TEACHERS
The teachers for Asilomar Weekend 2024 are:
Lara Friedman-Shedlov, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Pat Houghton, Edinburgh, Scotland
Mary McQuilliams, Berkeley, California
Fiona Miller, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Ron Wallace, Santa Rosa, California
Lara Friedman-Shedlov, Minneapolis, Minnesota
After absolutely refusing to learn to dance as a child, Lara Friedman-Shedlov accidentally fell in with the New Scotland Country Dance Society while a student at Edinburgh University. Having previously been almost completely abstinent, they became a confirmed dance addict in a matter of months. With Scottish country dancing as their gateway drug, they soon found themself Highland and Scottish step dancing as well. Lara's current repertoire also includes Morris, rapper sword, English clog, and Cape Breton step dancing, but they still consider Scottish country dance their first and most enduring love. Lara lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with partner Dan and two pet rats. When not on the dance floor, they work as an archivist at the University of Minnesota Libraries and compete as a powerlifter. They earned their RSCDS teaching certificate in 2000 and teach regularly for the Twin Cities Branch. Their favorite aspect of SCD is the way the music, the teamwork, and the movement itself come together to create that exhilarating feeling, and their goal as a teacher is to make those moments less elusive.
Lara is beyond excited to experience the magic of Asilomar with all of you this year!
Pat Houghton, Edinburgh, Scotland
I was born in Glencoe, Argyllshire and started dancing when I was a small child. My mother was my first teacher. I have danced all my life and love to dance wherever and whenever possible.
I lived in Easter Ross for 35 years where my husband farmed malting barley to make whisky. We now live in Hampshire but with regular visits to Scotland to recharge the batteries!
I have been a member of several demonstration teams and gained my Teaching Certificates at St Andrews Summer School.
I first taught at St Andrews in 2005 and have been a member of staff there every year since, teaching at all levels of experience. I also enjoy teaching local classes and at day and weekend schools. I have taught several times at RSCDS Winter School in Pitlochry and have been fortunate to teach in many European countries and further afield in Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa and USA.
I particularly enjoy teaching technique and seeing dancers improve while having fun.
Mary McQuilliams, Berkeley, California
I grew up listening to the music of Harry Lauder & the Alexander Brothers that my Scottish mother played on the record player. As a teenager, I knew the words to The Northern Lights of Old Aberdeen just as well as the words to American Pie & Crocodile Rock. It wasn’t until a trip to visit Mom’s family in Scotland, however that I was first introduced to Scottish dancing. We did The Dashing White Sergeant and the Gay Gordons at a party. It was fun and obviously memorable.
I first encountered RSCDS dancing at a tea dance at the Old Town Alexandria Scottish Christmas Walk in Northern Virginia. For something to do as a couple we started taking dance classes the next January and fell in love with the people, the music & the movements. Five years later I obtained my preliminary dance teachers certificate.
In 1996 I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area where I danced with the Berkeley Class and the Dunsmuir Scottish Dancers. In 1999 at the urging of several parents I started teaching the first children’s class in Berkeley. In 1999 I moved to Seaside, Oregon where, with my husband, we started a small Scottish country dance class.
Moving back to the Bay area in 2003, I again took on the Berkeley Youth classes with which I am still involved in today. I finally at long last stood for my full dance teaching certificate in 2007.
I currently am a member of the San Francisco and the International Branches. I teach and dance with the Berkeley Class and perform country dance, ladies step dance, Cape Breton hard shoe, and highland dance with the Dunsmuir Scottish Dancers.
One of my favorite things in the world is sharing my love of Scottish country dancing. I am delighted to be teaching at Asilomar this year.
Fiona Miller, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland, Fiona learned to dance almost as soon as she could walk. Her Scottish Country dance enthusiast parents were her first teachers. Fiona trained at Dunfermline College in Physical Education and Health and in 1978 she took her dance teachers' certificate under the watchful eye of Miss Milligan.
Fiona and her husband, David, immigrated to Lethbridge, Alberta, in 1981 and have raised two children, Emma Claire and Keith, both of whom are Scottish Country dancers.
As the founding teacher, Fiona has taught the social class, seniors, children, technique and the demonstration group for the Lethbridge Scottish Country Dance Club which is now celebrating its 43rd Anniversary.
Fiona has taught at the TAC Summer School and many week-long summer camps and weekend workshops throughout North America. Fiona has tutored and mentored candidates to take their RSCDS Teachers’ Certification and is a moderator for the new CTI program. She was honoured to receive the RSCDS Scroll of Honour in 2020.
Currently Fiona is a member of the Management Board of the RSCDS.
In her other life Fiona retired from teaching "English As A Second Language" (ESL) to Middle-School-aged refugee children and is loving being a “Nona” to 2 grandchildren in Lethbridge and 2 in Glasgow, Scotland.
It is Fiona's philosophy that everyone should have fun dancing, while learning a little bit about Scottish Culture.
Ron Wallace, Santa Rosa, California
Some of my earliest memories include watching my parents performing Scottish dance at a Burns Night celebration in Mapleton, MN, where my mother grew up. The organization was started by her uncle and over the years twelve of my relatives were involved. Many of the Scots who settled this area arrived before the SCDS was formed. Their dance style hadn’t evolved with the times as it did in Scotland. For example, dance pumps as we know them today were worn for performance, but not social dancing.
This was very fertile ground to “grow up with it” and produced dreams of teaching it. When my parents bought a restaurant and my mother couldn’t continue teaching, I had the opportunity to take over. So, at a very early age that’s exactly what I did. 55 years later I reflect on how little I knew then and how little I know now! The more I learn, the more I want to know.
In 1981, teaching Scottish dance and music became a full-time endeavor with classes in highland, step dance, Cape Breton step, country dance and piping. Teaching these forms has taken me around the world and provided many an adventure. What better life than to share traditions old and new with all who love to dance!