well. I emailed the address on the deal and received a response within 24 hours. My class was on Tuesdays at 6pm.
The first class went fine. The check in went smoothly. There was a $ 7 tip fee (cash only). I thought it was a little advanced for a beginner but the instructor was encouraging and told everyone to try their best. I won’t lie but I did feel a little sexy after that. Nice confidence boost.
My second day was ok. The class itself was great, but there was a problem when I checked in. For some reason, the computer did not have my information nor my $ 7 fee I paid the previous week and it was there last week. It wasn’t a big deal because they were able to update it. The class was tailored for beginners and the instructor explained the basics (Probably what should have happened during the previous class).
The following week should have been my third class, but apparently Zack’s loft didn’t have any classes that week. I didn’t receive an email. Fortunately, I was taking the class with a friend and she notified me. Then the week after, I checked the schedule to make sure there were classes available and to my surprise, my class at 6pm on Tuesdays were removed from the schedule. There was only a 7pm and I was told I couldn’t join because it was full. And yet again, I did not receive an email regarding the class changes or cancellations.
The instructors were great but the whole sign up procedure was hectic and not worth the hassle. I loved the work out, but you can definitely go else where.

My friend and I signed up for pole dancing classes at Zacks with a Living Social deal. We both had heard about pole dancing as a workout and were curious to see what the hype was all about, as well as burn some calories. We went to one class and never returned. Here are the reasons why:
1. It’s way too complicated to register for classes. You have to look through the schedule on their website, one of the least organized, least intuitive sites I’ve ever used. Once you can decipher the cryptic text and figure out how these class schedules actually work, you have to e-​mail with your desired class code and «Like» the Zacks Dance Loft Facebook page whether you like it or not. They take forever to get back to you to confirm.
2. The studio is cramped as hell. We didn’t have dressing rooms to change in, just some tiny space in the back for everyone to throw their bags in. It took us a while to find out things after class, they were so buried under other people’s junk.
3. They cram too many people into the classes. Even doubling up on the poles, there weren’t enough to go around. Some of us had to team up in groups of 3, and by the time the third person wanted to have a go at a demonstrated move on the pole, the instructor was moving on to the next.
4. Get exercise, my a$$. Most of the class we spent prancing around the poles like we were some hackney show horses. Did we break a sweat? No. Is describing this class as a workout accurate? Hell no. There was some spinning involved, but nothing that didn’t result in some severe pole burn. Also, we were expected to «look hot!» in bum clothes (which everyone wore on the first day, expecting a real workout). Really? The class description says «Heels optional», but it should actually read «Heels recommended». In gym shorts, a tank top, and bare feet, it’s really hard to feel any semblance of sexy.
That brings me to…
5. THERE’S A LONE MAN WHO STAYS AND WATCHES YOU THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CLASS. SO creepy. There is a bar in the studio space that is tended by a lone male bartender (maybe the owner?). Girls who didn’t ask for an audience are trying to feel sexy and failing, all while some dude is just standing there watching. No. Just no.
The instructor was friendly and energetic, so I’ll give two stars for that.

I purchased a 5-​class series at Zacks Dance Loft via LivingSocial despite some negative Unilocal reviews because I thought, what’s 35 dollars…
After not being able to find a definite class itinerary on their website, I emailed them to inquire.
Calling is futile. I was sent 3 options for classes — ‘DANCE SERIES #1,2 AND 3′ one starts end of April, second starts end of may and third starts end of June… I asked if i could pick my own classes and got no response.
OK, I picked Dance series #1 for Saturdays (no one there answered my question if I could mix days in the «dance series», i.e. do a Saturday, Monday, Wed and Thurs, etc… I asked them if I could attend different classes at different times… again, nothing.
The second hurdle is you have to RSVP your classes thru your FB account. (I’m not sure about you but I didn’t like that idea at all). So, I emailed them at least 10 times about not having a FB account nor wanting to RSVP thru a FB account and only got automated replies. When someone did finally respond, they said nothing but «I think I answered your question already.»
(Um, no you didn’t because I still don’t know how to proceed without a FB account)
when I asked if I could call, there response was, Monday after 4pm — this was on a Friday.
Again i email…
«I don’t have a fb account but even if I did, I wouldn’t want my colleagues to see I signed up for pole dancing (my prerogative)… at this point, I would think they would find an alternative way to pencil me in…
So this is the company’s customer service… ignore your emails, send you the same automated email that does not provide any assistance nor specific answers to your question.
Not once in the 10+ emails I’ve sent did anyone say, I understand you don’t have a FB account, nor want to RSVP in this manner, we will be happy to sign you up… after countless of emails to ask someone to please help me book my classes thru their office and please confirm my booking– no one there would confirm or help me. it is one thing to say NO we are not able to sign you up… but to say nothing at all, says something entirely different.
Finally after more persistence on my end, I finally got a real person to respond to me and their response was «It would be hard to manage it and you may miss our messages. Can you ask one of ANY of YOUR FRIENDS to RSVP and ADD A COMMENT that she/​he RSVP… Once your Facebook status is «Going» you are all set, and you do not need to contact us. Your booking is visible; therefore, we don’t need to confirm your booking.»
Ultimately, frustrated at finding no resolution with this company, I called Living Social. Despite missing the window for a refund, they were empathetic and helped me resolve this matter. They understood my principle of not wanting to «ask a friend to do this for me…» and gave me a full refund.
I’m not sure if this will be filtered, it would be a shame if it is. I might have to write another review with their emails embedded… but if you do read this…
really, be cautious. It’s only 35 bucks but it’s a whole mess of headaches… unless you have a FB account and want to LIKE, friend and change your status to «IM GOING» to Zack Dance Studio.
(disclaimer: Even before I purchased my voucher, I emailed Zack about being very interested in his classes but skeptical about some reviews I read.
The response I was given was «Many of them are not real– and many real one were deleted by Unilocal «intelligent software» as they call it.» He said Unilocal refuses to «fix the problem» and then gave me a link to another review site.
I’m assuming he will also claim mine isn’t real either but I assure you… it is.

I came here with a living social deal for pole dancing class with my girlfriend. I do a lot of yoga and was eager to try pole dancing because I feel that my arms are not quite as strong as my legs and my core. The deal was for 5 classes. The sign up procedure was a royal pain in the ass. The classes are very overcrowded and run back to back… Unlike some people who review classes on here and must be from Ohio or somewhere with limitless space, I am actually familiar with the cost of space in NYC and am accustomed to crowded workout spaces/​dance studios etc. However… there is only one bathroom which sucks if you actually have to pee because there is no real changing area, just a curtained off section of the studio and I could understand some women’s hesitation to change there because if you don’t stand exactly behind the curtain, everyone in the room is going to see your ass.
My Critique:
1. Zack is an asshole. The sign up procedure for the class is unnecessarily complicated and (because Living Social/​Groupon specifies «gratuity not included) he makes you pay a 7 dollar «gratuity» when you arrive for your first class. I’m not sure why I am expected to tip for dance class (even though it is POLE dancing). Also… he seems to feel that Unilocal is ruining his ratings… he should be blaming himself for his own shitty disposition. I am PAYING for a class… when I walked in and forgot to check in first, he yelled at me like a dog. I don’t work for him. Just because I am taking Pole Dancing doesn’t mean I was looking for the shitty stripper/​pimp experience.
2. My first class was taught by a completely inept little Thai girl. He grasp of English was weak at best, and while she was an excellent pole dancer, she had no clue how to teach a class. Fortunately, she was gone the next week and my following four classes were taught by an extremely talented and hysterical girl whose name escapes me. If not for her cheerful disposition, I would be giving this place one star.
3. The place is dingy/​dirty. After the first class I learned that they are too cheap to provide towels, so I brought my own to clean my pole. The floor is also pretty dirty which is gross as you spend a bunch of time rolling around on it.
4. The classes are totally overbooked. You have to share a pole sometimes (note: this is mentioned in one of the 15 or 20 3 page emails I received leading up to the class). Fortunately, a lot of people don’t come back after their first class… so by my final class, the herd had certainly thinned.

Zack’s half ass dance loft is horrible! The floors are dirty the poles are dirty and Zack himself lacks professionalism. He is a modern day crooke who takes your hard own dollars and shows no interest as to why you are really there for, the instuctors and not him. His attitude towards the customers are disgusting. His business is going down the drain!

Do not suggest this place at all! The class is always crowded with at least 2 girls to a pole. What’s the point of RSVP if you only have access ½ the time. The man who registers you is a real creep and unprofessional. He made comments to me such as «you had a tough time last time.» It makes me feel really uncomfortable that he was watching and judging me, but even more so that he would say that to me. The instructors were sweet and helpful, but not enough reason for me to go back.
Also the registration is weird. You friend them on Facebook to join a class, then they’re supposed to send you a confirmation email. I never got it and had to start from scratch which took time away from the class. Plus I don’t want to advertise my pole class on fb, ESP for this place

I bought a Living Social deal here after trying another place uptown for a pole dancing experience. In the other location I shared a pole with four others and the instructor was demeaning. So I was a bit worried when I walked into Zack’s Dance Loft for the first time. I didn’t have the sign up experience that others had, I emailed the address given on the deal and was able to start classes. I started on the second day of a five day series, but I was quickly told to email and we could set up a make up day. I did this and was offered several options. When Sandy hit the area and power was lost, I was offered make up days and had no problem getting in contact with someone via email to reschedule.
The first classes were big but only two poles had to be shared. For the next class, the instructor made sure that the same people were not sharing the poles.
The instructor walked around and helped out those who needed help. I couldn’t get one of the spins and she gave me some pointers to practice in order to achieve the spin.
I would go back and continue to take classes here.

I came to Zacks for a pole dancing class I had a Living Social deal for.
First of all, his sign up/​website/​facebook page system is all out of wack.
The class itself was fun but not very instructive. The instructor was an amazing pole dancing but not a very good teacher.
And the class was so booked, we had to take turns using the pole. I barely got a full 20 minutes of poll time. I was travelling from Brooklyn for this class so at the end of the day it wasn’t really worth it for me and I stopped going after the third class.
I definitely want to do pole dancing again but not here.

My friends and I have been looking for some Groupon and Living Social deals for pole dancing for a while, and when we saw the voucher for Zack’s Dance Loft — 5 classes for 35 $ — we jumped on the opportunity immediately.
The sign up process was quick (though there was a little misunderstanding with one of my friends, but the owner was very understanding and accommodating). Just sign a waiver, check-​in, pay the tax and gratuity and you’re good to go!
The first class I attended was really crowded, so we had to share poles. It was a bit overwhelming for someone who has never touched a pole trying to learn a spin in two or three takes, then switch. It was a lot of fun, but by the end of the class I didn’t really remember much.
The second week, however, was LOADS BETTER. The class was cut in size by half, so there were only three or four people sharing. The warm up was extensive which was good, and we learned a small routine and were given ample time to practice it and etch it to memory, while adding our own touch to it. The instructor was super cool, too.
I don’t think you can go wrong with Zack’s for the price. It was a bit hectic, but it’s what I expected for what I paid.

Do NOT come here. They have the WORST sign up procedure EVER.
I bought a Living Social Coupon and was super excited to try this place out. But in order to sign up, you can only sign up via FACEBOOK and rsvp each time to schedule a class.
First of all, I find that absolutely awful to publish your content publicly (esp. if you want to take a pole-​dancing class and don’t want it announced publicly) and secondly it is a terrible, scheming way to market. My friends were appalled as well. They have facebook and believe this is an illegal way to do it, forcing people to rsvp this way.
And if you DON’T have facebook, then they charge you an additional $ 5 admittance fee on top of the class you paid as well additional +TAX and +GRATUITY. They also told me how much to bring for gratuity. WTF. The last time I checked, gratuity is what I see fit to give. I’m a generous tipper, but I hate being told what to give and it turned me off. Not to mention, who TIPS at a dance class. I’ve been to hundreds of dance studios in my life and it is the one and only dance studio that have insisted on tips. It’s tasteless, classless, and gross.
I emailed them to sign up a time slot, and they were being difficult, being incompetent not reading my emails carefully about time slots and then blaming me for not putting it in the right format (umm…hello, voucher number, name and date was provided, but if you are such stickler on making us email back in the ‘format’ than you have barriers of entry-​not helping customers but frustrating them. marketing 101, baby. I finally gave up and will demand a refund to Living Social for the poor process and service.
All on top of that, they rudely accused me of sending too many emails– (um, if you got it right the first time then i wouldn’t have to email you that many times) and that they couldn’t take it anymore. Isn’t that what customer service is called? Skip this and go to Body and Pole instead.

On a hot summer Friday night (June 2007), S and I took a lesson here through a Young Korean American Network (
) social event. Although the entrance to the loft is hard to find, once you get inside, you see the simple, but quaint dance studio. I immediately felt nervous, since I was born with two left feet. I also felt like the night was going to be an awkward junior high school dance. Great.
S and I quickly attacked the complimentary refreshments including insalata caprese, pasta, fresh bread and red wine. Like scavengers we got our game faces on and enjoyed a lovely buzz.
There were other Korean-​American professionals and a few non-​Koreans excited to learn how to salsa dance. At a first glance, Zack reminds me of the Seinfeldian Ribbon Bullies («Who refuses to wear the ribbbbbooon?»). However he wanted to get straight to what he knows best: showing off. Sorry, I meant dancing.
With about 20+ people present, he had everyone form two lines facing each other. He provided step by step group instruction, for the guys (the lead) and the girls. Although there were more women then men, some took on the lead part. He can dance; he made it seem so easy, without breaking a sweat. Think of it as a round robin, speed dating/​dancing event; I probably danced with S for 3 minutes and spent the rest of the time with all of the other ladies. Within the hour of live practice, Zack stopped the class multiple times to challenge us with more «moves.»
I’m telling you, it was working. I looked like a good salsa poser. I could have went to LQ or Copacabana with my new moves and «brought it on».
Overall the experience was great for beginners. Those who have done it before might as well just dance with Zack or his lovely assistant. I will say that we got our money and time’s worth, experiencing a fun night of dancing and socializing. Thank you, Zack. We would do it again.
I leave you with a moment of Zen:
nos encanta bailar salsa!
| | | | Me thinks Pedro
don’t know Salsa;
_​O_​/​~ \_​O_​/​~ _​O_​~ \_​O_​need more lessons.
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