Our Club Directors
Joel Hunter
President
Joel has been dancing since 2003 in a wide variety of dances, has been teaching dance since 2005, and opened up his own studio in 2007 in order to build the dance scene in Boise. Continuing to grow the community to this day, Joel owns and operates Heirloom: A Dance Company and organizes Boise's largest Swing event 'Boise City Swing.' Skilled in various styles of Ballroom, Latin, and Swing, he specializes on dances that focus on improvisation, creativity, lead/follow, musicality, and connection. His innovative and unconventional teaching style has helped many students grow in their dance by giving them the tools they need to creativity interpret the music and clearly communicate with their partner.
Jennifer Babione
Vice President
Jennifer began couples dancing in 2002. She started Lessons in Dance in 2006, and has been teaching swing and country dance in the Treasure Valley ever since. She competes nationally on the West Coast Swing and UCWDC circuits and travels the Northwest to teach and compete. She offers private and group lessons in West Coast Swing, Night Club Two Step, Country Two Step, Hustle, Cha-Cha, Polka, and East Coast Swing. Jennifer was our swing club president for six years and also served as vice president and treasurer.
Jasmine Hanson
Secretary
No information to share as yet.
Ana Madigan
Interim Treasurer
In 2010 I retired to Idaho and it was in 2011 that I was introduced to the HDSDC' monthly dances and lessons. Music holds a special place in my heart as I grew up dancing Salsa, Cha cha and merengue. I have served in three different positions on the board and look forward to helping others enjoy dancing as much as I do by providing music they can dance to. I have 5 grandsons that also keep me busy and two daughters I love dearly.
Debbie Cook
Events Director
Debbie grew up in a small western Montana town and started dancing when she was old enough to sneak into the local honky tonk bar to dance country swing with the cowboys! In the late 1990's she became a passionate student of dance, taking lessons in all couples dance styles and often social dancing seven nights a week. She has competed on the United Country Western Dance Council (UCWDC) circuit for 23 years, graduating from amateur to professional and winning 4 UCWDC World Championships. Debbie is accomplished in ballroom, country and west coast swing, and continues to share her passion for dance through teaching group and private lessons, and coaching/dancing with her UCWDC pro-am students. She is also a choreographer and UCWDC apprentice judge.
Cathy Henry
Advisor
Cathy served as our swing club 2022 and 2023 HDSDC treasurer
Our Club Directors
Joel Hunter
President
Joel has been dancing since 2003 in a wide variety of dances, has been teaching dance since 2005, and opened up his own studio in 2007 in order to build the dance scene in Boise. Continuing to grow the community to this day, Joel owns and operates Heirloom: A Dance Company and organizes Boise's largest Swing event 'Boise City Swing.' Skilled in various styles of Ballroom, Latin, and Swing, he specializes on dances that focus on improvisation, creativity, lead/follow, musicality, and connection. His innovative and unconventional teaching style has helped many students grow in their dance by giving them the tools they need to creativity interpret the music and clearly communicate with their partner.
Jennifer Babione
Vice President
Jennifer began couples dancing in 2002. She started Lessons in Dance in 2006, and has been teaching swing and country dance in the Treasure Valley ever since. She competes nationally on the West Coast Swing and UCWDC circuits and travels the Northwest to teach and compete. She offers private and group lessons in West Coast Swing, Night Club Two Step, Country Two Step, Hustle, Cha-Cha, Polka, and East Coast Swing. Jennifer was our swing club president for six years and also served as vice president and treasurer.
Jasmine Hanson
Secretary
No information to share as yet.
Ana Madigan
Interim Treasurer
In 2010 I retired to Idaho and it was in 2011 that I was introduced to the HDSDC' monthly dances and lessons. Music holds a special place in my heart as I grew up dancing Salsa, Cha cha and merengue. I have served in three different positions on the board and look forward to helping others enjoy dancing as much as I do by providing music they can dance to. I have 5 grandsons that also keep me busy and two daughters I love dearly.
Debbie Cook
Events Director
Debbie grew up in a small western Montana town and started dancing when she was old enough to sneak into the local honky tonk bar to dance country swing with the cowboys! In the late 1990's she became a passionate student of dance, taking lessons in all couples dance styles and often social dancing seven nights a week. She has competed on the United Country Western Dance Council (UCWDC) circuit for 23 years, graduating from amateur to professional and winning 4 UCWDC World Championships. Debbie is accomplished in ballroom, country and west coast swing, and continues to share her passion for dance through teaching group and private lessons, and coaching/dancing with her UCWDC pro-am students. She is also a choreographer and UCWDC apprentice judge.
Cathy Henry
Advisor
Cathy served as our swing club 2022 and 2023 HDSDC treasurer