Balboa: Bal-Swing Intermediate Balboa

As part of their Advanced Series, Nick and Sylvia present here Crab-walks, the Back and Through, Counterbody movement, and Arm Slides. This is an “advanced” disc, but not really… The “basic” moves are easy enough; things only get “advanced” when you start doing the variations. You’ll need to be “lighter on your feet” than most beginners to “get” the timing past the basics… Hint: That’s what “basic” practice is for… Timing!

It you haven’t seen these four things before, watch the disc for the simplest example of each – and do that for a while before doing the whole pattern. Seems obvious, but the “simple” part gets lost when you start repeating it; the more you move, the easier it is to get “off” in what you’re doing. Crab-walks are a good example... On the disc, Nick steps on his left foot and starts doing the “1, &, 2....” That’s it! Practice doing that... Then try stepping right with the right foot and then do the “1, &, 2s...” to the right. Easy – if you just keep that easy step routine in mind as you add “more” to the left, or, right….

The “Back and Through” is a “big bang for your buck” move that is easy to pick up if you’ve done a standard Twinkle in any ballroom dance; it will “click” when you hit the side by side bit. If you haven’t done a Twinkle, or seen the B&T, step it out slowly and get the weight shift to helping you “swing it” back and forth instead of trying to stomp it out with your feet. Your weight is forward - then back - then front - and you step through… Impress your friends, astound your enemies – now go into swivels, etc.

The Counter-body “idea” taught here… Here it’s a “styling” to add a different feel to “the usual back and forth” of a standard basic. It’s also a good method of body-lead if taken a bit further. We thought the “idea” taught here was too much of a subset of counter-body (CBM/CBMP) in general. They demonstrate it by standing straight-legged and turning their hips along with their shoulders. Hm. It’s not a Wiggles thing… Then they get into dancing it and it is then done “more” from the belt up… Hopefully you can work out something “stylish” from the visual dance examples given. They do many…

Arm-slides, or, the “arm-slide open up” shouldn’t be a new idea to many at this point. But, if it is, look for the simplest example in their illustrations and practice that before doing the whole pattern. Either way, you’ll know/realize they only show “some” of the things you can follow an arm-slide with. Another handy move to TRANSITION to all kinds of swing moves without doing the usual “come-around-to-kick” open up.

Seventy five per cent of this disc isn’t really advanced, but it can be if your basic is weak. So practice that basic. In terms of Balboa/Bal-Swing most of these are “bread and butter” moves. It’s a short disc, but these are moves you’ll be doing for a long time. Invest!