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Swing Technique6 minutes

Practice the Balboa Basic Step with Up-Hold and Down-Hold

By Bernhard De LucaUpdated

In short
  • The Pure Balboa basic step has eight counts, with small steps under the body and a close, relaxed connection with your partner.
  • In the Down-Hold, you shift your weight on 3 and 7 and hold it on 4 and 8.
  • In the Up-Hold, your foot stays free on 3 and 7; the weight shift follows on 4 and 8.
  • Leaders and followers start on opposite feet and move forward and backward respectively, matching each other.

On a crowded dance floor, even a big step can be too much. Pure Balboa gives you a compact task: your feet work close together while your partner feels the movement through your body.

What you need for the practice sequence

  • Flat, well-fitting shoes with a sole that allows you to pivot
  • A level, clear floor with no sticky spots
  • A Swing track with a clearly audible beat
  • A partner for the exercise later
  • Consensual, comfortable upper-body contact

A hold sustains the weight, not the musical pulse

In the Pure Balboa Basic, you stay in closed position. The steps fit beneath your body instead of carrying you across the room. Each step means a weight change to the other foot. Simply touching the floor does not count. This distinction makes the two holds easier to understand: with the Down-Hold, the weight transfer comes before the held count, and with the Up-Hold, it comes after.

The name Up-Hold does not mean you have to jump. Your free foot can stay close to the floor while your supporting leg carries you. With the Down-Hold, you do not sink noticeably into your knees either. You keep a soft, supple posture and stay with the pulse of the music. Here, eight counts correspond to two bars in 4/4 time, not eight identical steps.

The close connection communicates small changes in your body. You still stand on your own and do not lean your weight on your partner. The elastic connection in Lindy Hop is part of a different partner technique and does not replace this posture. To get started, lessons that build footwork gradually are a good choice, including when choosing swing workshops for beginners. Rotating Bal-Swing figures like the Come Around are not part of this exercise.

A sole that lets you turn easily also needs enough grip to keep small steps from slipping out of control.
A sole that lets you turn easily also needs enough grip to keep small steps from slipping out of control.

Build up both holds step by step

  1. Find the Pulse While Standing

    Count to four twice along with the music, then count from 1 to 8. Let your knees soften slightly without bouncing on your toes; keep counting evenly, even when one foot pauses later.

  2. Set starting weight and roles

    Practice alone first: As the lead, start on your right foot, with your left foot free; as the follow, start on your left foot, with your right foot free. We describe directions from the lead’s perspective: As the follow, mirror the feet and forward and backward movements.

  3. Establish the first Down-Hold

    Leader: On 1, take a small step back with the left foot, on 2, bring the right foot close, on 3, take a small step forward with the left foot, on 4, keep your weight on the left foot. Follower: step forward with the right foot, bring the left foot close, step back with the right foot, hold; the free foot does not take weight on 4.

  4. Close the Down-Hold on Eight

    Leading: On 5, take a small step forward with the right foot; on 6, bring the left foot close; on 7, take a small step back with the right foot; on 8, stay weighted on the right foot. Following: Step back with the left foot, bring the right foot close, step forward with the left foot, hold; after that, your original starting foot is free again.

  5. Delay the Change for Up-Hold

    Leader: 1 left back, 2 right together, 3 hold on right, 4 left forward; 5 right forward, 6 left together, 7 hold on left, 8 right back. Follower, mirror this; on 3 and 7, keep the next stepping foot unweighted.

  6. Communicating movement as a couple

    Take a comfortable closed hold with light upper-body contact; the leader's right hand rests on the back. Dance Down-Hold first, then Up-Hold after a shared restart; as the leader, move your body with each step instead of pushing your partner with your arms.

  7. Distinguishing the holds in the music

    Dance several complete sequences of each variation and pause on 8 between variations. Then identify when the weight has fully transferred. If you can tell the variations apart while keeping your upper body still, you can switch between them without stopping, each time at the start of a new eight-count sequence.

Small adjustments to your footwork

Like this

  • Keep your free foot close as you pass it by your standing foot
  • Keep your knees soft and your head at the same height
  • Put weight on the foot only when its beat comes
  • Let the hand on your back move gently with your body

Not like this

  • Swing your free foot out in a big arc
  • Make your head jump noticeably on every hold
  • Unintentionally turn a tap into an extra step
  • Push a step along with your hand on your partner's back

Check off your practice at each time point

Before the first run-through

Start

After the solo exercise

Footwork

After the partner exercise

Connection

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Yes, you can practice the foot sequence and the timing of the holds on your own. However, you can only learn how to transfer movement through your upper body with a partner. When practicing solo, don't keep looking down at your shoes: looking up and keeping your posture upright will help you maintain the same position later when dancing with a partner.

Partner Dance Classes to Build a Foundation Together

You can practice weight shifts and a relaxed partner hold in class; for this step sequence, you need a course that includes Balboa.

View all matching classes

Practice small steps together

On udansa, you can find dance partners to slowly repeat the Balboa Basic with. In your request, describe which role and which hold variation you'd like to practice.

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Practice small steps together

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