Candidate Bios

President

Mike Sluyter
Mike actively teaches, dances, and promotes lindyhop around Austin. He's been dancing for almost a decade, and has taught with Four on the Floor for the last five years. He has also explored other dance forms, such as West Coast Swing, Balboa, Blues, Tap, African, the Chicken Dance, and the Macarena. He stays in touch with the national dance community through travel to exchanges/events and participation in various online discussion boards. By day, he's a software engineer.

As a member of the board, his goals would include: 1) growing our community in creative ways, 2) partnering with other organizations in order to broaden our visibility and member base, 3) organizing cool events to inspire and motivate our members, 4) making our scene even more beginner friendly, and 5) overthrowing the government of Belgium.

Ruth Calisch
I was born and grew up in the south, but moved to our fair City of Austin when I was ten years old. I love to paint, dance and eat at great Austin restaurants. I have spent the last three and a half years dancing my heart out in Austin's delightful Lindy scene.

I have had several interesting jobs including working for a small, Austin salad dressing company for four years; Working for a high end jewelry company for two years; being a nanny for triplets, I started when they were two months old and I still take care of them at three and a half years old part time. Needless to say they have massively improved my patience levels. I am currently a self employed "hair shortener" by day and an aspiring "ridiculously good dancer" by night.

Scott Angelius
Scott Angelius has been an active member within the Austin swing and lindy hop scene since 1998. He has contributed to the community by teaching, mentoring, DJing, volunteering, and directing various events. Scott also ran a UT swing club for two years, taught and worked with Four on the Floor for four years, and is now teaching and organizing events with The Lindy Project.

This will be the first time Scott has run for the Syndicate board and he is very excited for the potential to further grow the lindy hop community. Scott is committed to increasing the number of people who share the love for this dance as well as increase the confidence and ability of dancers of all skill levels. He is also committed that the Syndicate dances / our community be open, inviting, and inspiring to everyone.

Vice President

Laura Glaess
Laura Glaess has been an active participant of the Austin Swing Syndicate since before she lived in Austin. She has consistently attended almost every Syndicate event for the past 5 years and has a strong desire to improve the Austin swing community so that more lives can be changed through the power of lindy hop.

As a board member, her goals will be to expand the membership of the Austin Swing Syndicate and to really fill out the Fed. She would like to bring more teachers to Austin for workshops and other events. She would like to influence the Austin community through providing a positive, friendly dancing roll model (the community, after all, is what makes Austin one of the best lindy scenes in the nation). She would also like to work on the structure of the board itself to make participation therein easier for all future board members.

Mike Sluyter
Mike actively teaches, dances, and promotes lindyhop around Austin. He's been dancing for almost a decade, and has taught with Four on the Floor for the last five years. He has also explored other dance forms, such as West Coast Swing, Balboa, Blues, Tap, African, the Chicken Dance, and the Macarena. He stays in touch with the national dance community through travel to exchanges/events and participation in various online discussion boards. By day, he's a software engineer.

As a member of the board, his goals would include: 1) growing our community in creative ways, 2) partnering with other organizations in order to broaden our visibility and member base, 3) organizing cool events to inspire and motivate our members, 4) making our scene even more beginner friendly, and 5) overthrowing the government of Belgium.

Treasurer

Jennifer Humphreys
I have an alias life that most people don't know about. I usually describe myself as an Accountant by day, Dancer by night. My co-workers find it difficult to believe that I go out dancing almost every night of the week. While, my dancing friends finds don't quite understand how I can count beans all day long. Needless to say, I love both of these aspects in my daily life. In my spare time, I'm either working on my dancing activities that support the dance community, or I'm helping friends with their taxes and small businesses.

For those of you who need a little bit more of resume type reasons why I'm qualified for the Treasury position, here's a list.

Education:

BBA in Accounting - The University of Georgia

Masters in Accounting - The University of Texas

Work Experience:

Small Family Business

Tax

Industry

Public w/ Big 4 Firm

Secretary

Mike Roberts
I have been dancing for about six years. My dance birthplace is San Antonio, but Austin has always been my real dance home. I was one of the founders of the San Antonio Swing Dance Society and worked on the board or as an instructor from its inception in December 2000 until my official move to Austin last March. As a member of the Syndicate Board, I hope to grow Austin into the best Lindy Hop scene in the country. To this end, I would like to see greater numbers at our Thursday evening dance, revitalize the monthly Go Dance event, and help the Syndicate throw workshops and other events throughout the year. I would also like the Syndicate to support our dancers in traveling to dance events because I believe that what dancers learn around the world benefits Austin by providing new ideas and inspiration. w00t!

At Large

Alice Johnson
I have been enjoying dancing at the Fed for the last 3 years and have taken the classes with four on the floor for 2 of those three years. I also like the side room, especially when it's Blues. Other dances I enjoy are Zydeco, International Folk Dance and Salsa. I find time to dance 2-3 nights a week besides the dance at the Fed.

I am currently also on the board as Secretary for the Tongue and Groove Theatre group. I will be hosting 3 people (maybe more) for the Austin Lindy Exchange, and plan to attend all the events!

Bill Borgida
I have been involved in organizing, teaching, promoting swing dancing for the past 20+ years. I helped spawn one of the most successful swing dance communities (Ithaca) in the country.

If elected I would like to offer my expertise and advise to help keep the Austin community thriving and expanding. Specifically I'd like to keep the quality of music very high, the social atmosphere warm and friendly, and help facilitate meaningful and fun special events.

While I will be out of town for periods of time I think I can still make a quality contribution.

Brian Lasseter
Brian "Lasso" Lasseter was born in Florida, and attended college at Georgia Tech. While there he learned Lindy Hop and gained political experience serving 3 years in the Georgia Tech Undergraduate House of Representatives. Lasso graduated Georgia Tech in 2001, moved to north Austin, and started dancing with the Austin Swing Syndicate. During the past several years Lasso has enjoyed swing dancing in Austin and meeting people at the Fed dance every Thursday. Lasso has served previously as a "Member-At-Large" for the Austin Swing Syndicate, and would love the opportunity to serve again.

Jake Haning
I've been actively involved in swing dancing since 1998, and i've been teaching and dancing in Austin for almost three years. My favorite dance is Lindy hop because you can express a playful side that you don't get to in other dances. My favorite part of the Austin swing scene is the quality of the dancers that we have and how friendly everyone is.

I would like to grow the numbers of the people that are actively participating at Syndiacte events. I would like to have 300 people at the Fed at 11pm. That would make the Fed a place that everyone really looked forward to going to each week and told their friends about. I would also like to encourage people to improve their dancing and start competing.

Karri Martin
My name is Karri Martin and I have been a member of the Austin Swing Syndicate since I fell in love with lindy hop four years ago. When I am not dancing, I enjoy hanging out with friends, listening to music, and spending time outside. I also greatly enjoy my job as a nurse in a labor and delivery unit.

Martin Gao
martin has been a member of the Austin Swing Syndicate for over 4 years, and considers himself a avid social dancer. Normally, he is the dashingly handsome Asian gentleman hanging at the front of the fed, or at one of the many music venues around town. When the music starts, however, martin morphs into SuperMonkey TM, making faces and flinging poo from across the room. martin prefers dancing to blues, hot jazz, and 70's disco over conventional pop or country music.

He has been serving as a member at large at the syndicate for the past year, and has done work to promote events such as the Central Market Jack and Jill and Austin Lindy Exchange. He travels often for dance and raves about the Austin balboa scene. If you vote for martin, he promises to lower your taxes and pull our troops out of Iraq in a sensible but speedily way. Thank you.

Mike Sluyter
Mike actively teaches, dances, and promotes lindyhop around Austin. He's been dancing for almost a decade, and has taught with Four on the Floor for the last five years. He has also explored other dance forms, such as West Coast Swing, Balboa, Blues, Tap, African, the Chicken Dance, and the Macarena. He stays in touch with the national dance community through travel to exchanges/events and participation in various online discussion boards. By day, he's a software engineer.

As a member of the board, his goals would include: 1) growing our community in creative ways, 2) partnering with other organizations in order to broaden our visibility and member base, 3) organizing cool events to inspire and motivate our members, 4) making our scene even more beginner friendly, and 5) overthrowing the government of Belgium.

Randy Pond
Raised by a pack of feral were-penguins, Randy's introduction into the world was scary affair. He escaped the inevitable doom as a lyncanthropic flightless bird, and sought other avenues. Chainsaw juggling. Cross country bowling. And of course, dance.

After a few run-in's and a restraining order from the Arthur Murray's school of dance, Randy eventually found his way to Four on the Floor. From there he bloomed into a budding Brashnikov. With emphasis on the Brash.

Randy enjoys any dance that starts with a B and has a L. Blues and Balboa. And of course, Balanese Bellydance. He believes that we should rename the "Texas Tommy" to the "Buda Bob," and that the "Tacky Annie" should be taught on the first day of class. He firmly believes that "The Squat" should be removed from any way, shape, or form of Blues dancing.

And yes, Randy knows that he mispeled Brashinkov.

Scott Angelius
Scott Angelius has been an active member within the Austin swing and lindy hop scene since 1998. He has contributed to the community by teaching, mentoring, DJing, volunteering, and directing various events. Scott also ran a UT swing club for two years, taught and worked with Four on the Floor for four years, and is now teaching and organizing events with The Lindy Project.

This will be the first time Scott has run for the Syndicate board and he is very excited for the potential to further grow the lindy hop community. Scott is committed to increasing the number of people who share the love for this dance as well as increase the confidence and ability of dancers of all skill levels. He is also committed that the Syndicate dances / our community be open, inviting, and inspiring to everyone.

Sherry Mundell
Sherry Mundell has been swing dancing since 1998 and still loves it! She was a founding member of the Austin Swing Syndicate and is committed to keeping the dance community here vibrant and full of dance opportunities. Sherry is passionate about dancing in general but in particular Lindy Hop. She has traveled extensively in the U.S. solely for Swing dance and knows how lucky we are to have an organization like the Syndicate; and also that we need to keep improving and growing and finding new ways to reach out to dancers new and old to keep a good thing going!

Vanessa Sheilds
Vanessa Shields has been dancing in the lindy hop community since 2002. She has been a volunteer many times for swing dances and workshops. She occasionally taught with Vero Beach's Swingsation and was Florida State University's Swing Dance Union President for one year. Vanessa is currently a teacher assistant for The Lindy Project.

Vanessa enjoys sharing her passion for dancing with others. She takes pleasure in helping others learn and aiding the growth of the community. She is eager to further support the Austin scene through the Swing Syndicate.

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