Courtyard Caper - October

October 10th, 2026

Location:  Illini Union, TBD

Topic: Balboa

Time: 10-2pm (3 hours of instruction; 1 hour of breaks and practice time built in)

Pricing: 

UIUC Students: 

• Mini-workshop + Dance: $20

• Dance only: FREE (funded by SORF)
  

Non-UIUC Students: 

• Mini-workshop + Dance: $30

• Dance only: $10

General:

• Mini-workshop + Dance: $40

• Dance only: $15

Course Description: 

Class 1: Making Balboa Comfy and Musical

You don't need big flashy moves to make a cool moment! Using close embrace and some bal swing shapes, learn to connect these in a happy squishy way. We'll also talk about moments to be musical that complement the song and the dancers.

Prerequisite: balboa basic in close embrace, working knowledge of lollies and come arounds suggested.

Class 2: Slow Balboa at Play

Learn the close embrace slow balboa to swing jazz music that is flowy and chill!

Prerequisite: none

Instructor - Ann Ann Sychterz

Ann began swing dancing (lindy hop, balboa, solo jazz, collegiate shag, and a hint of blues) in Waterloo, Canada (not far from Toronto). Though now living in the US, she co-founded, organized international workshops, and taught at Swingtime Lausanne in Switzerland which included lindy hop, solo jazz, balboa, and collegiate shag. She holds titles for competitions in balboa and lindy hop from the USA, Canada, France, and Germany. As an academic and a dancer, she finds joy in teaching by breaking down intriguing concepts on partnership and rhythm while keeping a comfy dance.