Balboa Crash Course
Learn the important stuff in one afternoon!
Balboa is “the dancer’s dance” – it just feels good! (plus it makes your Lindy better!)
Crash courses take the content we’d normally present over the span of a month of weekly classes and compress it into a single afternoon. It can be a lot of information to digest, but it’s a great option for people who’ve had some Balboa in the past but never got comfortable with it, for those with other previous experience with swing dance connection and lead/follow dynamics, and of course, for those whose schedules prevent them from attending our regular weeknight classes.
No partner necessary. Bring a clean pair of shoes, preferably with slightly slick soles.
April 2024 Crash Course
Join July and Stan on Saturday, April 13th at the Dance Complex in Cambridge for our first Crash Course of 2024! This will cover the curriculum of our Fundamentals 1A series, all in one afternoon!
Date/Time: Saturday, April 13, 1:00pm-6:00pm
Location: The Dance Complex, Studio 5, 536 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA
NOTES:
- Bring a pair of clean shoes with a slidey sole (leather or suede works best).
- The Dance Complex now requires all participants entering the building create a MindBody account that includes a liability waiver. If you haven’t already done so, please register for a MindBody Account.
Schedule
- 1:00-1:15pm — registration/check-in
- 1:15-5:45pm — Balboa Crash Course (with breaks)
- 5:45-6:00pm — clean up/clear out
Cost: pay what you can (suggested: $60)
Description:
From the bread and butter of Pure Balboa, to different movements of Bal Swing, we will cover material that will give you the skills to hit the dance floor right after class! The crash course is suitable for everyone, from beginners learning Balboa for the first time all the way to seasoned dancers wanting to fine-tune and polish their foundations.
The crash course will be offered in an ELEF model: Everyone Leads, Everyone Follows. Starting your Balboa journey with ELEF helps you understand the mechanics more quickly and more deeply. Though many dancers do choose to specialize in one role, starting out with ELEF helps you understand how both roles work and feel, so you can choose the one that suits you, or choose to keep dancing in both! No partner is necessary, as we will rotate partners in class.
Because we are still living in Covid times, we are maintaining the requirement of a suitable mask (N95/KN95/KF94) covering nose & mouth at all times in the studio. (we will continue to have masks available free at the door if you need one)
Crash Course for Beginners: 1a
In one afternoon (typically 4-5 hours on a Saturday), the original Balboa Crash Course is an introduction to the dance and will cover the basic figures and connection techniques of Balboa, and give you the skills you need to dance Balboa socially. The Crash Course is intended for students with previous swing dance experience, but beginners up for a challenge are welcome too! (It’s also a great way to review your fundamentals if you’ve learned Balboa in the past but feel a little rusty.) Content is equivalent to our Intro to Balboa Fundamentals 1a series.
Crash Course for Continuing Beginners: 1b
Because not everyone can come to class on Tuesday evenings, we are now offering our Fundamentals 1b content as a crash course! These one-day classes cover similar content to our four-week Fundamentals 1b series, and are aimed at students continuing on from Fundamentals 1a. These “continuer” crash courses are not for true beginners, but require that students have taken either the Intro to Balboa Beginner Crash Course or the Intro to Balboa Fundamentals 1a series. Content is equivalent to our Fundamentals 1b series.
Upcoming crash courses
None (currently on-hold)