Manifesto

Balboa Music

As a general rule, this guide is working under the assumption that there is no clear distinction between music for balboa and music for other swing dances. We value musical variety while staying as close as possible to the umbrella of swing music. Except for tempo, we encourage everyone to apply these guidelines to all other swing dances. As such, it will be explicitly mentioned when a recommendation is made specifically for balboa.

Art

DJing is an art involving research, reflection and practice. It's an expression of one's judgement and taste. Every DJ has a different approach, and this guide should be seen as a subjective guideline, rather than as a set of rules to be followed in all situations.

Recognition

We recognize that jazz and swing music is an art form that originated in the Black community. Like all art forms, it has evolved in a complex historical and cultural context. It was an outlet for many Black musicians and dancers of the time, who had long been victims of injustice and racism because of the colour of their skin. This injustice and racism unfortunately continue to this day. We recognize that we are, in large part, outsiders to this culture, and that we must acknowledge the whole context of this art, including parts that make us uncomfortable. Finally, we want to recognize that we all benefit from the work of these artists, and so we owe it to ourselves to pay tribute to them as much as possible when using their art.