Alex & Madeline Yan were long-time swing dancers when they undertook turning their newly renovated basement into "Seattle's Most Intimate Arts Space!". Alex started dancing Lindy Hop in 2002, while Madeline started just two years later, in 2004, having dabbled in many other dances prior to this. Madeline was a part of performance groups Sister Kate & Hotsy Totsy, and taught with Chris Chapman of Hepcat Productions. Alex DJed regularly for the swing community and on occasion would VJ (video DJ) using old soundies and historical clips.  Having dabbled in performance, teaching and competing, both Alex and Madeline valued social dancing above all else. 

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Alex and Madeline were passionately drawn towards pursuing outside-of-the-box projects. Jazz Dance Film Fest, for instances, was a music video competition for swing dancers created by Alex and ran from 2009 -  2015, with Madeline's help. Century Ballroom's Masters of Lindy Hop & Tap, was an idea born to Alex that was handed off to and executed exquisitely by Hallie Kuperman, owner of the Century Ballroom. This event brought old-time dancers from the Swing Era to Seattle to teach, perform, and hold talks to help pass down cultural details generationally to younger and newer dancers.

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