Balboa Nights - Sydney
"It's the only way to hold someone close in your arms and still dance the fast music" - Dean Collins
Balboa is a partnered swing dance with roots that go back to the 1920s.
The term 'Balboa' was originally short for "Balboa Shuffle" which today is known as Pure Balboa. The dance originally consisted of the leader and follower doing a basic shuffle step with little or no improvisation. Today we use the term "Bal-Swing" as an umbrella term for a combination of Classic Los Angeles style swing, such as you see in the movies, as well as body-to-body dancing which incorporates fast and fancy footwork with a lot ofimprovisation These dances from the USA sprung up along the coast in Southern California and are now danced all over the world, Balboa proving itself a dynamic, ever-evolving dance.
In our classes you will learn a combination of Pure Balboa and Bal-Swing.
A great tool for the well-rounded swing dancer to have in their repertoire, Balboa allows you to dance any tempo - from slow, shuffle-paced music to blisteringly fast scorchers that can leave Lindy Hoppers struggling.
Sometimes referred to as "that shuffley
dance", Balboa is also notable for its well-dressed dancers. Due to
weight balance points and the time period which the dance originated
in, ladies tend to wear heels and skirts, which complement the look of
the dance beautifully. Not to be outdone, the men tend to put a little
extra care behind their appearance, leaning towards jackets and
trousers, rather than jeans and t-shirts. Not that this is by any means
a rule - it seems to have happened organically. The only real
requirement for dancing Balboa is a pair of shoes with some slip to
them - leather soles seem to fit the bill the best.
Bernard & Anne-Helene
Mickey & Kelly
Bobby & Kelly
Balboa is taught as part of the continuing Swing patrol sylabus so talk to your local instructors about adding some Balboa in class.
