What: Balboa Workshops & Social Dance
When: Saturday, August 20th, 2022
Where: RVA Swing, 6114C Lakeside Ave, Henrico VA
Cost: Sliding Scale of $10 - $25 per workshop
Format: This is a Rotating Partner format workshop.
Advance registration is required (no walk-ins)
Schedule
1:00pm: Workshop 1 - Intro to Balboa
3:30pm: Workshop 2 - Basics of Bal-Swing
(dinner break)
7pm: Beginner Swing Lesson w/RVA Swing
8pm: The Full Vax Hop
Admission to the dance & 7pm beginner lesson is included with any workshop registration
About the Workshops
Workshop 1: Intro to Balboa
Level: Open
Balboa is a style of swing dancing that originated on the tightly packed dancefloors of southern California. Danced in a close embrace, this original form of Balboa features small, intricate footwork and rhythmic variations.
In this 2 hour workshop, you'll get an overview of close-embrace Balboa, including partnership, connection, and basic steps & patterns. Perfect for dancers new to Balboa, for Balboa dancers interested in exploring the opposite role, or for anyone wanting to shake the rust off of their Balboa.
No previous Balboa experience is needed for this workshop.
Cost: Sliding Scale of $10 - $30 (choose your price at registration)
Availability:
Leads: 11 of 12 spaces remaining
Follows: 10 of 12 spaces remaining
Workshop 2: The Basics of Bal-Swing
Level: must have previous Balboa experience or have taken Workshop 1
Bal-Swing refers to the hybrid moves that Balboa dancers incorporated from other swing dances, and generally refers to any open-position move.
In this 2 hour workshop, we'll open up our partnerships to add kicks, turns, and more! This workshop is for dancers with prior Balboa experience (and motivated beginners who took Part 1) who want to learn or review Bal-Swing moves like lollies, toss-outs & out-and-ins.
Cost: Sliding Scale of $10 - $30 (choose your price at registration)
Leads: 9 of 10 spaces remaining
Follows: 8 of 10 spaces remaining
About Your Instructor
Dee Mathews is a balboa and lindy hop instructor based in Greensboro, NC. They learned balboa in 2010 both as a lead and a follow working with Randy Maestretti and Kara Britt, who taught them a love of pure balboa and the original dancers.
Since then they have danced, taught, and competed all over the world. They have won balboa contests at California Balboa Classic, All Balboa Weekend, and the International Lindy Hop Championships, as well as been a mentor at The Balboa Experiment.
Dee is invested in balboa as a dance of connection, playfulness, and dynamism. They are excited to explore the fundamental mechanics of the dance and help students find new ways to be musical, listen to their partner, and find new ways to enjoy balboa.