In the beachy breezes of Santa Barbara, Randy and
Kara first danced the balboa almost 8 years go. A collegiate track and
field athlete, Randy was first attracted to the speed and lightning
fast footwork of balboa, which at that time was just beginning to be
rediscovered by a new generation. A martial artist in her youth, Kara
was enthralled by the mysterious float of balboa, the magical glide
across the surface of the dance floor and the elusiveness of the
movements. Inspired by the energy and precision of LA great Christian
Thompson the indescribable fluidity of their own teacher,
Sylvia Sykes ,
Randy and Kara together pursued their shared obsession.
In 2002, Randy and Kara were invited to study balboa with the
legendary Willie Desatoff. Glorious Saturdays of stories with no end
flowed into lessons that rooted them in balboa fundamentals. In the
same fall, with a move to the Bay Area, they began teaching weekly
classes at San Francisco swing hotspot
Broadway Studios with a floor and group of students like
no other.
Since then, Randy and Kara have traveled the world (France,
Great Britain and throughout the U.S.) sharing their love of balboa
with others. Locally, they are frequent guest instructors at
Redwood City's Swing Central. Strong innovators of the dance,
Randy and Kara remain firmly rooted in its simple complexity.
Their creativity can be readily seen in their precise and syncopated
footwork. Dedicated instructors, they strive to make simple the
technique and connection that are at the heart of the dance. Many of
their original ideas, both in teaching and dancing, have become
commonplace in balboa vocabulary.
Most recently, Randy and Kara have had the privilege of studying
and teaching with
Dean Raftery, Orange County native who danced the
balboa on the island in the days when you had to be good to get a
follower to dance with you and until then the refrigerator was your
best friend.
Randy and Kara are respected judges for both national and
international balboa competitions. In 2004, Randy and Kara won the
American Classical Balboa Championships at
All Balboa Weekend ,
to be followed by a 1st place win by Randy in the 2006 ABW
Pro Jack-N-Jill.
