ROCK THE BALBOA!

Kraków

25-27.09.2026

ABOUT

Great teachers, beautiful party venues, unique atmosphere, lots of dancing and, most of all, great people! You can count on this at the oldest (it’s been over 10 years!) still organized balboa festival in Poland.

We invite you to Krakow on 25-27.09.2026

Most up to date information can be found on our Facebook page.

HISTORY

The history of Balboa in Kraków started with Björn Wider, who came to town from Zürich for work. Back then in 2011, the swing scene in Poland was very small, not that much dancing was happening, except the first edition of Dragons Swing 2010. Björn started to support the small Lindy hop community here and as the need for other swing dances was slowly growing, he gave a couple of Balboa taster classes. In 2012 there were still not enough people in Kraków to start regular Balboa classes, but his idea of a weekend workshop gathered dancers from Kraków and other Polish cities. It was the first edition of Rock the Balboa, taught by Björn and Daniela Seyfahrt, with maybe 20 dancers, but enough enthusiasm to organize it again in 2013. Björns’ target of dancing Balboa in Kraków got at least partially true as there were some dancers around always happy to bal-out to a fast-swing track. The seed had been sown, but for the third edition our community had to wait until 2017. Karolina, was the one who attended the 2013 edition of Rock the Balboa and also got inspired by the Balboa track she took part in during Herräng Dance Camp 2016. Together with Karina, as a lovely KariKaro duo, they managed to organize three editions of Rock the Balboa (2017, 2018 and 2019). In 2019 Joanna and Mateusz teamed up with Karolina to organize the 2020 edition, which because of the pandemic, could not happen. Since the love for Balboa is addictive, our dream team has grown in 2022 to one more member: Staszek and in 2025: Aneta. This year we are Aneta, Asia, Mateusz and Staszek to create together this unique event for all, who love Balboa as much as we do. See you in September!
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CODE

Rock the Balboa! is made out of love for Balboa and its roots - which is afro-American culture. It is a meeting place open to diversity, unifying us in our common affection towards swing dancing.

Our goal is to create an event, where everyone feels safe and welcome. The most important qualities will be respect and kindness we can give each other, regardless of our role in dancing or our swing community.

We take care of our partner on the dance floor and avoid collisions with other people. If unavoidable, we always apologize to each other and make sure no one needs help. Everyone can make a positive impact by acting with others in mind - the organizers help out the participants, the participants support the volunteers etc. Thank you very much in advance!

We do not tolerate behaviour and comments that can make anyone feel discriminated, humiliated, used or offended for their gender expression or identity, role in dance, skill, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or faith, because we are all equal.

Any inappropriate behaviour - either experienced or observed - should be reported to the Organizers. The Organizers reserve a right to remove people threatening others' safety or well-being from the Event. Rock the Balboa! is a place for dance and creativity - safe and open.
 
Remember - you can always contact us - either in person or over electronic communication if you need help.

the Organizers:
Aneta, Asia, Mateusz, Staszek
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TEACHERS


Jenn Lee

Jacob Wigger
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Neus Castells


Albert Ferran
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Natalia Rueda

Vasu Sharma
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TASTER TEACHERS


Carolin Meier

Iacopo Longo
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Stephanie Mai

Camille Chapon
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WORKSHOPS

We will have 4 workshop groups available for you during Rock the Balboa! 2026. The group levels will be adjusted to the participants’ skill set, and placement will be determined by an audition. No audition is required for the Intermediate level group. Please read the level descriptions carefully to determine your level of experience when registering.

INTERMEDIATE

You have been dancing Balboa for a year, you know the basics and want to develop your dancing further by bettering your technique and expanding your vocabulary.

You’re familiar with basic Balboa rhythms and can lead/follow steps in PureBal (uphold/downhold basic, ad-libs/side steps, paddles, come around) as well as BalSwing (throw out/toss out, lollies, out&ins).

ADVANCED

 You’ve been dancing Balboa for a while now, regularly attend social dances, and travel to festivals. You can lead/follow complex movement sequences, even at faster tempos. You play with rhythms and incorporate various stylings into your dance. You want to not only refine your technique, but also work on musicality, movement flow, and developing your own personal dance style.

MASTERS

You are a true Balboa rug cutter. You’ve been dancing for a very long time, regularly attend international festivals, and have already made it to the finals of several dance competitions. You are a prominent figure in your local Balboa scene and are likely already teaching or preparing to teach. On the dance floor, at any tempo, you combine complex transitions with impressive styling. You play with the texture of your dance, rhythms, and deeply understand the source of your movement. You know a lot about Balboa—but more importantly, you know there’s always more to learn.

Selected dancers may be invited to this group without an audition.

FRIDAY EXTRA CLASSES WITH JENN&JACOB

Before the festival officially begins, join us for special extra classes designed for advanced-level dancers.

Schedule – Friday, September 25:

14:00–15:00
- Footwork, slides and arms for Bal Swing – solo class for followers with Jenn

- Footwork and slides for Bal Swing – solo class for leaders with Jacob

15:15–17:15
- Bringing it together - Using the solo movement while dancing with your partner – partnered class with Jenn&Jacob


We highly encourage you to attend both the solo and partnered classes – the material is connected and designed to create a cohesive, in-depth learning experience!

We reserve the right to prioritize dancers who register for the full package (solo + partnered classes).

PARTIES

At Rock the Balboa! 2026, a Thursday pre-party and three nights of live music, performances, and competitions await you!

KLUB SPOTKAŃ POCZTA GŁÓWNA
ul. Westerplatte 20, Kraków

Thursday pre-party

On Thursdaywe will have fun at the Klub Spotkań Poczta Główna.
Besides the dance floor, you will also find cosy tables waiting there for those who want to relax and talk freely.
The club is located in a non-historic part of the former seat of the Polish Post Office. It is located in the former Postman's Club "Expresik" retro spaces. The decor is a combination of the communist era, Twin Peaks and a pinch of modernity. You will surely remember its interior.
 

AVANGARDA
ul. Zyblikiewicza 1, Kraków

 Friday, Saturday, and Sunday Parties

A beautiful 19th-century ballroom located in the former Officers’ Casino — this neo-Renaissance building, later enriched with Art Nouveau details, creates a unique space with the perfect atmosphere for a whole weekend of dancing.

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STEVEN COOMBE

Special Guest

Steven is a true legend of the international swing scene — musician, MC, dancer, and a personality like no other.

At Rock the Balboa! 2026, he will support our bands throughout the weekend and take on the role of MC, helping bring even more energy and magic to the dance floor.

JAZZ DREAMERS

Friday and Saturday party

“We are dreamers – jazz dreamers – hence the name. Our band is a group of musicians creating swing music tailored specifically to the tastes and needs of dancers.
We’ve played at Poland’s biggest festivals, including Dragon Swing in Kraków, Retro Weekend in Warsaw, and Lindy Szau’s Birthday Jam in Wrocław.
We travel across Europe with our music and are always open to new destinations!
We released an album called Happy Feet, available for free download on Bandcamp and streaming on major platforms.
We play our own arrangements of jazz from the 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s, drawing inspiration from artists like Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Fletcher Henderson, Chick Webb, Benny Goodman, Jimmy Lunceford, and many others – as well as original compositions.
Currently, we’re working on a full-length album featuring the greatest dance hits of the swing era.”

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THE SHOOR SHOOR BAND

Sunday party

The Shoor Shoor Band is made up of fantastic musicians from the Kraków Lindy Hop scene. They were once invited to play at a Balboa social, and their music instantly won over the dancers. There was no turning back — a band for the Balboa community simply had to be born!

COMPETITIONS

TBA

TASTERS

TBA

SCHEDULE

TBA

CENY

FULL PASS

880 PLN / 215 EUR

6 hours of classes; 3 tasters; 3 parties with live music

PARTY PASS

420 PLN / 105 EUR

6 hours of classes; 3 tasters

EXTRA CLASS

Solo class - 100 PLN / 25 EUR
Partnered class - 190 PLN / 48 EUR
Full package: solo + partnered classes - 270 PLN / 65 EUR

T-SHIRT

60 PLN / 15 EUR
 

REGISTRATION

Registration for Full Pass starts on 1.06.2026 at. 13:06 (CEST)
Registration for Party Pass starts on 1.07.2026 at 13:07 (CEST)

By filling out and submitting registration form, the registrant accepts the Terms and Conditions.

CONTACT

rockthebalboa.cracow@gmail.com