Bärely Moving, Deeply Grooving

Bärely Moving, Deeply Grooving | Blues and Slow Balboa Workshop

Who says we need a lot of movement for a lot of fun?

This workshop explores two styles that, while coming from different traditions, meet beautifully in their emphasis on listening, subtlety, and human connection: Blues & Slow Bal

Blues and Slow Bal both invite dancers to move with intention rather than speed. Instead of flashy patterns, they focus on weight shifts, timing, and the feeling of the music. In both dances, the partnership is central: you’re not just executing steps, you’re responding to each other moment by moment. This creates a unique sense of intimacy and creativity, where even the simplest movements can feel rich and expressive.

Tracks & levels:

• Venetia and Marcin will start with a dive into Ballroomin’ Blues, focusing on maintaining a smooth, flowy movement while traveling along the line of dance and exploring improvisation and communication within the partnership. From there, the class will focus on levelling up the Close Embrace through a more engaged quality of connection—one that allows for deep connection with your partner while still maintaining autonomy and individuality in the dance.
• Being able to comfortably dance with a solid chest-to-chest connection will be essential for this track. Ideal for dancers with prior Blues experience or more experienced Pure Bal dancers looking to discover something new.

• Jen and Andrew will guide students through the Dean/Laminu basics, exploring how long pauses and slide steps can build patience and anticipation within the movement. From there, the classes open up into rhythm and step variations, giving dancers the tools to make the dance their own.
• No prior experience with Slow Balboa required but participants should have solid Balboa foundations. Ideal for participants at BB level 3 and above.