Derived at about the same time as Lindy Hop, but in California, Balboa is a dance that is typified by very close contact and footwork. It came about due to overly crowded dancefloors and dancehalls.

Whereas the jitterbug dancers preferred the wild open dancing of Lindy, Balboa was typically danced by older couples of that era.

Currently, Balboa is often mixed with swing dance steps, and called Bal-Swing