Vermont Swings | Who We Are

John Antram
Instructor / DJ / Co-treasurer

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.

Jessie Blake
Instructor/DJ

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.

Terry Bouricius
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
INSTRUCTOR / CO-TREASURER / BAND COORDINATOR

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.

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.

Jean Elizabeth Shockley
Instructor / DJ / Communications Coordinator

Jean Elizabeth started social/partner dancing in 1995 in Philadelphia. She has served on the board of the Philadelphia Swing Dance Society and the Connecticut Swing Dance Society and has been a member of the Vermont Swings board since 2013. Serving as an instructor, DJ, and dance coordinator for Vermont Swings, Jean Elizabeth also teaches East Coast Swing, Texas Two Step, Waltz, and Latin dancing. She works with bands (Starline Rhythm Boys; Big Hat, No Cattle; and Girl Howdy) at public and private gigs to get the dancing started with preshow lessons. Jean Elizabeth is known for her unique dance style and sense of rhythm and musicality, enjoying the chance to be a catalyst for dancing wherever music can be found.

Lisa Pompeii
Instrutor/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 quickly became a regular at classes and dances, and soon began performing with Just for Kicks, adding choreography for the dance troupe to her repertoire. Always a fan of big band, Lisa loves how dance gives you something to do with the music that you love other than just listen. She is amazed that you can swing dance anywhere in the world and people share that common language. Her favorite dances are East Coast Swing, 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!

Luc Cohen-Wanis
Instructor / DJ

A Southern California native, Luc learned to dance in middle school. Since then, he's performed and competed all over the West Coast and has social danced at many Lindy Hop exchanges and weekend events. Luc has been teaching classes and private lessons in Vermont since Spring 2021 and enjoys sharing his passion for Lindy Hop with anyone eager to learn.