2008 Class Levels

Beginner  Intermediate  Inter.-Adv.  Advanced  Advanced-Plus  Masters

Six progressive levels this year! Beginner to Masters!

Each level will receive 12 progressive classes from Friday to Sunday. AND you will also be able to attend the Swing Lecture (by Kyle Smith), the Musicality class (with Campus Five and Kyle Smith) on Saturday and the Balboa Brunch Discussion (food available) on Sunday, all of the competitions (the American Classic Balboa Championships) and dances during the weekend.

Mandatory level test for Advanced and Advanced-Plus Levels!

This test will ensure the accuracy of our class levels at ABW 2008 (as it did in 2006 & 2007!) and will evenly distribute the students that have registered for classes at the weekend. On Friday at 9:00am there will be a mandatory level test for anyone signed up for the Advanced or Advanced-Plus level. If you fail to attend this mandatory level test then you may not be placed in the level you have selected during registration.

Level Test (Advanced & Advanced-Plus only):

Each student will receive a in their registration packet number and must wear it for the duration of the level test. As a group you will be asked to dance with other students within your selected level. You will dance to as many songs as necessary (at a variety of tempos), and rotate partners as many times as necessary in order to assess the level of the class and if any students should be moved to a higher or lower level. The instructors for the weekend will be conducting the level test along with the ABW promoters and committee.

*Please note that at this level test you may also be moved up to the Masters level. If you did not receive an invitation to the Masters level you may be asked to join those classes after the level test. Please do not contact us concerning the Masters classes...make sure you are at the level test and show us that you should be at that level.

Please read the Special Notes at the bottom of this page.

Beginner The Beginner level is not only for pure beginners but is also for people that are comfortable with break turns (come arounds), break timing, cross overs, lolly kicks (lollies, kicks in-and-out), and have had some exposure to throw outs (toss outs). This WILL be an informative level for the more seasoned beginner. Pure beginner don't be scared...after all of these classes (and dances) you be very comfortable with Balboa. It's your Balboa immersion program!

Intermediate The Intermediate level is for Balboa dancers that would like to brush up their basic Balboa and Bal-Swing movements (break turns, break timing, cross overs, lolly kicks, throw outs, etc.) and get a better understanding of the connection within these movements. By the end of the weekend this level will have added variations to their basic, to their pure Balboa movements (new ad-lib steps!), and will have added more movements to their Bal-Swing repertoire.

Intermediate-Advanced This was the missing level last year! This level is for you if you don't quite qualify for the Advanced level but want to be more challenged than the Intermediate level.

Advanced The Advanced level is for Balboa dancers that have complete understanding of basic Balboa and Bal-Swing movements (break turns, break timing, cross overs, lolly kicks, throw outs, etc.) and can do them comfortably with almost everyone they dance with, no matter what city they're from. They are aware that variations within the basic, lollies and cross overs exist but have not yet mastered them. By the end of the weekend this level will have added more texture to their basic and to their pure Balboa movements. They will have also added more movements to their Bal-Swing repertoire, as well as learned how to smoothly transition from one Bal-Swing movement to another.

Advanced-Plus The Advanced-Plus level is for the seasoned Balboa dancer. They do come arounds in their sleep and are aware of and comfortable with multiple variations in the basic, lollies and cross overs. They are also comfortable with and can smoothly transition from one Bal-Swing movement to another. This level will challenge the most talented dancers at the weekend. Mandatory level test for Advanced & Advanced-Plus levels. See above notes.

Masters We will be sending out some invitations to the Masters level but these invitations will NOT be a full list of people that may end up in these classes. The level test for the Advanced & Advanced-Plus levels may add more people to the Masters level. The Masters classes will cover material at an extremely high level. This level is for the instructors/judges and some of the other highly skilled Balboa dancers at the weekend. We will be limiting the number of people in the Master level classes based on the number and level of the people that register for the weekend.

***Special Notes: Final placement, in all levels, is up to the discretion of the ABW promoters. At any time during the weekend you may be asked to move to a different level (up or down). Please understand that this request would be made in order to ensure that all of the students (including yourself) at ABW would be in the best learning environment possible. If you choose not to comply with the ABW promoters request, you will be politely asked not to take the classes. Also, please remember that we have a no refund policy at ABW. Thank you, in advance, for you cooperation!

All 6 levels at the ABW will be progressive.

Thanks! And enjoy the Weekend!