IMMERSIVE BALBOA WEEKEND
SEPTEMBER 4th to 7th 2026
1000 ISLANDS, GANANOQUE, ONTARIO, CANADA
A Balboa Experience You Will Never Forget
What to Expect:
- 4 Days of Balboa Immersion: with 6 h of classes and 4 h of tasters, taught by inspiring international instructors.
- 3 Nights of Dancing: Evening parties with live swing bands and DJs — pure joy, pure Balboa!
- An amazing dance cruise among the 1000 Islands with a live band!
- Monday Dance: Keep the vibe alive with live music and an impromptu jam session from our talented participants.
- Friendly competitions, it is just for fun!
- Shared Meals & Community Spirit in an intimate setting: All meals are included buffet-style (with vegetarian, vegan, and other dietary options).
Spaces are limited!
Reserve your spot early and be part of this unique Balboa adventure!
Join us for an unforgettable four-day Balboa experience surrounded by the breathtaking beauty of the 1000 Islands!
Balboa On The River is more than a dance event, it’s a full weekend getaway where music, dance, activities, and friendship meet the magic of the St. Lawrence River.
Imagine a hotel filled entirely with dancers, one community, one rhythm. You’ll wake up to the sound of swing, share every meal with fellow Balboa lovers, and end each night on the dance floor to live music and great DJs.
Between classes and parties, enjoy group activities such as jam sessions, water fun, games, and taster classes to broaden your skills and connections. Not to mention our crown jewel, a unique experience dancing outdoors on a boat cruise surrounded by magnificent castles and the sound of live music. You will feel like you are in Canadian-New Orleans!
Every moment is designed to bring us together.
Whether you’re drawn by the music, the movement, or the friendships that last beyond the dance floor, this weekend is your chance to reconnect with what makes swing dancing so special.
Meet The Organizers
Romy and Xavier met during a summer Balboa troup in Montreal; and the rest is history…
Romy
Romy has been dancing since she was a toddler, but discovered her true passion, swing dance, in 2014 when she was invited to a beginner’s dancing class in Montreal by a dear friend. Since, she has dabbled in Lindy Hop and in West Coast Swing, but has mostly focused on her favorite, Balboa.
She enjoys being a dance generalist and bringing aspects of different dances into others to create a unique experience with her dance partners.
Romy likes to be part of the party! With Balboa on the River, she is looking to create a one of a kind Balboa event which perfectly brings together the ambience, quality and appeal of European festivals to the spectacular Canadian scenery and the very welcoming Canadian Balboa community. She is looking forward to meeting Balboa enthusiasts from all over the world and to fully enjoy the 1000 Islands amongst friends.
Xavier
Xavier began dancing Lindy Hop and Charleston, right after an amazing New Year’s Eve Charleston party at the start of 2018 in Montreal at Cat’s Corner. He discovered Balboa in 2019 and began taking intensive classes as soon as the confinement ended.
He then travelled across Europe, hopping from one festival to another and meeting incredible teachers and dancers along the way.
He performed two very small but very fun choreographies in Montreal and started teaching beginner Balboa classes in Lisbon in September 2025 at Blues & Swing Lisboa school.
His dream is to create a wonderful, fun, immersive Balboa festival, with many activities, in Canada, and who knows, maybe somewhere else as well!
VENUE
Gananoque Inn & Spa, Gananoque, Ontario, Canada
Welcome to Gananoque Inn & Spa, a historical site on St-Lawrence River.
It began its life in the 1870s as Gananoque Carriage Works, a carriage factory founded by Grant Burrows and Charles Taylor.
In June 1896 the carriage works complex was converted into a summer hotel, giving birth to the Gananoque Inn.
Today it stands as a historic waterfront inn in the heart of the Thousand Islands, offering both its original charm and modern amenities.
Check back with us shortly for information on rooms, prices and registration instructions.
LEVELS
I am a skilled dancer,
and I am all about having fun
You have between one to three years of Balboa dance experience. You know all the basic steps, and perhaps several complex moves, you have been dancing socially in your local scene, maybe followed workshops or participated in one or two festivals. You want to have fun while learning, enjoy precious time spent with friends and good music.
I am a relentless dancer,
always chasing new challenges
You have been dancing Balboa for more than two years. Whether you love to learn choreographies, have participated in several workshops, or bounce around local or international festivals, one thing is for sure: you cannot stop dancing! Balboa is the passion moving your life.
TEACHERS
Yuliya Sofronova & Aaron Tokatch
We are thrilled to welcome, for the first time in Canada, Yuliya & Aaron to our teaching team this year, two deeply musical dancers whose workshops are as inspiring as they are educational.
Based in Frankfurt, Yuliya & Aaron bring a powerful blend of precision, warmth, and creativity to the Balboa floor.
Yuliya and Aaron have been dancing and teaching Balboa together since 2016, transforming a simple passion project in Albuquerque, New Mexico into a vibrant journey of teaching, performing, and community building.
Over the past nine years, they’ve travelled to Balboa events across the United States, continuously expanding their knowledge and bringing home fresh ideas, creative techniques, and renewed inspiration to share with their local community.
In the classroom, Yuliya and Aaron focus on clear technique, body awareness, and connection, helping dancers truly understand each movement, and feel confident expressing it on the social dance floor. Their teaching is driven by a deep love of Balboa and a commitment to making the dance accessible, musical, and joyful for students of all levels.
From the other side of the ocean, our mystery teachers are on their way…
Come back on January 11th for an amazing surprise!
BANDS & DJS
All Parties Will Be With An Amazing Band And A Wonderfull DJ!
Come Back On December 28th To Learn More…
ACTIVITIES
On top of the dance courses and parties, there will be many more fun activities, jams, tasters, canoe, etc.
A full list will be revealed soon…
SCHEDULE
From Friday to Monday, we will have parties, classes, jams, outdoor activities, and shared breakfasts, lunches, and dinners.
The final scheduled will be revealed on January 25 2026…
CONTACT US
We will be very happy to answer all your questions!
Send us an email at: contact@balboaontheriver.com
Or contact us on messager from our facebook page: facebook.com/balboaontheriver
Or follow us on Instagram