![]() ![]() ![]() In Fox Trot dancers Move in a box: back – side – middle – forward – side – middle.In a Maxie Basic, dancers move back and forth between 2 positions on the floor.In a regular Balboa Basic dancers stay in place while doing the footwork.Dancers can do all of the following (from the lead’s point of view): Each variation communicates movement to the follower differently. There are many variations on how dancers move during the Basic step. Foot balance is neutral with slightly more pressure on the ball of the feet for the follow, but generally across the entire foot for the lead. ![]() The balboa follower often dances in heels to get the proper “forward” connection. They are offset by about 1/4 of their body width, creating a slight “V” between their torsos and allowing the feet and legs to offset to a greater degree than in ballroom styles. Height difference between partners can cause the connection to vary considerably. Sometimes the connection extends down to knees, depending on the degree of room needed for specific variations within pure balboa. The dancers stand close, touching upper front outer sides of torsos along outer edge of pectoral muscle and ribcage. Both Bal-swing and Lindy Hop would have been considered dances done by jitterbugs during the 1930s and ’40s, unlike Balboa, which was done by more mature dancers who wanted to avoid the Jitterbugs’ energetic and eccentric floor work.Ĭommunication through subtle weight shifts and body language is essential.Balboa had also typically been recognized as a regional dance done in Southern California whereas Lindy Hop was more widespread nationally, but that is no longer the case among modern swing dancers: today, most consider Balboa and Bal-Swing legitimate forms of swing dance. Though some consider Balboa to be an adaptation of various Latin dances such as the Rumba done to American big band music, the latter were not yet popular with American swing dancers when Balboa was developed, so a connection to Latin dance is doubtful. Both are considered evolutionary descendants of Charleston. Both dances evolved at the same time with the same swing music.Venice Beach Balboaīalboa is a contemporary of Lindy Hop, so comparisons are hard to avoid. The Bal-Swing dance style came from Charleston, and its earliest known use was a contest in Venice Beach in 1932. Bal-Swing, in contrast, incorporates movements in which there is more space between the partners and thus more latitude for dynamic movements, including turns for one or both partners, and so forth.īal-Swing was originally known as just “Swing”, or sometimes “Randy Swing” in newspaper articles of the time. Modern Balboa dancers sometimes distinguish between two types of Balboa, “Pure Balboa” and “Bal-Swing.” In Pure Balboa, dancers stay in close embrace for almost the entire time, their torsos touching, doing variations based on footwork, turning as a couple and moving as a couple. Balboa is often perceived as a restrained or introverted dance, with most movement occurring below the knees however, part of its appeal is its variations on turns and twirls that allow the lead to show off his partner’s legs-an effect that is heightened when the follow is wearing an effective skirt and high heels. The dance was originally a response to overcrowded ballrooms where the swing-out or breakaway (a move popular in Lindy Hop at the time) was often difficult, if not actually banned by the venue. Balboa is also danced to slow music (under 100 beats per minute), which allows more time for intricate footwork and variations.ĭesigned to take up only a small space, Balboa involves chaining two-step movements together into groups of eight count patterns with two sets of four steps each while shuffling the feet on the floor. Because the basic step takes up such a small space, Balboa can be danced to fast music (over 300 beats per minute). Its exact origins are obscure, especially as most of the original Balboa dancers have since died.īalboa is danced to a wide variety of tempos. As a result, Balboa is considered more of a “dancer’s dance” than a “spectator’s dance”. The art of Balboa is in the subtle communication between the lead and follow, including weight shifts, which most viewers cannot see. It is danced primarily in close embrace, and is led with a full body connection. The original Balboa dance is a form of swing dance that started as early as 1915 and gained in popularity in the 1930s and 1940s. Balboa also now refers to a fusion of dances that originated from that era. Balboa (original Balboa or Pure-Bal) is a dance that originated in Southern California during the 1920s and 1930s.
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