Niveau 2 - Débutant / Beginner - 5h

Niveau 2 - Débutant / Beginner - 5h

Tiny Balboa 2026

Dance Festival Balboa
Dance Class Balboa
Dances
Balboa
Level
Beginner
When?
Apr 18, 2026 to Apr 19, 2026
Where?
Saint-Martin-d'Hères Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes France
Organized by
Grenoble Swing
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Line-up

Grace Babbes , Blake Thiessen , Michael Tan , Natasha Shevchenko , Andrew Wilson , Emiliya Bazlankova
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Class

5 sessions
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Grenoble Swing
Grenoble Swing
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About

Cinq heures de cours réparties sur samedi et dimanche.


Five hours of classes, split between Saturday and Sunday.

Level - Requirements and Description

Beginner

This level is for dancers who have started taking dance lessons. Generally, a beginner is considered to be a dancer with less than a year of practice and who has not yet acquired all the main basics of a dance.

Balboa

Balboa

Le Balboa est une danse de couple qui trouve ses origines dans les clubs de danse de Balboa Island, en Californie, dans les années 1920 et 1930. Cette danse élégante et fluide se caractérise par ses mouvements rapides et compacts, ainsi que par sa connexion intime entre les partenaires.


La danse Balboa met l'accent sur le mouvement du torse et du haut du corps. Les danseurs maintiennent une position de danse serrée, avec une connexion étroite entre les poitrines, permettant une communication claire et une conduite fluide. Les mouvements sont réalisés principalement à partir du bas du corps, avec des pas courts, rapides et précis. Les jambes se déplacent en glissades, en pas rapides et en pivots, tandis que le torse reste stable et maintient une posture élégante.

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Ticketing

How to attend?

Contact the organizer for more information.

Locations

Giannone Ballet School
14 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 38400 Saint-Martin-d'Hères, France

Line-up

The teachers of our class.

Grace Babbes

Grace Babbes

Teacher

Grace grew up in a family of actors and musicians and has been performing since the age of four. With a lifelong love of swing music and vintage art and fashion, she was instantly hooked when she discovered her first Lindy Hop class in 2012. Soon after, she became a fixture on Southern California’s social dance floors—dancing Lindy Hop, Balboa, Collegiate Shag, and Solo Jazz up to five nights a week. Now a full-time international instructor, Grace teaches across the United States, Europe, and Asia. She is also a seasoned competitor, with titles from events such as ILHC, Camp Hollywood, and Hot Rhythm Holiday. In addition to teaching and competing, Grace is a sought-after DJ and vocalist, known for playing and singing classic tracks that inspire dancers of all levels to connect with the music, its history, and each other.


Grace brings passion, playfulness, and deep respect for the roots of swing dance to every class she teaches. She encourages joy, delight, and a drive for excellence in her students. Heavily inspired by original swing dancers—especially those from Southern California—she frequently studies and shares vintage clips to spark fresh ideas. Grace’s teaching blends deep technique with joyful connection - leaving dancers empowered, grounded, and inspired. 


Blake Thiessen

Teacher

As an unsuspecting Southern California college student, Blake started swing dancing with a new year's resolution in 2014. Little did he know, SoCal was one of the world’s largest scenes, with a rich history and dozens of the world’s best dancers and instructors. Immediately hooked, he developed a relentless obsession for Lindy, Balboa, and Collegiate Shag. He’s since gone on to win in a variety of international competitions and has taught around the world in places like Europe, Asia, Australia, and the US.


In his free time, Blake loves to study vintage dance clips. He has a deep reverence for the original dancers and loves to teach classes that focus on particular styles and techniques they used. As an instructor he also focuses on imparting his values of partner connection, tasteful musicality, and developing beautiful basics. While he loves practice, competition, and performance, his favorite thing about dancing is just having a simple, deeply-connected social dance with a like-minded partner.


Blake Thiessen
Michael Tan

Michael Tan

Teacher

Michael fell in love with swing dancing in 2016, captivated by the magic of two strangers seamlessly connecting through movement. Specializing in balboa, Michael shares his passion for partner dancing, focusing on the art of melding two individuals and the interplay of lead-and-follow.

Michael has won major titles at The Snowball, Bal Love, BalWeek NYC, Valencia Balboa Festival, and the California Balboa Classic, with notable appearances at ILHC, Camp Hollywood, and more. Beyond dance, his third-degree black belt in Taekwondo informs his unique teaching approach, blending principles across different movement backgrounds.


Natasha Shevchenko

Teacher

With over 21+ years of partner dance experience, Natasha brings a deep passion for comfort, play, and connection to her teaching. She is dedicated to fostering a supportive dance community, inspiring students to explore their creativity and find joy in movement and partnership.

Her accomplishments in the swing dance world include prestigious wins at the California Balboa Classic, Camp Hollywood, BalLove, The Snowball, Valencia Balboa Festival and BalWeek NYC, along with notable placements at the International Lindy Hop Championships and Hot Rhythm Holiday. She has also appeared on prominent television platforms such as Dancing with the Stars and PBS’s America’s Ballroom Challenge. Additionally, Natasha has performed on stage with SW!NG OUT on tour and in A Very SW!NG OUT Holiday during its 2024 two-week run at the Joyce Theater.

Natasha is excited to share her love of dance with you.


Natasha Shevchenko
Andrew Wilson

Andrew Wilson

Teacher

Andrew brings his enthusiasm and infectious energy to both the dance floor and the classroom! His classes prioritize comfort and conversationality - and leaving ample time to dance it out and find your way of doing it. Andrew is a regular finalist in European balboa events and the winner of last year's EuroBal Cup.

Emiliya Bazlankova

Teacher

Emiliya is a seasoned dancer with over nine years of experience in swing, specializing in Balboa for the past four. Her dance journey began in childhood, spanning styles from ballroom to traditional Bulgarian and modern dance, cultivating a rich foundation in movement. Over the last four years, she has deepened her practice with body awareness techniques, focusing on creativity, body mechanics, and pain-free movement to foster a relaxed, mindful approach to dance. Emiliya values creating a deep, expressive connection with her dance partners, viewing dance as a canvas to express the full range of human emotions.

Emiliya Bazlankova

Sessions

Browse the detailed list of sessions of our class.

When?
Apr 18, 2026 from 11:00 to 12:00
Where?
Giannone Ballet School
14 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 38400 Saint-Martin-d'Hères, France
Teachers
Grace Babbes Blake Thiessen
When?
Apr 18, 2026 from 12:10 to 13:10
Where?
Giannone Ballet School
14 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 38400 Saint-Martin-d'Hères, France
Teachers
Grenoble Swing
When?
Apr 18, 2026 from 15:20 to 16:20
Where?
Giannone Ballet School
14 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 38400 Saint-Martin-d'Hères, France
Teachers
Andrew Wilson Emiliya Bazlankova
When?
Apr 19, 2026 from 11:15 to 12:15
Where?
Giannone Ballet School
14 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 38400 Saint-Martin-d'Hères, France
Teachers
Michael Tan Natasha Shevchenko
When?
Apr 19, 2026 from 15:50 to 16:50
Where?
Giannone Ballet School
14 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 38400 Saint-Martin-d'Hères, France
Teachers
Andrew Wilson Emiliya Bazlankova