Learn Balboa

A fast-paced dance in close embrace

Level description

Description (Round 6, 2025)

Ready to co-create a Balboa show? Join us for a unique course where we will work together to create a Balboa show routine. We will blend choreography with the playful group format of Balboa Rueda, focusing on connection, creativity, and community.

Level guidance
– Open if you have participated in “Bal Lab” or “Balboa for Swing Dancers 3” at Happy Feet Studio.
– If you come with Balboa experience outside Happy Feet, you are very welcome if you are able to dance the fundamentals of Pure Bal and Bal Swing, i.e.:

  • Up-hold, Down Hold, Come Around, Throw Out, Lollies, Swivels, Drags

  • You are comfortable dancing tempos like 220 bpm

Please note: We will be doing partner rotation in some parts of these classes, but for the show you will end up working more with one partner.

Recommended shoes
Slidey shoes are crucial for the dance and your physical comfort and health. 

Description (Round 3, 2026)
This course will explore the intricacies of Bal Swing, where you will expand your vocabulary and dive into elements like Out & Ins, Lollies, Throw Outs, and other Bal Swing movements, while discovering how they fit beautifully together. Beyond technical skills, the focus will also be on musicality, flow, and body awareness.

 
Level Guidance:
Suitable for dancers with basic Balboa experience having finished at least 2 rounds of Balboa classes or equivalent. Having a good foundation in Pure Bal, including being familiar with the Collect Step (Up Hold) basic and the Down Hold basic, as well as Come Around is required knowledge.
 
Please note: There is partner rotation in all our Balboa classes to improve the leading and following skills of the participants.
 
Recommended shoes:

Balboa is best danced with slippery shoes. That will enable the correct technique and minimize strain on knees and ankles.
Different examples of good and slippery dance shoes can be found here: sandalsbootshigh heelsdress shoes, and loafers.
Buy Swivells shoes with a 15€ (110 DKK) discount with this code: HAPPYFEET15 🛍️

Description (Round 2, 2026)
Ready to elevate your Balboa skills? Join this course designed to deepen creativity, sharpen musicality, and enhance partner connections. Explore musical expression partner dynamics, and exciting variations to inspire your dancing.

 
Level guidance:
– Ideal for very experienced Balboa dancers.
– Fundamentals of Pure Bal and Bal Swing (e.g., Up-hold, Down Hold, Come Around, Out & Ins, Lollies, Swivels, Drags, Throw Out ect.) should be second nature.
– You are comfortable playing with variations and can adapt the figures you know to fit the music and your partner.
 
Please note: There is partner rotation in all our Balboa classes to improve the leading and following skills of the participants.
 

Recommended shoes:
Balboa is best danced with slippery shoes. That will enable the correct technique and minimize strain on knees and ankles.
Different examples of good and slippery dance shoes can be found here: sandalsbootshigh heelsdress shoes, and loafers.
Buy Swivells shoes with a 15€ (110 DKK) discount with this code: HAPPYFEET15 🛍️

Upcoming Round of Classes

Dates: May 4th – June 25th
– 8 weeks, with classes once per week

Registration is open!

What is Balboa?

Balboa is a swing dance that originated in Southern California during the 1920s and enjoyed huge popularity during the 1930s and 1940s. It is a dance primarily danced to up-tempo swing jazz and is danced in a close embrace position as well as a more open, closed position.

Two styles of modern Balboa dance developed back in the early days of the dance.

“Pure Bal” is danced in close embrace and has developed as an answer to packed dance floors . Pure Bal has focus on footwork and musicality.

“Bal Swing” developed when Swing dancers started using Balboa steps in their more open-style dance. Bal Swing is danced primarily in open position, with a focus on figures, spins and turns.

On the social dance floor most Balboa dancers dance a mix of both during a song.

Recommended shoes for Balboa

Balboa is best danced with slippery shoes. That will enable the correct technique and minimize strain on knees and ankles.

Different examples of good and slippery dance shoes can be found here: sandalsbootshigh heelsdress shoes, and loafers.

Buy Swivells shoes with a 15€ (110 DKK) discount with this code: HAPPYFEET15 🛍️

Midweek Social

Social dance & hang out with your dance friends during Midweek Social every Wednesday from 20.15-22.30. It’s free and open for everyone! 

Swing Music

We have collected some of our favorite swing  songs, which are good for  practicing, and we put them together in a Spotify playlist 

Teachers

See our full teachers team consisting of almost 40 teachers, all very passionate and eager to share their knowledge with you!