Eastside Stomp

I LOVE these guys (and girls). I’ve done three classes and now doing private lessons with them. I was a VERY beginner and have, seemingly, no natural talent for dance. They made me feel comfortable in class and answered every one of my questions.
I will continue to take classes and frequently bring friends with me to their dances.
Highly recommended.

I don’t make it out to ESS as much as I want because it’s far. But ESS is my favorite swing venue in the Seattle area. They bring in great musicians to play on Friday nights, the floor is usually crowded, they have a wonderful volunteer system, and the people who run it are some of the nicest people I know. Ben is very enthusiastic and cares a lot about his community. The location for fridays (have not been to Tuesdays) is pretty nice. From what I hear, their lessons are also a lot of fun. From what I’ve seen, the teachers are dedicated and passionate about teaching their students.
You can’t ask for a better swing venue in the area.

I’ve been to Eastside Stomp twice for the Friday night dance party. It was quite fun and amazing with lots of energy. Instructors are very nice and friendly. People are from different levels and there are many beginners too so you will not be afraid to come with no dance training.

Eastside Stomp is an active, energetic and welcoming place to dance. Live music every Friday with a large crowd that varies from beginner to veteran. Newcomers are treated warmly; Ben and the other instructors work to create an inviting environment and that trickles down to everyone else. The veteran dancers certainly care about their dancing, but they care an equal amount about all the people who come out Fridays and Tuesdays to have a great time, regardless of how experienced they might be. I see this time and again, week after week, and the longer people dance at Eastside, the more they pick up the cause themselves.
In the last nine months I’ve had over a hundred hours of classes– these include weekly group sessions, weekend seminars, guest instructors and private lessons– and there has always been both clarity and professionalism in the business of scheduling and paying for the lessons as well as the lessons themselves. I’ve taken lessons in Lindy Hop, Charleston, Balboa, and Solo Jazz under seven different instructors and the only problems were the occasional scheduling conflict, all of which were quickly resolved.
Seattle is full of outstanding dance venues and Eastside Stomp is a shining example of what happens when you combine vibrant, top-​shelf dancing with positivity and a sense of community.

This is a review of a Tap for Lindy Hoppers class from Amy in March of 2014. Unfortunately, it reflects Ben White (owner/​operator) of Eastside Stomp. I love to support the local dance community, but I can’t support bad business practice.
I’ve been a Lindy Hopper for over 10 years and took a couple 1-​day tap clinics that challenged me and sparked an interest in tap. When I saw Eastside Stomp was offering a Tap for Lindy Hoppers 3 month course for $ 150, I jumped on it! The class description sold the class with a wonderful description but did state no refunds. That’s fair and I had no problem committing if we’re learning.
First class was like a tap class for children! We drilled a simple 8-​count to death. Second class was worse. I had to ask Amy for more details (weight distribution, etc) since it she didn’t explain basics unless asked. Horrible! I’ve taken enough classes to know a good teacher.
Class did not deliver as promised, so I emailed Ben promptly to get a refund. He agreed, which was awesome of him. Problem is, I haven’t seen the refund check (it’s been over 6 months!). I’ve called, emailed several times, and even reminded him in person with no results. Poor business practice! Even if they can’t give a refund, a class credit would have been appreciated. But this is BS. I’m not rich enough to throw away $ 150!
Recommendation: if you’re looking for Lindy Hop classes, go to Chris Chapman of HepCat Swing in Capitol Hill. He’ll take care of you!
If they offer another no-​refund class, I would suggest asking to audit the first class to see if you like the instructor/​material before you commit the funds.
*** Update on October 2014: Finally tried reaching Ben on Facebook and got a quick response (after no response via email). Check was in the mail for a full refund! Thank you, Ben.