Balboa

Balboa is an elegant swing pair dance danced close to each other, the magic of which arises from the shared pulse of the dancers.

Dance has developed in dance venues where space was scarce. Therefore, in balboa, dance is created with different step variations and changes of direction instead of large movements. Balboa is characterised by a pulse as well as a vertical and upright closed-grip dance position. Due to its simplicity and small movements, the balboa is well suited for dancing to fast-paced music, although it can also be enjoyed to the beat of a slower swing.

Balboa began to spread from Southern California in the 1920s and grew in popularity until World War II. Balboa, like lindy hop, was overshadowed by other dances after World War II for several decades, but again found greater popularity in the early 1980s.