This event is by Balboa dancers, for Balboa dancers, and we know that the music, whether live or DJ'd, is key to a great event. We will be serving up only the finest Bal-tastic tunes for your shuffling pleasure!
Melt-your-face-right-off ✨amazing✨ live music from
The Keenan McKenzie Sextet
On Saturday night, the Keenan McKenzie Sextet will bring you a night of balboa favorites, with the classic small-combo sounds of clarinet, guitar, and vibraphone. The group features musicians you'll recognize from major dance events like All Balboa Weekend, Hot Rhythm Holiday, Bal-Ast Off, and the California Balboa Classic. Expect to lose your voice screaming for this band like Erica does every year.
Check out the live music from 2022's event (with the full Riffers line up):
----2024 DJs ----
Laura Windley (she/her)
Laura began DJ’ing in Greenville, NC in 2001 for the yet-to-be-formed ECU Swing Dance Club, chosen by default because she had the most swing CDs (which, at the time, was about 10). Since then, her music collection has expanded greatly to become a joyous selection of swinging music. She loves female vocalists, bouncy instrumental tunes, songs with lyrics that make her laugh, and, above all, hot trombone solos.
Michael Quisao (he/him)
After growing up as a wallflower at school dances, Michael went to his first swing dance in 2006 and has been captivated by social dancing ever since. His love of swing music and social dancing has taken him across the country to dance, compete, and DJ swing music; he strives to share the joys of swing dance and swinging rhythm with everybody he meets.
Michael believes that the music is the heart of the dance and that attentive partnership and comfortable technique are the keys that unlock the door to exhilarating and creative dances.
Angie Weddell (she/her)
Angie is a DJ and dancer from Vancouver, Canada. She likes music that swings hard, makes you want to dance, and is a little bit weird. Expect a mix of classic swing music, later swing music that blurs the boundary into bebop, and some modern recordings from the fantastic musicians in the Pacific Northwest.
Connor Cole (he/him)
Connor Cole is excited to be contributing music for I Heart Balboa again this year. He has previously DJed for All Balboa Weekend, Northwest Balboa Festival and most recently at New York Balboa Week. He loves sharing both familiar favorites and obscurities, and he can't wait to watch the dance floor from the DJ booth.
Qui Nguyen aka DJ Qui-J (she/her)
Long before setting foot on her first dance floor, Qui has always been in search of good music. From scouting out local shows, to digging through dusty record store crates, her motto has always been "if it moves you, it's good music". So it was quite natural for her to fall in love with swing music and dancing. A lover of the music first, and the movement a close second, you can always catch her listening to and dancing close by the bandstand at any number of swing, balboa or blues events. You might even find her behind the DJ booth, spinning tunes at local dances and at various events throughout the region. She is super excited to be representing Richmond at I *Heart* Balboa again this year.
Omar Myers (he/him)
Omar has been collecting music for Blues, Swing, and Soul since he was a lil dude. It wasn't until after he started Lindy Hop did he decide to start getting people to dance. He began DJing in 2010. Since then, he has left-clicked tunes all over the world including for events such as Snowball, Lindy Focus, and Blues Muse. Currently, he is a regular DJ in the Atlanta area.
Frankie Pereda
(Frankie hasn't sent us a bio. NO SHADE, Frankie. 😂
Anyway, we can say with confidence that Frankie's sets are absolute 🔥🔥🔥
You will be begging for a 'meh' song so that you can rest your weary body, but you will not receive one 😂 )
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