The story of Austin Swing Syndicate began in early 1999, when you could hear swing music at nearly every club in town. However, as the national swing craze (remember this?) started winding down, Austin swing dancers were running out of live music venues. They needed a consistent place to dance that they could call home.

At this juncture, our founders Burk McRae and Amanda Matthews came up with the idea to start the Austin Swing Syndicate. They rallied the dancers in town to the cause, getting them involved and excited. Once Burk and Amanda, with the help of many local dance supporters, got the funds together, they hosted their first dance in June 1999. As word spread about the Thursday night dances, more and more people came.

Later that year, a large group of swing dancers in town went to Swing Out New Hampshire, a week-long dance camp, and came back inspired after seeing how amazing the dancers were around the country. They could see the potential to hold a similar event for Austin’s own swing dance community. That inspiration turned into another Austin tradition, the Austin Lindy Exchange (ALX). In November 2000, the first ALX took place; it was deemed the “72 Degrees Exchange” due to Austin’s mild fall climate. Ironically, a cold front blew in and the temperature was closer to 42!

Since then, there have been many contributors to the success of the Austin Swing Syndicate and ALX, and we know there will be many more in the future!

 

Founders

Burk McRae & Amanda Matthews

 

Officers

1999 (June – November)

  • President – Burk McRae
  • VP – Amanda Matthews
  • Beth Mayoff
  • Keely Locke
  • Matt Stephans
  • Technical – Jason Baker

1999–2000

  • President – Karin Cross
  • VP – Christine DeAsis
  • Financial – Hong Tran
  • Secretary – Brandy Bassett
  • Social – Carol Harrison
  • PR – Keely Locke
  • Technical – Matt Stephans
  • Events – Harold Clarke
  • Historian – Mandy Akin

2000–2001

  • President – Christine DeAsis / Brian Chen
  • VP – Brian Chen
  • Financial – Josh Ellinger
  • Secretary – Susan Snyder
  • Social – Michelle Maness / Angela Kieke / Sarah Akin
  • PR – Keely Locke
  • Technical – Matt Stephans
  • Events – Harold Clarke
  • Historian – Christine Price

2001–2002

  • President – Josh Ellinger
  • VP – Mandy Akin
  • Treasurer – Matt Stephans
  • At Large – Laura Malloy
  • At Large – Burk McRae
  • At Large – Jeramie Anderson
  • At Large – Nathan Malone
  • At Large – Angela Kieke
  • At Large – Sarah Akin

2002–2003

  • President – Matt Stephans
  • VP – Nathan Malone
  • Treasurer – Matt Fisher
  • At Large – Matt Jones
  • At Large – Craig Williams
  • At Large – Clint Zehner
  • At Large – Alexis Furuichi

2003–2004

  • President – Matt Stephans
  • VP – Shellie Faught
  • Treasurer – Matt Fisher
  • Secretary – Alexis Furuichi
  • Technical – Clint Zehner
  • At Large – Brian Lasseter
  • At Large – Nikolaus Walch

2004–2005

  • President – Matt Fisher
  • VP – Mary Grabhorn
  • Treasurer – Patrick Warren
  • Secretary – Wendy Conti
  • At Large – Brian Lasseter
  • At Large –Chichi Nwokolo
  • At Large – Keryn Glasser

2005–2006

  • President – Tina Davis
  • VP – Clint Zehner
  • Treasurer – Peter Sassone
  • Secretary – Susan Shelton
  • At Large – Martin Gao
  • At Large – Andrew Lee
  • At Large – Chris Zehner

2006–2007

  • President – Scott Angelius
  • VP – Laura Glaess
  • Treasurer – Jennifer Humphreys
  • Secretary – Mike Roberts
  • At Large – Martin Gao
  • At Large – Mike Sluyter
  • At Large – Karri Martin

Coordinators:

  • Staffing – Kira Withrow
  • DJ – Colin Wise
  • Tech – Clint Zehner
  • PR – Brian Lasseter
  • Historian – Jordan Forbes

2007–2008

  • President – Stephanie Jordan
  • Vice President – Keith Shapiro
  • Secretary – Alice Johnson
  • Treasurer – Lenore Saltz
  • At Large – Brian Lasseter
  • At Large – Jordan Forbes
  • At Large – Bill Borgida

2008-2009

  • President – Brian Lasseter
  • Vice President – Jordan Forbes
  • Secretary – Sabrina Vega
  • Treasurer – Jennifer Humphries
  • At Large – David Bradford
  • At Large – Chris Mayer
  • At Large – Jeremy Emack

2009-2010

  • President – Dave Bradford
  • Vice President – Reed Penney
  • Secretary – Ben West
  • Treasurer – Philippe Wilson
  • At Large – Chia-wen Lin
  • At Large – Wendy Beathard
  • At Large – Mallory Grigg

October 2010- February 2012

  • President – Laura Glaess
  • Vice President – Audrey Alberthal
  • Secretary – Sarah Simon
  • Treasurer – Philippe Wilson
  • At Large – Lindsay Chronister
  • At Large – Eric Lim
  • At Large – Chia-wen Lin

2012-2013

  • President – Lindsay Chronister
  • Vice President – Jonathan Jow
  • Secretary – Nathan Malone
  • Treasurer – Philippe Wilson
  • At Large – Catie Johnston
  • At Large – Wes Phillips
  • At Large – John Woods

2013-2014

  • President – Jonathan Jow
  • Vice President – Lindsay Chronister
  • Secretary – John Woods
  • Treasurer – Philippe Wilson
  • At Large – Justin Lin
  • At Large – Dominique Vyborny
  • At Large – Sadie Garcia

2014-2015

  • President – Jonathan Jow
  • Vice President – Empty
  • Secretary – Empty
  • Treasurer – Eric Lim
  • At Large – Jillian Benavidez
  • At Large – Justin Lin
  • At Large – Sarah Pederson

2015

  • President – Mike Roberts
  • Vice President – Nathan Malone
  • Secretary – Robbie Meshbane
  • Treasurer – Dale Simpson
  • At Large – Lizi George
  • At Large – Jennifer Banister
  • At Large – JP Navarro

2016

  • President – Robbie Meshbane
  • Vice President – Arnica Grace
  • Secretary – Lizi George
  • Treasurer – Rosemary Graber
  • At Large – Victor Celania
  • At Large – Jin Young Cha
  • At Large – JP Navarro

2017

  • President – Deb Tindle
  • Vice President – Jin Young Cha
  • Secretary – Rosemary Graber/Cole Weaver
  • Treasurer – Lizi George
  • At Large – Victor Celania
  • At Large – Robbie Meshbane
  • At Large – Nick Williams

2018

  • President – Deb Tindle
  • Vice President – Jin Young Cha
  • Secretary – Daniel Young
  • Treasurer – Lizi George
  • At Large – Emelise Baldwin
  • At Large – Caitlin McTaggart
  • At Large – Nick Williams

2019

  • President – Deb Tindle
  • Vice President – Caitlin McTaggart
  • Secretary – Daniel Young
  • Treasurer – Simon Cruanes
  • At Large – Alex Barr
  • At Large – Ale (-x) Mier
  • At Large – Nick Williams

2020

  • President – Deb Tindle
  • Vice President – Caitlin McTaggart
  • Secretary – Jennifer Reed
  • Treasurer – Simon Cruanes
  • At Large – Daniel Young
  • At Large – Ale Mier
  • At Large – Nick Williams

2021

  • President – Nick Williams
  • Vice President – Ale Mier
  • Secretary – Jennifer Reed
  • Treasurer – Deb Tindle
  • At Large – Daniel Young
  • At Large – Rick Elrod
  • At Large – Jim Shepherd

2022

  • President – Nick Williams
  • Vice President – Kari Kron
  • Secretary – Daniel Young
  • Treasurer – Phillip Wiemeyer
  • At Large –Ale Mier
  • At Large – Rick Elrod
  • At Large – Jim Shepherd

2023

  • President – Nick Williams
  • Vice President – Kari Kron
  • Secretary – Nicole Currens
  • Treasurer – Phillip Wiemeyer
  • At Large –Amanda Eakin
  • At Large – Rick Elrod
  • At Large – Lon Nix