ExtraCurricular program with Mickey

Mickey took his first Slow Balboa and Laminu lessons at the Balboa Rendezvous in 2005 from Dean Raftery. Where Lindy hops and Balboa pulses, Slow Balboa swam across the floor. It was like nothing he had ever seen. Mickey attributes most of his success with this dance to Kelly Arsenault, who was one of Dean’s favorite slow balboa partners. Mickey and Kelly started teaching Slow Balboa tasters everywhere they went to whoever would learn. Seeing the Slow Balboa scene grow so large with events happening all over the world has been a surreal experience. After years of hard work Mickey is incredibly excited to bring a new Slow Balboa workshop to Montreal.

Cara is an integral part of the Montreal Balboa community. She is an ambidancerous teacher, a Bal program coordinator at Cat's Corner, and one of the organizers of Apéros Balboa Montréal and Montreal Bal Jam. She has been deeply invested in the community for over a decade, serving as a founding member of the Cat's Corner Balboa program and Campus Balboa, a nonprofit dedicated to fostering balboa growth and excellence. Cara's teaching philosophy focuses on comfort, safety, creativity, and empowerment. She loves puns, sound effects, and creating welcoming learning environments. Her ultimate goal is to nurture dancers on their individual paths and enable them to cultivate their love for dancing. In the context of Slow Balboa, Cara's accomplishments speak to her sensibility and commitment. She has been a finalist and winner of competitions in Europe and North America, and she teaches internationally. Cara is always inspired to share her passion for Slow Balboa and is thrilled to be teaching at the Slow Balboa Weekend.

Kim picked up swing dancing in 2014 and quickly became enamored with Balboa and Slow Balboa. In a class setting, she favors experiential and playful learning, while encouraging each dancer to discover aspects of the dance they are passionate about. She feels most at ease on the social dance floor, where she can fully indulge in connecting with others and with the music.