Learn To Dance Balboa Online With Streaming Video!

What Is Balboa?

History: Balboa and Bal-Swing are two separate but linked dances that sprung forth from southern California in the 1930's when ballrooms became too crowded for partners to break away from each other.

How it works: The pure Balboa dancers developed a partner dance with a close chest to chest connection between lead and follow, emphasizing visually subtle leading and intricate footwork. Balboa dancers created musical interest in their improvised dancing through ad-lib steps, slides, and syncopations.

Bal-Swing dancers, however, combined the close basic of pure bal with breakaways as seen in Lindy Hop and Swing Dancing. Consequently, Bal-Swing is characterized by an eight count pattern known as the "throw out" or "toss out." Come-Arounds, Lollies, and Crossovers also comprise part of the basic vocabulary that showcase the separation of lead and follow close connection of Bal to Bal-Swing.

Why you should dance Balboa: If you like to dance close to your partner, sliding across the dance floor, at medium to fast tempos without getting too tired, you'll enjoy Balboa. Girls, if you like to spin with twirly skirts and wear high heels, Bal-Swing is for you!

Bal-Trot is not a swing-era dance, though it was inspired by vintage footage of the Double Shuffle, which adapts Balboa and Bal-Swing steps to fit the context of a traveling dance.