Burroughs/Padovan-Hickman (Season 5, Episode 22)

PREMISE

In King George Virginia, DeLaura Padovan and Steve Hickman live in a rustic off-the grid cabin built by Steve and his friends 20 years ago. Because they don't have electricity the family light oil lamps and wear headlamps to see when it's dark, and store food on the porch in a cooler. Steve is a professional fiddler and hambone artist, and DeLaura calls contra and square dances. They earn about $30,000 a year combined and are not concerned with maximizing their income. The family shop for clothes at thrift stores and daughters Tara (11) and Maren (8) have never had a new outfit. Water is considered a precious commodity. The family don't always flush the toilet and share the same bath water. On their 57 acre wooded spread they grow their own vegetables in a greenhouse and farm chickens that provide eggs and goats that produce milk for yogurt and cheese. There is a system of positive reinforcement. If Tara or Maren do something courteous, they get a stone in a jar.

In Williamstown New Jersey, Shannon Nicole and Shannon Michael Burroughs designed their house around a high wattage diamond chandelier so it's glow can be seen from the street. Shannon Nicole is materialistic and spends big bucks on her appearance. She had her lips done 3 times, tattooed her eyebrows so they always look perfect, had breast implants and books appointments at the hair salon a year in advance. Shannon Nicole loves shopping and spends at least $20,000 a year on clothes and loves to wear fur and animal print. The Burroughs stay current with technology. Shannon Michael works as a technology consultant. 6 year old twins Nicholas and Alexa have their own computers and lots of toys. Discipline can include breaking one of their things or bribery. Shannon Nicole likes to dress up and go out with her friends at the bar.

BACKGROUND MUSIC

Ragtime America - Klaus Löhmer

I Couldn't Live Without Your Love- Petula Clark

UPDATE

https://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-xpm-20090413-2009-04-13-0904120103-story.html

The Padovan-Hickmans don't watch TV. DeLaura reads her emails at the library and spotted the national casting call for folk dancers. Their friends urged them to participate, insisting it is all in good fun. Daughters Tara and Maren, also thought the concept was a hoot.

"The idea of someone coming to live here cracked us up from the beginning," DeLaura said.

"Being onstage and in front of others is not that unusual for us," added Steve, who performs regularly in Baltimore, Washington and Richmond. "Ultimately, it's a gig."

The months-long process included a 10-page application, psychological and medical testing and several interviews by the show's producers. After Christmas, they received a phone call: The show had found them a swap family. "Their casting department really did their homework," said DeLaura, 46. "They could not have picked a more opposite family."

In February, the show's producers carted DeLaura off to New Jersey. She had no idea where she was going until she landed on the doorstep of what she calls "a McMansion to the nth degree."

She played Shannon Nicole Burroughs that week, getting her nails done, attending a breast enhancement consultation and applying lots of makeup and hair products. "I thought I looked a lot like Alice Cooper when it was all said and done," said DeLaura, who doesn't ordinarily wear makeup or leopard-print clothing.

Meanwhile, Shannon Nicole carted seven suitcases and three fur coats down the mile-long gravel road to the Padovan-Hickman home. "She brought more clothes for that stretch than the four of us take to three different summer camps," said Steve, 60, who endured being called "Gramps" and "Hick" for the next two weeks. "I just kept telling myself, 'It's a gig - it won't be forever.' "

Steve said Shannon Nicole, 33, criticized the family's frugal lifestyle and insisted the only reason his daughters read was because they were bored.

These days DeLaura works calling square dances. Here is a video of her on December 12, 2014 calling a contra dance at the Spanish Ballroom in Glen Echo, MD. The band playing in the background is an open band, meaning anyone is welcome to come and play.

Here is a video from 2011 with Steve playing the fiddle in the background.

Here is a video of DeLaura playing the guitar in the background.

Steve still practices hambone art. Here is a video of him performing at the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center.

Performing for kids.

Christylez Bacon & Steve Hickman - Beatbox meets Hambone 2013.

Steve Hickman explains how to hambone.

In May 2017, Tara along with Sarah Deroy made a video about food justice as a systemic oppression. This was a project for their Peace Studies class at Northland College.

As of 2022, Tara lives in Ashland Wisconsin and works as a tasting room manager at Bayfield Winery and Blue Ox Cider. Tara has travelled to Greece, Spain, London and Cambodia.

Maren still lives in King George, Virginia and studied at Case Western Reserve University. She has also been to Greece.

DeLaura Padovan is a local food activist, farmer, music educator, social entrepreneur, and community builder. She realized there was a shortage of nurses in her community so in 2019, she got accepted into Drexel University nursing program hoping to gain the skills to help someone in a true medical emergency. Maren and Tara started a GoFundMe to pay for nursing school. 

https://www.gofundme.com/f/send-delaura-to-nursing-school

DeLaura is a singing nurse. In this video she sings the "12 Cranial Nerves" to the tune of "12 Days of Christmas."

Singing in the microbiology lab.

Speaking of nursing, Shannon Nicole is also a nurse. In an interview with abc6 in 2009, Shannon said "Yes, I do like to doll myself up, I like to go shopping, but I'm also a registered nurse, I have a profession, I work hard." She said she's glad to be back home in the Delaware Valley and enjoys all the attention the show has brought.

https://6abc.com/archive/6767783/

Shannon goes by Shannon LV on Facebook and has blonde hair. She had a profile pic with a frame of nurses week and proud to be a nurse.

https://www.facebook.com/shannon.burroughs.94/photos

Here are pictures of Nick and Alexa during graduation.

Nick lives in Sicklerville New Jersey, went to Cherokee High School, studied automotive tech at Universal Technical Institute and is in a relationship with Tori Fante.

Alexa also went to Cherokee High School and works as a swim instructor at Goldfish Swim School.