frequently asked questions (faq)

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General

We are located at 915 E Pine St., Seattle, WA, 98112 on the second floor of the Oddfellows Building.

See our location on Google Maps.

Directions from the south

  • Take I-5 North
  • Exit at Madison Street (Exit #164 A)
  • Turn Right (east) onto Madison until Broadway Ave E
  • Turn Left (north) onto Broadway until E Pine Street
  • Turn Right (east) onto E Pine Street
  • The Century Ballroom is on the first block, on the right hand side

Directions from the north

  • Take 1-5 South
  • Exit at Denny Way/Stewart Street (Exit #166)
  • Go through 1st light
  • Turn Left (east) onto Denny Way
  • Cross I-5 and continue east to Broadway (you can either continue straight on Denny, or follow the arterial as it swerves left onto Olive)
  • Turn Right (south) on Broadway until E Pine Street
  • Turn Left (east) on E Pine Street
  • The Century Ballroom is on the first block, on the right hand side

There is street parking throughout the neighborhood. Street pay stations need to be paid until 10:00PM. Please read the hours on your pay station carefully.

If you are unable to locate a spot on the street, we recommend using the Seattle Central College Garage, located at E Pine and Harvard Ave E (two blocks west of Century Ballroom). They normally charge $15.

Yes! There is an elevator in the building, and restrooms which are fully ADA compliant. In addition, the 10th Avenue East entrance to the building has a ramp. Please ask us if you need any assistance.

Dances

We are subject to Washington State Liquor Control Board and Health Department regulations, which prohibits us from permitting outside food and beverages on the premises.

We usually don’t sell dance tickets in advance. For major touring bands, we generally do offer advance tickets. For these dances you may want to purchase in advance to ensure you are able to get in and to take advantage of possible discounts.

A dance, also called a social, is a place to do social dancing with others in the community. We often provide a drop-in lesson prior to our dances. Practicas are a more casual environment to practice in.

Classes/Workshops

In many partner dances, the lead initiates the moves, and the follow responds. In the olden days, the man would be the lead and the woman would be the follow. At Century Ballroom, we don’t feel constricted by these roles, and you will see women leading and men following (many dancers do both).

No. We work to keep an equal number of leads and follows in our classes so that you will have someone to dance with. We rotate partners throughout class so you will have a chance to dance with everyone.

Begin by seeing if there is a “Couples Only” class offered because we don’t rotate in those classes. If there isn’t a couples-only class, then you may stay with your partner. (The instructors agree it does speed up the learning process if you dance with different people, and if you are lucky enough to have someone to practice with.)

In order to keep classes as balanced as possible, we sometimes have to restrict a particular role. Definitely get on the waitlist, though, as we are able to let people in as others register.

Wear comfortable clothing and keep in mind that it does get warm in class.

Wear shoes that are comfortable and stay securely on your feet. A leather or a suede sole is ideal so you can easily spin.

As a courtesy to those around you, please refrain from wearing fragrances and perfumes.

Tap shoes are not necessary for the first week of Tap 1, so you can try it out before committing to buying shoes. If you’re planning on attending the whole session, you will need Tap shoes, which can be purchased at Center Stage in the University District. Their SoDanca adult tap shoe is an affordable option for beginners.

Register online! (preferred method)

You can also email Cl*****@Ce*************.com or register at class (but be sure to show up early and remember we cannot guarantee there will be space for you).

Here are some tips that may correct the issue:

  • Refresh the page.
  • Use the Chrome browser.

You are always welcome to call or email us with any problems you may be encountering. Please provide the following information so we can help resolve the registration issue:

  • How far you got before the problem started
  • What type of computer and internet browser you are using
  • Any error messages you received, etc.

Failing that, we can always cancel any registration that was started and handle your transaction over the phone.

Yes. If you need to drop out of a session, you may get full credit or a refund for the amount of classes you did not take. (If you drop out after only one class you will get full credit.)

Contact Cl*****@ce*************.com or call 206-324-2736.

Can I pay per class?

You may drop in to any of our classes if you have already taken the class, and if there is room for you in the class that day. Couples may drop in if they have not taken the class before provided they don’t rotate partners. We do not recommend dropping in to a class after week two. Please check in with the instructors upon arrival. Drop-ins are $25 for 60-minute classes.