Strutter’s Ball

The venue itself is awesome. It’s a really cool space, music was decent, the hosts were nice. The experience itself was worth 3 stars, through no fault of the actual place. There weren’t many people there, I’d say 30 tops, and a lot of people weren’t even dancing. Most of the leads would just ask the same group of follows (regulars I’m guessing) to dance, so me and my 3 friends just sat there most of the night. The DJ did a snowball dance and birthday dance which helped for a while, but it always ended up with the same few people on the floor. The atmosphere was nothing like Atomic or LindyGroove where everyone is dancing and follows actually get asked by different people to dance. Like I said, not exactly the place’s fault, but still wasn’t a great experience for us. Not worth the 30 min drive each way and cover charge :/

This is a good place for swing dancing. People are very nice and the staff super sweet. Music is usually great, too. It can get a little bit warm if there’s a lot of people, but usually it’s okay

I come here ever so often. The people who come here are very friendly, so don’t be shy to ask them for a dance. Once in a while, they may have a live band, or competitions, but for the most part, it features local DJ’s who themselves are pretty good dancers. They also have lessons at the beginning of each dance, so if you’re new, do come by early and check it out.

The best swing dance classes I’ve been to in the area. The instructors take extra care to cater the classes to the ability and experience level of the students. They craft each class to precisely focus on the areas in which that particular class need improving. Something you rarely find in a group class!
The dance floor was not incredibly crowded allowing for dancers to practice some of the bigger moves. Still plenty of people to dance with, but it was a nice change to not feel like the dance floor was a bumper car arena!
The social mixer was a nice addition to the night as well. Allowing everyone to dance a few basic steps with a number of different people created a welcoming atmosphere, especially for those of us first timers at this location.

Every night of the week there is swing dancing in Southern California and Wednesday is for The Southland Strutter’s Ball. I enjoy dancing here for a number of reasons. There are pre-​dance lessons for beginners, intermediate students, and students who want to learn specialty dances like the Balboa. Most nights DJed music is played and live bands perform here occasionally. The air-​conditioned ballroom is clean and has smooth floors. There are 2 floors: the bigger one is mainly where people dance and there is another one that is smaller but isn’t used as much. There are also plenty of places to sit, relax and watch other dancers get their lindy on. Dance competitions are held and winners receive prizes. I like the friendly dance scene here. Most of the dancers here are experienced, so I get to challenge myself to improve as a follow. Every now and then I dance with beginners to get them acquainted with swing dancing.
The cover is $ 15 and refreshments are sold there.

This really is one of the friendliest places to dance in OC. Everyone his is really nice and supportive. The classes beforehand are fun, but Strutters Ball is such a fun way to practice! I try to get everyone I know to come out– friends, coworkers-I’ve even taken my mom! There is a good age range represented too. Seriously, what better way to exercise? You should go… Really.

2 Weeks, and Strutters ball in Orange will be no longer in Orange. Instead, they will move it to Top Cats, in Placentia, which will change its name to Atomic Ballroom Placentia starting Jan 1, 2011.

I can’t say enough good things about this place. The beginner lessons are fantastic, no partner needed (rotating partners), no experience needed, you can’t beat the price. If you get the hang of the beginner lesson, stick around for the intermediate next hour. Dance hall afterwards, great people, great social environment. Everyone I’ve brought here for just the beginners class loves it! Checkout their website, you can’t be disappointed.

So the floor has been refinished and actually feels like a studio dance floor now… nice and slick. Huzzah! There is also live music every week… and the bands are given the approval by Jonathan Stout before being allowed to play. The venue is much much better now then it was before… give it a try!

I just went here for the first time– finally and I loved the whole environment of this place. It has that vintage southern style feel to it. I east coast swing dance and I’ve been meaning to check this place out for a while. If you want to try swing dancing out, then go check it out on Wednesday evening’s. I gave them 4 stars b/​c I’m used to another venue’s floor, and there is no air conditioning.

Strutter’s is the best venue for swing dancing in Orange County! Shesha Marvin runs the joint with his wife Nikki who used to run Wednesday night swing nights at Tia Juana’s in Irvine. The new Strutter’s just opened about a year ago and is better and bigger than the space at Tia Juana’s. There’s plenty of room to dance, socialize, and hang out. The adjacent patio is also a huge plus. From beginners to professionals and children to old timers, this place is fun for the whole family. Check out their website for classes, hours of operation, and pricing!