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Frequently Asked Questions

• Is this an exchange?

  Though there are a lot of dances, this is not really an exchange - which are created so that people can meet other people to dance with- yes, their certainly will be a lot of that, but more importantly, it's a meeting of great Balboa lovers - we have dances, classes, the opportunity for private lessons, and our annual sacrifice to our Balboa cult's specific deity.

• "Balboa" and "Bal-Swing" -- what's the real difference?

  "To give an overly simplistic definition, the 'Balboa' is a very smooth dance where dancers stay in closed position with a body-to-body connection. Traditionally the Balboa has little if any solo improvisation; rather couples do variations as a team, staying in one spot on the floor without traveling. Although the Balboa has a reputation as a fast dance, historically it was done at all tempos.

  Classic descriptions of the dance by those like Venna Archer stated, "There is nothing fancy in the dance, and once you start attracting attention to yourself, you're not doing Balboa anymore."

  As for 'Bal-Swing', the name is misleading as it originally had nothing to do with the Balboa. Simply called "Swing" during the 1930's, this Los Angeles regional dance originally came from the Charleston. Most dancers from the swing era claim it started as soon as you started to do improvisation.

  Steps today such as kicks (Lollies) and spins all came from the Charleston, however other dances eventually impacted the dance, such as Jig Trot, Fox trot, Shag, the Lindy and Balboa. Because of the need to be original and different during the 1930's, some dancers who did Bal-Swing relied on closed position and fancy footwork while others remained in open position with lifts and air steps. Today, Bal-Swing dancer's continue to reinvent the dance, while still taking inspiration from such legends as Maxie Dorf, Willie & Lila Desatoff and Hal & Marge Takier."

  Peter Loggins, July 2007

• Wait ... Wasn't the last BalJam in L.A.? Why is it in Philadelphia now?

  It has always been the vision of BalJam to make this event an annual floating event -- so it truly is part of the Balboa Nation. Besides, we like Philadelphia.

• What if I'm a swing dancer but I don't dance this "Balboa?" Huh? Can I still come to the Exchange?

  Certainly! The music will be medium to up-tempo to suicidal speeds, and you're welcome to dance Collegiate Shag or Charleston or Lindy, as long as you don't throw your partner on people. However, the weekend will be celebrating the dances Balboa and Bal-swing, so that's what the music and dance floors will cater to.

• How good do I have to be to go to BalJam?

  You should probably be at least an intermediate dancer only because there will be a lot of social dancing, and that's a lot of Balboa for those who are just starting. But everyone is welcome to come.

• Are there any lessons or classes?

  We feel there is no reason why an exchange weekend can't offer great educational opportunities. So, at BalJam, we have many of the country's greatest balboa instructors coming who be available for dancing and for private instruction during the weekend.

  We also have a special Balboa Colloquium on Saturday afternoon. It will cover some never-taught before concepts like move evolution, in-depth conversations with balboa masters, and more.

• I'm under 21; will that be a problem?

  Nope! None of the venues we plan to book will be 21+, so even the young-un's can get crazy with us.

• Okay, you sold me. Where do I sign up?

  Registration will open soon. Check back with us mid-June.

• How do I call in sick to work so I can come to Bal Jam?

  Perhaps you're one of the lucky ones. Perhaps you have an understanding boss who's more than happy to let you take a few extra days off just as long as you stop practicing come-arounds in the hallway. Otherwise, though, you probably have to give your boss the old phone call with the withered voice and bad coughing imitations to get a day off. Well, here's a little researched info on how to get out of work. (The following information is meant to be taken in humor, not seriously--BalJam is not responsible for the consequences of following the below advice.)

  IF CALLING IN SICK:

  • Practice your "sick-voice" before dialing the phone so you sound authentic. A few tips. Drink some milk to get the phlegm going. (Or drink some strawberry milk to really get sick.) Make the phone call lying down, preferably just when you wake up so your voice is still weak. When you cough, you don't have to be great at it. Just say "Excuse me" in a weak voice, cover the phone, and cough loudly.
  • Call before anyone has arrived at work. Leave your message on the supervisor's voice-mail.
  • Make your sick call as short as possible. The longer your message, the more likely you will "slip up".
  • Whenever possible, take work home with you for the weekend. This way, when you leave your message, you can say "I have some work with me here, so the day won't be a total waste." It's not necessary to do the work. After all, you're not feeling too well.
  • Bad headaches are great symptoms to have. They don't require coughing and give a great reason for having the phone off the hook.
  • Be careful not to be sick on too many Fridays or Mondays in a row--a common disease with Lindy Hoppers and Bal dancers.
  • Your sickness will appear more authentic if it is done for more than one day at a time.
  • On your sick day, take your phone off the hook. A busy signal is more convincing than an endless ring, should work call you.
  • On returning to work, act lethargic for the first few hours.
  • Do not brag about the Balboa event you just went to.

• NON-SICK EXCUSES FOR LENGTHENING A DAY OF TRAVEL:

  Have you ever been to PHL International Airport? Planes get delayed all the time, if they show up at all. A Sunday night call to your boss's voice-mail--and a "Sorry, boss, the plane's generator is broken and they can't replace it tonight. They've put me on a flight tomorrow afternoon, so it doesn't look like I'll be in tomorrow" and you're golden.

• I have other questions -- whom should I ask?

  Email us at info@baljam.com and we'll be glad to respond.