About the Hosts

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

WPI’s ballroom history began in 1998 as the Dance Club advised by faculty member Hossein Hakim. Lessons were originally taught by students, but as this became impractical the club turned to Gary Jacobik from Arthur Murray Ballroom Dance Studio as an instructor. In 2002 the officer board decided to focus on growing as a club and hired Norm Thibeault from Fred Astaire Dance Studio as their new instructor who taught one lesson a week. After a budget and constitution were drawn up, the WPI Ballroom Dance Team was born. They competed together for the first time in 2003 at Holy Cross. The team has continued to grow since then and competes frequently in the Boston area.