Monday nights beginning from 6th January through 3rd February.
- 7:30 PM - Pure Balboa series, Intermediate
- 8:30 PM - Bal-Swing series, Intermediate
We think of these series as cumulative, with the level of difficulty increasing towards the end of both tracks. To get the most out of them we recommend taking either as a course. It is still possible to book individual classes.
The classes take place at The Academy Mews Studios, 15 Pratt Mews, London NW1 0AD, Camden Town tube. We are in the Lounge studio, ground floor.
Please read the descriptions below, as we will expect you to know certain steps to benefit from our classes.
PURE BALBOA INTERMEDIATE
Spend five weeks focusing on Pure Balboa.
In addition to working on dance vocabulary, our emphasis will be:
- adjusting to different partners and building the feel of togetherness with them
- fancy footwork styles and textures
- dancing to faster tempos with ease
- transitioning into Bal-Swing and back
Expect doing drills and exercises in each class!
Requirements:
▪️Connection. This course is for dancers that are comfortable with the idea of being chest-to-chest with their partner.
While dancing socially we welcome any kind of connection that doesn’t cause discomfort, for this course we would like to stay true to Balboa in its original form. Things we will teach require body-to-body contact, so we will assume you’re Ok with it if you are in this class.
▪️Experience. You need to be able to dance these steps socially to a variety of tempos, transitioning between them:
- ✅ up-hold and down-hold basics, in place and combined with travelling
- ✅ ad-lib steps forward/back (i.e. progressive steps) and sideways
- ✅ repeated gathers (step-hold step-hold)
- ✅ paddle-turns
- ✅ being able to perform shuffle footwork to a variety of tempos
▪️Shoes. Please wear slippery shoes. Grippy footwear makes it nearly impossible to perform footwork drills and may hurt your knees if you keep trying.
BAL-SWING INTERMEDIATE
We've got some drills and games in store to grow your sense of musicality in Balboa, and of course plenty of tips on technique for your throw outs and turns!
Requirements:
▪️Experience. You need to be able to dance these steps socially to a variety of tempos, transitioning between them:
- ✅ up-hold and down-hold Pure Bal basics and paddle-turns, as well as transitioning into Bal-Swing and back into close
- ✅ lollies
- ✅ throw-out/toss-out
- ✅ rotational out-and-ins and/or cross-over breaks
- ✅ swivels / swivel breaks
▪️Please wear slippery shoes. Leather or suede soles are ideal.