Shana Worel — Episodes — The Track Podcast

This month I sit down with Shana Worel, who I met first years ago as a Lindy Hopper, but who has now crossed over to what I lovingly called the 'dark side' of swing dance - Balboa. Shana ran a very successful swing school in Boulder, Colorado for 15 years before relocating, and has traveled extensively since 1999 as a very well-respected swing dance competitor, instructor, and DJ.

In our conversation, we touch upon today's Balboa scene, dig into what makes a "Bal song," and get to the root of what separates Pure Bal and Bal-Swing. We also talk about our VERY different experiences in high school jazz band, discover an apt analogy for Balboa with Star Trek, of all things, and attempt to de-mystify my misconceptions of The Balboa Experiment as a cult retreat.