Balboa today is commonly used both as a term to describe a fusion of dances that originated in Southern California during the 1920s and 1930s, and also referring to a specific dance from that era that was the original Balboa (sometimes also referred to as Pure-Bal).
The original Balboa dance is a form of swing dance

Swing (dance)

"Swing dance" is a group of dances that developed with the swing style of jazz music in the 1920s-1950s, although the earliest of these dances predate swing jazz music. The best known of these dances is the Lindy Hop, a popular partner dance that originated in Harlem and is still danced today...

 that started as early as 1915 and gained in popularity in the 1930s and 1940s. It is danced primarily in close embrace

Close embrace

In partner dances, close embrace is a type of closed position where the leader and follower stand facing each other chest-to-chest in full or partiall body contact. The dancers usually stand offset from one another, such that each has his or her right toe in between the toes of his or her partner...

, and is led

Lead and follow (dance)

In partner dancing, the two dance partners are never equal. One must be the Lead and the other will be the Follow.The Lead is responsible for choosing appropriate steps to suit the music , and leading the Follow by hand pressure and signals to complete the chosen steps smoothly and safely...

 with a full body connection

Connection (dance)

Connection is essential to all partner dancing and is the primary means to communicate synchronized dance movement between the lead and follow. It is especially important in Argentine Tango, Lindy Hop, Balboa, East Coast Swing, West Coast Swing, Salsa, Contra dance, Modern Jive and other styles of...

. The art of Balboa is in the subtle communication between the lead and follow, including weight shifts, which most viewers cannot see. As a result, Balboa is considered more of a "dancer's dance" than a "spectator's dance". Its exact origins are obscure, especially as most of the original Balboa dancers have died.

Balboa is danced to a wide variety of tempos. Because the basic step takes up such a small space, Balboa can be danced to fast music (over 300 beats per minute). Balboa is also danced to slow music (under 100 beats per minute), which allows more time for intricate footwork and variations.

Forms

Designed to take up only a small space, Balboa involves chaining two-step movements together while shuffling the feet on the floor.

The dance was originally a response to overcrowded ballrooms where the swing-out

Swingout

The swingout is the defining dance move of Lindy Hop. The swingout evolved from the breakaway, which in turn evolved from the Texas Tommy. The first documented mention of the swingout pattern that resembles breakaway was in 1911, to describe a "Texas Tommy Swing" show done at the Fairmont hotel in...

 or breakaway

Breakaway (dance)

From 1919 to 1927, Breakaway was a popular swing dance developed from the Texas Tommy and Charleston in Harlem's African American communities. The Breakaway was danced to jazz, and while it often began in closed position, the leader would occasionally swing the follower out into an open position,...

 (a move popular in Lindy Hop

Lindy Hop

The Lindy Hop is an American social dance, from the swing dance family. It evolved in Harlem, New York City in the 1920s and '30s and originally evolved with the jazz music of that time. Lindy was a fusion of many dances that preceded it or were popular during its development but is mainly based...

 at the time) was often difficult, if not actually banned by the venue. Balboa is often perceived as a restrained or introverted dance, with most movement occurring below the knees; however, part of its appeal is its variations on turns and twirls that allow the lead to show off his partner's legs—an effect that is heightened when the follow is wearing a twirly skirt and high heels.

Modern Balboa dancers sometimes distinguish between two types of Balboa, "Pure Balboa" and "Bal-Swing." In Pure Balboa, dancers stay in close embrace for almost the entire time, their torsos touching, doing variations based on footwork, turning as a couple and moving as a couple. Bal-Swing, in contrast, incorporates movements in which there is more space between the partners and thus more latitude for dynamic movements, including turns for one partner, and so forth.

• Bal-Swing: originally known as just "Swing" or sometimes "Randy Swing" in newspaper articles of the time; Bal-Swing is an eccentric dance unlike Balboa, which allows for improvisation. This dance style came from Charleston, and its earliest known use was a contest in Venice Beach in 1932.{citation} Heaton described two Balboa Swing figures in 1967.

History

Balboa came from Southern California during the 1920s and increased in popularity until World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. Balboa is named for the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach, California

Newport Beach, California

Newport Beach, incorporated in 1906, is a city in Orange County, California, south of downtown Santa Ana. The population was 85,186 at the 2010 census.The city's median family income and property values consistently place high in national rankings...

, where the dance was invented.

Alma Heaton included two pages on Balboa in his 1954 book "Ballroom Dance Rhythms", and a page of instruction in "Techniques of Teaching Ballroom Dance".

A small, active Balboa community has always existed in the Los Angeles area. Today, Balboa is resurging worldwide due in part to the efforts of Jonathan Bixby

Jonathan Bixby

Jonathan Bixby is a swing dance instructor in Santa Barbara, California. Although Jonathan is a member of the California Swing Dance Hall of fame he is perhaps most famous for the role he and his original partner Sylvia Sykes played in reviving the now popular but once near extinct dance Balboa.-...

 and Sylvia Sykes

Sylvia Sykes

Sylvia Sykes is a swing dancer, dance instructor, judge and choreographer. In particular she is considered by most to be the leading authority on the dance Balboa....

.

Some original Balboa dancers' quotes:

"We can't tell you how to dance Balboa, but we can tell you when you are not dancing Balboa."

"As soon as you start attracting attention to yourself, you [are] not doing Balboa anymore"

Comparisons to Lindy Hop

Balboa is a contemporary of Lindy Hop

Lindy Hop

The Lindy Hop is an American social dance, from the swing dance family. It evolved in Harlem, New York City in the 1920s and '30s and originally evolved with the jazz music of that time. Lindy was a fusion of many dances that preceded it or were popular during its development but is mainly based...

, so comparisons are hard to avoid.

• Both dances evolved at the same time with the same swing music. Both are considered evolutionary descendants of Charleston
  Charleston (dance)
  The Charleston is a dance named for the harbor city of Charleston, South Carolina. The rhythm was popularized in mainstream dance music in the United States by a 1923 tune called "The Charleston" by composer/pianist James P. Johnson which originated in the Broadway show Runnin' Wild and became one...
  
  . Though some consider Balboa to be an adaptation of various Latin dances such as the Rumba
  Rumba (dance)
  Rumba is a dance term with two quite different meanings.In some contexts, "rumba" is used as shorthand for Afro-Cuban rumba, a group of dances related to the rumba genre of Afro-Cuban music. The most common Afro-Cuban rumba is the guaguancó...
  
   done to American big band music, the latter were not yet popular with American swing dancers when Balboa was developed, so a connection to Latin dance is doubtful. Balboa had also typically been recognized as a regional dance done in Southern California
  Southern California
  Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
  
   whereas Lindy Hop was more widespread nationally, but that is no longer the case among modern swing dancers: today, most consider Balboa and Bal-Swing legitimate forms of swing dance.

• Both Bal-swing and Lindy Hop would have been considered dances done by jitterbugs during the 1930s and '40s, unlike Balboa, which was done by more mature dancers who wanted to avoid the Jitterbugs' energetic and eccentric floor work.

Body position

The dancers stand close, touching upper chest. This makes communication with body language very easy. The man's right front torso (rib cage) touches the woman's center front torso (rib cage). They are offset by about 1/4 of their body width, but primarily facing square to each other's shoulders. Unlike in other swing dances, the balboa follower often dances in heels to get the proper "forward" connection. The follower should still have her own weight (if the lead backed up she would stand on her own), but it should be aligned over the balls of her feet.

Body lead

There are many variations on how dancers move during the Basic step. Each variation looks different. Each variation communicates movement to the follower differently. Dancers can do all of the following (from the lead's point of view):

• In a regular Balboa Basic dancers stay in place while doing the footwork.
• In a Maxie Basic, dancers move back and forth between 2 positions on the floor
• In Fox Trot dancers Move in a box: back - side - middle - forward - side - middle.

Regardless of basic variation, the "Basic" is done in place without any traveling on the floor.

Basic footwork

The Maxie Basic is performed to 8 counts of the music, with typical footwork as follows (assuming both dancers shift forward and back between two positions on the floor 4 to 8 inches or 10 to 20 cm apart):

Lead:

1. Step back with left foot.
2. Step back with right foot, bringing feet together.
3. Slide left foot forward.
4. Slide left foot back beside right foot.
5. Step forward with right foot.
6. Step forward with left foot, bringing feet together.
7. Slide right foot back, bringing heel off the ground.
8. Slide right foot forward beside left foot.

Follow:

1. Step forward with right foot.
2. Step forward with left foot, bringing feet together.
3. Slide right foot backward, bringing heel off the ground.
4. Slide right foot forward beside left foot.
5. Step back with left foot.
6. Step back with right foot, bringing feet together.
7. Slide left foot forward.
8. Slide left foot back beside right foot.

Note that the lead and follow footwork is identical, although offset by four beats. That is, both perform the same footwork when moving backwards and forwards.

In the Original Balboa the dancers do the same or similar footwork utilizing the same rhythm, however it's done in place. To do so easily, the dancers shuffle their feet and avoid stepping,or bouncing.

Also note that some people might argue that the Balboa basic is just "step-step" and any "upholds" (the slide-slide is an uphold variation) are already variations to change direction and/or feet. Not getting too attached to this 8-count basic pattern helps when learning Ad-libs (aka "one-steps") and moves that don't fit into the 8-count scheme, since it's then more natural how to sync back to the music. The follower must be aware that this pattern is just the most common pattern, and needs to feel the lead leading her into doing the upholds.

Footwork variations

Dancers vary their footwork, to respond to the music or their partner.

Many footwork variations can be done independently of the partner. The three most common footwork variations are single, double, and triple time.

• Single time or down hold: Counts 3-4 and 7-8 are step-holds.
• Double time or up hold: Counts 3-4 and 7-8 are kick-steps. This is the most common variation.
• Triple time: Counts 3-4 and 7-8 are triple steps.
• Foot Fan step: In single time, the left foot fans out to the left, on the 3-4 for leads or 7-8 for follows.
• Slide step: When moving the left foot back or the right foot forward, slide it.
• Dig Dig Step: Counts 3-4 or 7-8 are kick - kick - step. This move crosses double time motions with triple time timing.

Some footwork patterns require cooperation with the partner.

• V Slide: On the 3-4 or 7-8, slide both feet out in a V to hit a break. Use the following 1-2 or 5-6 to return to the basic pattern.

Main variations

Five loose categories of variations are pure, throwouts, lollies, crossovers, and fancy. Bal-swing also borrows moves from other dances, especially Charleston

Charleston (dance)

The Charleston is a dance named for the harbor city of Charleston, South Carolina. The rhythm was popularized in mainstream dance music in the United States by a 1923 tune called "The Charleston" by composer/pianist James P. Johnson which originated in the Broadway show Runnin' Wild and became one...

 and features moves in open position. Variations done in closed position are called "Pure Balboa", and moves done in open position are called "Bal-Swing".

Most of the following moves would be done strictly in Bal-Swing. However, these moves can be seen sometimes in Balboa if they are done very small, with feet on floor and no travelling.

• Maxie Basic: Maxie Dorf is credited for modifying the traditional Balboa Basic to this variation. The basic Balboa footwork is traditionally done on the spot in a shuffling fashion. Maxie added a forward and backwards movement, so as on the 1-2 the lead steps backwards, and on the 5-6 the lead steps forward. The lead can simply keep going backward or forward for as many steps as desired. This Maxie Basic is also easier to learn, so has become a common starting place for teaching Balboa.
• Transition Step: This step is performed to transition from a closed dancing position to an open dancing position, and is also used to lead to other moves. It has been noted by some of the original Balboa dancers that a Transition Step preceded almost all Bal-Swing moves. For example, a Throwout can be led by simply initiating rotation and "throwing" the follow out, or rotation for the Throwout can be initiated after a Transition Step has been used to separate the lead and follow, and this way is said to be more correct.
• Paddles: Can be done clockwise or counterclockwise. For counterclockwise paddles, the lead begins with the usual back left, together right, step left, hold. During the step hold the lead starts turning. The lead then turns with a step right - step left - step right - step left. The lead continues turning with this pattern, until he changes to another variation. Clockwise paddles begin by starting with the hold on counts 7-8. From a pure-bal point of view, a paddle is just two steps turning either left or right.
• Serpentine: Using down-hold footwork, turn slightly counter-clockwise on the 8. Then the lead moves to the right on the 1, 2, and 3. Then turn slightly to clockwise on the 4. Then the lead moves to the left on the 5, 6, and 7. Repeat as desired. This will move the couple across the floor in a zig-zag.
• Ad-libs:
• Scoot Steps:
• Crab Walk: This variation is similar to one steps or ad-lib timing, but adds a sideways movement. Crab walks are normally led on 1 or 5, following a hold step on 3-4 or 7-8. The pattern for crab walks beginning on 1 would be back - sidestep - forward - sidestep (repeat). In this example we started on 1, so the crab walks would move towards the lead's right. If the crab walk was lead on the 5, the movement direction would be toward the lead's left. This move is quite difficult to follow, as the difference in feeling from this move to other single step moves is quite subtle.
• Crossovers: Crossovers can have an in-out feel, or a side-to-side feel. The name Crossover comes from the footwork. See also Crossovers (dance)
  Crossovers (dance)
  Crossovers are classic moves from Balboa .The pattern is back - together - forward with a quick - quick - slow rhythm,or the down-hold rhythm.Lead:# - Step back left 45 degrees with left foot, leaving follow behind...
  
  .
• Lollies: Kick step, kick step. Usually, the lead slowly walks around the follow, who spins in place. See also Lollies (dance)
• Come Around or Break Step: This is the first part of many variations, especially Throwouts.
• Throwouts: See also Throwouts (dance)
  Throwouts (dance)
  Throwouts are variations from Balboa and are also known as Toss-outs.The main idea is that the follower moves to arm's distance from the lead. Usually this is done from a comearound. On the 5-6, the lead lets go with his right arm, and the follow naturally moves apart...
  
  .
• Swing Outs: Another name for a Throwout.
• Apache: aka Texas Tommy: This move involves the lead placing the follows hand behind her back and rotating to a throw out in the usual fashion. This causes an extra spin from the follow, and also causes the lead and follow to be connected via a right-to-right hand hold. A common variation to this move is where the lead faces away from the follow at the conclusion of the throw out and does a V Slide.
• Pop Turns: The lead "pops" the follow in a rock - step motion, and can then use his right arm to start the follow spinning (also letting go of the left hand), or step down on 3 to initiate rotation together which then often leads to a Throwout move.
• V Slides: The follow does standard footwork. The lead pushes the follow a little bit on the 5-6 to create some space between them. Then the lead does a V Slide on the 7-8. A V Slide can also be performed as a variation within, or at the end of, other moves.
• Push and Pull: with twists
• Swivels: Swivels are similar to Lollies, but are executed at twice the rate. Lollies is tap-and-kick-and-tap-and-kick-and, swivels is swivel-swivel-down-hold-swivel-swivel-kick-step. The key to swivels is using your hip rotation to drive the move.
• Charleston: It is very common to add Charleston variations.
• Fall off the log: By default, the kicks occur on the 3 and 7 counts. Both step in front and behind variations.

Transitions between moves are often made on the slow (3-4 or 7-8) counts, but many moves can begin on 1 or be longer than 8 beats.