Board Members
Terry Bouricius
Board President, Treasurer, Instructor/DJ
Terry has taught thousands of students the basics of East Coast swing in Vermont since 1983. Students appreciate his detailed break-down of moves and fun style of teaching. While he dabbles with other dance styles, including various ballroom dances and Argentine Tango, swing is his mainstay. In addition to his passion for social dancing and local politics, Terry spends a great deal of time as a house husband, and along with his wife and dance partner, Cate, raising their two children.
Cate Lamb
Co-Treasurer, Band Coordinator, Instructor
Cate met her husband, Terry Bouricius, while a student in his Latin ballroom dance class in 1988. Shortly thereafter, Terry taught Cate East Swing and they have been swing dancing together ever since. They began Lindy in 1993 on their honeymoon in Seattle, WA. Cate works as a middle school teacher, co-teaches many of our dance lessons with Terry, and is Vermont Swings band coordinator and co-treasurer.
John Antram
Co-Treasurer, Instructor/DJ
A swing dancer since 2002, John has taken classes with top instructors from around the world and travels to many events, returning with new moves and excitement for whatever event is next. Known for his easygoing classes, he enthusiastically helps others learn, in a friendly and comfortable atmosphere. John has been serving as DJ for several years and always has an ear open for new music. You can find him at virtually every Vermont Swings practice session, event, and class.
Luc Cohen-Wanis
Curriculum Committee Coordinator, Instructor/DJ
A SoCal native, Luc learned to dance at Atomic Ballroom in Irvine, California. Since then, he’s danced, performed, and competed all over the US and Canada. Luc teaches Lindy Hop and Balboa classes and private lessons and enjoys sharing his passion for these dances with anyone eager to learn. When he’s not dancing, you can find him out playing Disc Golf, hiking with his dog Bella, or working on his PhD at UVM.
Lisa Pompei
Board Member, Instructor/DJ
Lisa spent many of her early years dancing informally whenever she had the chance. She was always inspired by watching other dancers in movies and on stage, especially high energy swing dancing and wanted very much to get thrown in to the air! Upon moving to Vermont, Lisa began taking lessons at Vermont Swings in 2016, and soon began performing with Just for Kicks, adding choreography for the dance troupe to her repertoire. Her favorite dances are Lindy Hop, Charleston and Collegiate Shag, and if there were more hours in the day, there would be more dances to enjoy. When she’s not dancing, she’s raising her 2 daughters and works as a nurse. Lisa hopes to inspire others that admire dance to come join this wonderful community. It’s well worth the time and effort to do something healthy for mind and body and make some fabulous friends!
Ethan Guillemette
Board Member
Bio Coming Soon
Kevin Laddison
Board Member
Photo & Bio Coming Soon
Instructors
Jessie Blake
Instructor/DJ, Resident Hype Announcer
Jessie has been joyously dancing through her life since elementary school. She has explored many forms of dance including tap, jazz, salsa, and stepping. She began taking dance classes again as an adult in 2016. She loves all forms of dance, but especially loves the joyous and playful expression of lindy hop and the warm and welcoming community of Vermont Swings. In addition to her experience dancing, she is a licensed Vermont educator and has been the director of an independent middle school since 2017. She started teaching with Vermont Swings in January of 2023 and loves to encourage new students and help them find joy in learning. Jessie joined the Vermont Swings board in May of 2023 and is excited to help foster the growth of this wonderful multigenerational community.
Eric Recchia
Instructor/DJ
Eric took his first dance lesson when he was 10, when his mother needed a partner to practice two step dancing around the local community center. He began taking regular dance lessons in salsa and other related styles of latin dance in his early 20s. He took his first swing dance lesson at Humboldt State in 2014, before moving to Vermont in 2015. He first began teaching swing dance with Vermont Swings in 2016, and has continued to teach with them regularly since then in various styles, including Lindy Hop, Collegiate Shag, Charleston, and Balboa. Eric greatly enjoys teaching swing to both brand new and experienced dancers alike, and particularly enjoys sharing his love of Collegiate Shag. When traveling, he is sure to visit the local swing dance scene and treasures the memories he’s made connecting with people around the world through swing dancing.
Olya Parshina
Instructor
Olya first started dancing when her mom took her, a five-year-old girl, to the ballet school in Russia. Going through many years of ballet experience, contemporary dancing, Irish dancing, she finally discovered Lindy hop in 2011. Since that time, it has been Olya’s love and passion. Olya started teaching Lindy hop more than a decade ago at the local swing dance scenes in the USA and then also internationally. She traveled to countless dance events, took part (and even won) multiple national and international competitions. Her style of swing dancing features detailed following, attention to technicality, creativity, humor, and most importantly, having fun.
Christianna Irish
Instructor
Whether it was classical ballet, salsa, Viennese waltz, or West Coast Swing, Christianna has been dancing for as long as she can remember. She picked up Lindy Hop about 12 years ago and has taught dance classes throughout the state for about a decade. When she’s not dancing, you’ll find her working at a chocolate company, hanging out with family, traveling, or doing projects on her Victorian house. (Photo Coming Soon)
Brad Thompson
Instructor
Photo & Bio Coming Soon
Celia Watson
Instructor
Lindy hop has been a part of Celia’s life since 2013, where she discovered the joy of the dance and social dancing at Middlebury Swing Club. Since then, she has danced in Portland Maine, Boston, and also regularly attends multiple regional Lindy hop events. Celia started dancing at Vermont Swings in 2022, and is excited for others to join the community to make new connections and express themselves. In her classes, Celia strives to make dancing feel engaging and approachable for all dancers, and also seeks to share history of the dance to recognize its roots and creators. Celia is a special education teacher, and loves to combine her enthusiasm for education and dancing together through teaching at Vermont Swings.
Juliana Dixon
Instructor
Photo & Bio Coming Soon