Darn Hot Swing Dance Collective is proud to announce its fourth Introduction to Balboa 4 week course, each Tuesday night in May 2026 in Collingwood, VIC.

Balboa is a style of swing dance, best for dancing to fast jazz. From the dance halls of the 1930s Orange County California, the Balboa has evolved to be a rich and wonderfully nuanced partnered social dance. Its compact style makes it the go-to for when the band is hot, you're out on the town, and you've only got one square meter of space between tables to dance. Also the perfect thing for keeping your cool when the tempos get snappy! The connection, flow, energy and rich vocabulary of Balboa is notorious for creating real fanatics.

This course will suit those who have some experience with other partner dances like lindy hop or west coast swing and is friendly to beginners too. We'll be taking you through the basics of pure balboa (a closed partnered dance with an emphasis on footwork and connection) and bal-swing (an open partnered dance with a distinct look and feel, involving a lot of fun moves, spinning and energy exchange) over the course of four Tuesday nights in a small and focussed class.

Whether you’re completely new to balboa, or have done a few classes already and want to start putting it together into confident social dancing, this block will get you on the right track!

Your instructors, Kristin Guley and Raif Sarcich, are Balboa obsessives who love sharing this dance with others. They've been dancing for a decade or so, and have had the privilege of learning from some of the best teachers in Australia, Europe and the US. They look forward to bringing the best of their experience to help you get started in this beautiful and fun dance.

Course details:

Location: Djerring Centre Abbotsford, near the Collingwood Town Hall
Dates: 5, 12, 19 & 26 May2026
Time: 7:00-9:00 pm
- Includes 90 minutes of class time each Tuesday
- Followed by 30 minutes of social dancing
Cost: $60 for the full course (if you register by 25 April) or $80 thereafter.
Small class size: Places are limited so you'll get plenty of attention and assistance.

Conditions and preparation:

Footwear: It is recommended that you wear shoes with flat or suede leather soles. Shoes should have closed toes and be secure on your feet. Rubber soles may be too grippy and make your experience less enjoyable. Stiletto heels and any shoes that contain studs or nails on the soles are strictly prohibited.
Code of Conduct: We expect all participants to abide by the DHSDC Code of Conduct, available on our website at: https://www.darnhotswing.com.a...
No partner required: we will be rotating partners throughout the class.
Refunds: Unconditional refunds of 75% are available until 7 days prior to the course's start.

Contact the host of Introduction to Balboa by DHSDC - May 2026