DJ Juke Box at Balboa Nights

BALBOA is a dance that originated on the busy dance hall floors in California during the late1920s and throughout the 1930s. 

These dance halls sprang up as the railroad advanced along the West Coast with a branch culminating at the Balboa Peninsula. Everyone was doing Foxtrot, but after the great war new dances such as the Black Bottom, Ragtime and the Charleston became popular. However there was no room on the dance floor and the dance hall proprietors made rules and put signs up saying 'No breaking at the chest' and 'No Turns'. So they recreated the fast moves from the Charleston with these constraints in mind. Hence the creation of Balboa :-)

It later evolved into BAL-SWING when the East Coast Lindy Hoppers, such as Dean Collins and Frankie Manning, influenced the dance when they came to Hollywood  

We're a small dance community and this new event is an even smaller group of improver dancers looking to practice and share the joy of the dance to existing and those yet to experience BALBOA.

Use the button below to find out more, register your interest to go and subscribe to updates.

The Southgate Club, 17 Chase Side, N14 5BP (Entrance is in Crown Lane)