Vancouver Balboa Mini Fest

Vancouver Balboa Mini Fest is a dance exchange focused on the rhythmic, intimate swing eras dances Balboa and Bal Swing. The weekend focuses on social dancing with a few fun classes thrown in - and enough free time to explore and enjoy everything Vancouver has to offer.

Here's what people had to say about last year's event:

New this year, we'll be offering classes at an intermediate level with an assortment of instructors. Students should be comfortable with balboa basics including up- and downhold basics, ad lib steps, out and ins, lollies, and tossouts. Instructors will also be offering private lessons if you're looking for more personalized feedback. Class topics and instructors can be found in the schedule below.

Volunteer

Volunteers work 8-10 hours in exchange for free entry to the event. Contact us if you are interested (volunteer at vanswingsociety.ca) .

Industry Pass

Are you a full-time dancer or musician? Contact us for a discounted pass (angie at vanswingsociety.ca) .

Main Dance Venue: Commercial Drive Legion (Branch #179), Upper Hall

2205 Commercial Dr, Vancouver, BC V5N 4B6 

Enter through the left most door and go up the stairs to the ballroom.

We are thrilled to be holding this year's event at the Commercial Drive Legion, once the home of Vancouver's Saturday night swing dance. Located in the heart of East Van, the venue has beautiful sprung wood floor and  on Commercial Drive is full of cafes, restaurants, and vintage stores. It's a 5-minute walk from the Commercial-Broadway SkyTrain station, and on the #20, #9, and #99 B-line bus routes.

All classes and dances except for the Saturday late night will be held here.

Saturday Late Night Venue - Martha Lou Henley Rehearsal Hall

1955 McLean Dr, Vancouver, BC V5N 3J7

The Saturday late night dance will be held at Vancouver Opera's Martha Lou Henley Rehearsal Hall, just a 10 minute walk from the Legion. Enter through the door to the right of the stairs with the "Martha Lou Henley Rehearsal Hall" awning.

Refund & Cancellation Policy

No refunds will be given for any reason. If you are unable to attend the event, you can gift or sell your pass to another attendee. Please contact us if you are buying or selling a pass from an attendee so we can verify it is legit!

If, within a week of the event, you are unable to attend because of illness, you can receive a credit for next year's event.

COVID 19 & Mask Policy

Please do not attend this event if you are sick, even if you test negative for COVID-19.

Masks are highly encouraged at this event and surgical and N95 mask will be available to all attendees for free. While masks are not currently required, please be prepared to put on a mask on request of any other dancer. The Vancouver Swing Society reserves to right to require masks and/or adopt other COVID-19 mitigation policies at a later date if current transmission levels warrant it, or if required by the local health authority.

Code of Conduct

Vancouver Swing Society events are open to everyone regardless of gender, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, disability, age, size, physical appearance, or religion. We do not tolerate harassment of any kind.

Guests asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. Guests violating the following rules may be sanctioned or expelled from Vancouver Swing Society events without a refund at the discretion of management.

• Do not engage in harassment of any form. Harassment includes offensive verbal comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, age, body size, race, or religion, as well as misogynist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, sizeist, ageist, or racist language. Harassment also includes deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention.

• Apologize for accidental unwanted physical contact. Accidental contact includes dance floor collisions, kicks, and stepping on feet, as well as accidentally touching another person’s private parts.

• Accept when someone says ‘no’ to a dance. Every dancer has a right to ask anyone else to dance, and also the right to decline any dance. You may also withdraw consent to a dance at any time. 

• Do not offer unsolicited advice to your fellow dancers. There is a time and a place for giving advice, and that time is not on the social dance floor. Even in classes, be sure to ask first before providing feedback.

• Never do aerials/acrobatics/lifts on the social dance floor. You can do them in jam circles/dance circles if there is enough space or during performances, if you have the consent of your dance partner, and if you have mastered them with a lot of practice and with spotters beforehand.

• Be considerate and respectful to the Vancouver Swing Society staff and volunteers. Follow the directions of the staff and volunteers, as well as those from venue staff. If you believe a VSS volunteer or board member is violating these rules, please bring this matter to the attention of another board member. We promise to address all allegations, including those brought forth against our members.

• Respect the venue and VSS property. Misuse of anything the VSS owns/rents/leases will not be tolerated. 

• No soliciting without approval. In general, we allow flyers for other swing dance events to be displayed at VSS events; however, you must get approval from the board first. We generally do not allow flyers or announcements for events focused on other dance styles, or not related to dancing at all, although some exceptions will be granted. 

• Report any misconduct to a VSS board member or volunteer. If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact a member of the event staff immediately. Depending on the situation, you may be asked to file an incident report, which will aid the VSS in taking any necessary action with the offender and to prevent any future misconduct. Event staff will be happy to help participants contact the Safe Space Liaison, other VSS board, or local law enforcement, provide escorts, or otherwise assist those experiencing harassment to feel safe for the duration of the event. 

• No outside alcohol. Only alcoholic drink purchased at the venue bar are permitted. If you appear to be intoxicated on arrival you may be denied entry and asked to leave - we will gladly call you a cab. We also reserve the right to refuse to serve anyone alcohol. Providing alcohol to a minor is illegal (and often a form of harassment).