THE PULSE
Lindy Hop festival with a slice of Balboa
CORK, 11 & 12 APRIL, 2026
Our annual swing dance festival, THE PULSE, returns on 11 & 12 April 2026. While the workshop is predominantly Lindy Hop focused, this year we are delighted to add a slice of Balboa to the menu.
Step up your dancing and spend a weekend learning from our talented teachers, Uxue & Gerard, and Brian & Marta. Not only that, you also get to dress up and get down to some crackin' live jazz all in the heart of Cork City!
**Bookings for all passes are now closed**
YOUR INSTRUCTORS
GERARD NEVOT
&
UXUE MARTINEZ
Jetting in from Barcelona they bring over 10 years of teaching and performance experience, both at their own dance school and at international swing festivals.
We are excited for them to share their knowledge and passion for Lindy Hop with us. They draw on their extensive backgrounds in; Lindy Hop, Tango, Ballroom, Rhythmic Gymnastics, and Contemporary Dance to create a unique and very popular teaching partnership.
BRIAN TROUGHT
&
MARTA KOLASA
For the last decade and a half Brian & Marta have been one of the driving forces of the Irish Balboa scene, teaching locally and nationally, with the aim of sharing their love of Balboa with as many dancers as possible.
Known for their focus on partnered conversation and the importance of both flow and individuality in Balboa, they believe in supporting others on their dance journey so Balboa dancers can have quirky, musical dances that bring out each partner's uniqueness.
WEEKEND OVERVIEW
CLASSES
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Classes will be held on Saturday & Sunday at St Aloysius Secondary School in the city centre during the daytime. Free car parking is available.
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Your Lindy Hop classes will be taught by our favourite Barcelonés Uxue & Gerard.
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Your Balboa class will be taught by the wonderful Brian & Martha.
PARTIES
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The Saturday evening party will at the fabulous "Address Hotel" in St Luke's. Grab your glad rags and swing out to live jazz by the Cormac Hennessy Quartet and enjoy special performances. Show us your skills at the 60 Second Showcase!
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The Farewell Tea Dance on Sunday afternoon will be at the Cricket Club. Swungover or supercharged, you don't want to miss this chance to dance to live Jazz from Cork's favourite Underscore Orkestra!
VENUES
The Address Hotel Cork
Formally known as the Ambassador Hotel, The Address has the perfect mix of elegance and old-world charm. Dress up and get down to some of Cork's best jazz musicians!
Military Hill, St Lukes, Cork. T23T292
Cricket Club
A venue synonymous with swing dancing in Cork, the Cricket Club hosts our Farewell Tea Dance. Don't go home without a cuppa and cake on us!
Mardyke Walk, Cork. T12YN61
St Al's School
We are lucky to have a large and airy venue for classes right in the heart of Cork City. It's also perfectly located near cafes and restaurants for those essential in between class pick me ups!
Sharman Crawford St, Cork. T12RK03
BANDS
Cormac Hennessy Quartet
We are delighted to welcome back 2025's festival headliners, the Cormac Hennessy Quartet. Cormac is a composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist, and also leads weekly Jazz Jams in Cork City. Expect your favourite Jazz tunes with a surprise original or two!
Playing @ Saturday Evening hotel party
The Underscore Orkestra
Led by Jorge Kachmari, the Underscore Orkestra has a unique blend of hot jazz, swing, and Americana. If you haven't heard or danced to them before, you are in for a treat!
Playing @ Sunday afternoon farewell dance
LEVELS & TICKETS
IMPROVER/
INTERMEDIATE
Let our teachers help you to strengthen your basics and introduce new rhythms and concepts to your dancing. In this level, you are comfortable leading/following core rhythms and shapes of Lindy Hop, such as Frankie 6s, Circles, and Skip Ups, to slow/mid tempos.
Lindy Hop Experience: This is not a beginner-level track. As a guideline, you have taken Lindy Hop classes for a minimum of 3 months. If you would prefer a gentler learning pace, then this is the track for you.
Balboa Experience: None, Some or Lots. Just tick whichever applies to you when booking, and we will take care of the
rest.
Hours: 2 hours Lindy Hop , 1.5 hours Balboa plus all parties.
ADVANCED/
ADVANCED +
Are you ready to be challenged and inspired? Our teachers will push your dancing to new heights with complex material and deeper concepts, while always remaining faithful to underlying fundamentals. At this level, be prepared to dance out of your comfort zone.
This track is now sold out.
Please note: Due to the number of registrations, this level will be split into two groups for the weekend.
Lindy Hop Experience: As a guideline, you have taken Lindy Hop classes for a minimum of 1.5 years.
Balboa Experience: None, Some or Lots. Just tick whichever applies to you when booking and we will take care of the rest.
Hours: 3.5 Lindy Hop, 1.5 hours Balboa plus all parties.
REGISTRATION
CLOSED
CONTACT US
Contact
Tom & Rachel
Address
Classes held in Cork city
St Aloysius School (Thurs)
