Balboa Exchange
16-18 June 2023
Bern - Luzern
The Journey
Bern and Luzern are just a one-hour train ride apart. However, dancers from both cities - and from Switzerland in general - only know each other by sight. Now is the time to intensify our connections! We are organizing this exchange weekend with the idea that all participants attend classes and parties in both cities.
Get ready to embark on an extraordinary journey. Balboa is obviously on the agenda. You'll learn new moves, variations, or concepts with the incredibly talented Lucía & Javi from Spain. Furthermore, you'll get to dance to the wild rhythms of Belmondos Tanzkappelle until daybreak.
But that's not all: the more curious among you can also enjoy a little stroll around the hidden corners of the cities, visit a fascinating museum, or have exciting discussions with new people... and of course a swim! The Aare in Bern and the lake Vierwaldstättersee in Luzern should be just warm enough for the bravest.
>> Register here <<
Get ready to embark on an extraordinary journey. Balboa is obviously on the agenda. You'll learn new moves, variations, or concepts with the incredibly talented Lucía & Javi from Spain. Furthermore, you'll get to dance to the wild rhythms of Belmondos Tanzkappelle until daybreak.
But that's not all: the more curious among you can also enjoy a little stroll around the hidden corners of the cities, visit a fascinating museum, or have exciting discussions with new people... and of course a swim! The Aare in Bern and the lake Vierwaldstättersee in Luzern should be just warm enough for the bravest.
>> Register here <<
Teachers
Lucía and Javi
Lucía and Javi have been dancing and teaching Lindy Hop, Balboa and Slow Bal together since 2012, abroad and mostly across their motherland Spain.
Proud owners and directors of Black Bottom school in Valencia, with more than 500 students, they also organize Valencia Balboa Festival.
Their fine technique, musicality and style made them win competitions in international festivals, such as European Balboa Anniversary (Strictly 2018).
In classes, they love to focus on partnership and creating an harmonious flow while dancing in couple playing and reacting with each other. They offer students the tools for both ‘leader’ and ‘follower’ to communicate and create together their own steps and variations.
For them, dancing Balboa is a continuous game with music and the fun of jazz dance in its purest form. Be ready for challenging and fun classes with them!
Lucía and Javi have been dancing and teaching Lindy Hop, Balboa and Slow Bal together since 2012, abroad and mostly across their motherland Spain.
Proud owners and directors of Black Bottom school in Valencia, with more than 500 students, they also organize Valencia Balboa Festival.
Their fine technique, musicality and style made them win competitions in international festivals, such as European Balboa Anniversary (Strictly 2018).
In classes, they love to focus on partnership and creating an harmonious flow while dancing in couple playing and reacting with each other. They offer students the tools for both ‘leader’ and ‘follower’ to communicate and create together their own steps and variations.
For them, dancing Balboa is a continuous game with music and the fun of jazz dance in its purest form. Be ready for challenging and fun classes with them!
Band
Belmondos Tanzkappelle
Belmondos Tanzkappelle has dedicated itself entirely to the swing of the 30s and 40s, inspired by the danceability of the big band sound and the playful fusion of art and entertainment. The quintet takes up the pulse of the dance music with pleasure and keeps it even when it interprets various songs from the following decades. Michael Leherbauer, himself a Lindy Hop dancer, works with the band on arrangements that give the sound the necessary energy to unleash the fun and creativity of the dancers. With charm and prankster the singer leads with the unmistakable timbre in the voice through the repertoire, carried by the rock solid band, which follows the principle of light-footedness with thrust and springy groove: it must schwing!
Belmondos Tanzkappelle has dedicated itself entirely to the swing of the 30s and 40s, inspired by the danceability of the big band sound and the playful fusion of art and entertainment. The quintet takes up the pulse of the dance music with pleasure and keeps it even when it interprets various songs from the following decades. Michael Leherbauer, himself a Lindy Hop dancer, works with the band on arrangements that give the sound the necessary energy to unleash the fun and creativity of the dancers. With charm and prankster the singer leads with the unmistakable timbre in the voice through the repertoire, carried by the rock solid band, which follows the principle of light-footedness with thrust and springy groove: it must schwing!
Levels
Intermediate
You have been taking weekly classes for at least one year and know the basic steps (down-hold and up-hold) and figures (like paddles, toss-out, lollies, out-out-ins, cross-overs, swivels, crab walks, etc.).
Advanced
You have been dancing Balboa for several years. You can execute a variety of figures and variations, and you feel comfortable dancing these at higher tempos. You want to improve your musicality and styling or explore more conceptual ideas.
Schedule
Prices
CHF140
Pass - Two Cities - One Track
- 4h of classess (2x 2h)
- 3 parties
CHF240
Pass - Two Cities - Two Tracks
- 8h of classess (2x 4h)
- 3 parties
CHF30
Saturday Party only
- One party with Belmondos Tanzkapelle
Map
Locations & Adresses
Rhythm Rebels, Bern
Party on Friday
Aarbergergasse 40, 3011 Bern
Petruskirche
Classes in Bern
Brunnadernstrasse 40, 3006 Bern
Sousol
Party and Classes in Lucerne
Baselstrasse 13, Luzern
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to Swingmachine Bern, Balboabern, and Footwork Luzern for making this exchange possible!
Thanks to SwingPlanIt for listing our event.
Thanks to SwingPlanIt for listing our event.
