Meet the PLS Board

Chair of the Board

Austin Neverman has pursued his passion for dance since 2007, and wears many hats within the dance community: event director, international competitor, dance instructor, dance troupe director, DJ, and performing artist. He is based in Portland, Oregon, but has roots in Iowa, where he helped expand the Eastern Iowa swing scene. Austin specializes in Lindy Hop and West Coast Swing, competing in both dance roles (lead & follow). With a professional repertoire that also includes ballroom dancing, Argentine Tango, Line Dancing, and West Coast Swing (to name a few), his dancing incorporates many influences. On any given week, you can find Austin spreading his love for dance by playing DJ, teaching group and private lessons, or planning for dance events.

President

Darcie has been dancing in Portland since 2016. She first learned to swing out in Phoenix in 2006 and has been inexorably drawn to the music, the dance, and the community ever since. She is passionate about individual expression and musicality and tries hard to advocate for these qualities in every dance lesson. She dances lindy hop, balboa, and solo jazz with great joy and is cautiously optimistic about shag (in small doses). You can find her at all kinds of dances in Portland as well as teaching at The Viscount Dance Studio.

Treasurer

Katy Spray started swing dancing in 1998 in California. She has always been passionate about developing new dancers and introducing people to the joy of swing dance. Her dance focus is on all vintage swing dances, particularly Balboa and Lindy Hop. In addition to swing, she also has experience in west coast swing, tap, ballet, modern, hip hop, irish, ballroom and belly dance. She has two children and is an accountant in her alternate life.

Secretary

Meet Alberto, an avid Lindy Hop dancer from Vancouver, Washington, who began serving as the role of secretary for the Portland Lindy Society in 2023. Since 2016, he has been fully immersed in the delightful world of Lindy Hop, complementing his experience in ballroom dancing. But Alberto's passion for Lindy Hop extends beyond the dance floor, as he cherishes the growth of a vibrant and connected dance community. With his welcoming demeanor, contagious enthusiasm, and commitment to spreading joy through dance, Alberto is set to make a lasting impact on Portland's thriving Lindy Hop scene.

Member At Large

Mitchell Daniels first began dancing in Corvallis around 2014 through intro classes at OSU. After moving to Los Angeles in 2016, he immersed himself in a variety of vintage swing dances-the technique of movement and connection therein-before returning to his native Portland in 2021. He is passionate about the history of both swing music and dance, as well as how it develops in the future. Lindy Hop is his first and favorite, but he also dances Collegiate Shag, Solo Jazz, and a little Balboa.

Member At Large

Shelly first fell in love with Lindy Hop in 1994 at a middle school summer program in Portland. Being a 7th generation Portlander, she delights in getting to dance, not only to the same music, but in the same places as her grandparents, who happened to meet during a dance at Norse Hall in the 1940s.
In addition to swing, she dances most ballroom dances and is excited to be learning Slow Balboa. The thing Shelly loves most about Lindy Hop is the moment of silliness on the dance floor that can make two strangers instant friends and turn a bad day into a good one. Shelly loves to follow but she also welcomes opportunities to be pushed out of her comfort zone to lead as well - so ask her to dance!

Member at Large

Molly McCarthy first tried swing dancing when she was in middle school. She was bitten by the jitterbug, and she finally got her chance again in 2017. After moving to Portland, she had the opportunity to try different styles of swing dancing. She dances lindy hop, a teensy bit of balboa, and is a collegiate shag enthusiast. Molly developed a passion for dancing shag after taking local classes and hopes to encourage interest once again in Portland. What she loves most about dancing shag is the energy and individual styling each person brings to it. Happiest when she’s on the dance floor, ask her for a dance the next time you see her.

Member At Large

Kayla first began her dance journey in Boston, Massachusetts in the summer of 2016 after being introduced to Lindy Hop by a dear friend who invited Kayla to her first Battle of the Bands. Despite having no prior dance experience the Boston community welcomed her with open arms and from there she was hooked. After taking a few years off from dance to focus on graduate school, Kayla found her love of Lindy Hop again when she moved to Portland in the summer of 2022. From there she started going to workshops, taking private lessons and attending dance exchanges to further grow her love and vocabulary of Lindy Hop. She enjoys the challenge it brings her and how it incorporates her other passion of improv comedy with the approach of "yes and...", allowing her to find her voice on the dance floor. She has a special passion for Charleston and hopes to continue to learn more conversational lindy, grow her role as a lead, and dive into other styles such as Solo Jazz, Balboa and Shag.
As a board member, Kayla hopes to cultivate a warm and welcoming atmosphere for other dancers and further build the community she loves. She wants every dancer to feel like they have a home and safe space on the dance floor, allowing them to be their full authentic selves as they spread the joy dance brings.

Member At Large

Augustin started dancing in 2024, and was able to bring his long musical background to his dancing. He got up to speed quickly with the help of his sister Hannah and joined the PLS board with the goal of making lindy hop accessible for people who aren’t lucky enough to have a cool dancer sister to practice with. He mainly leads, but also follows a little and really likes switching, and he loves dancing with advanced dancers and beginners alike.