TEACHERS
The teachers for Asilomar Weekend 2025 are:
Lori Howard, Pleasant Hill, California
Jody Kulas, Pembroke, Ontario
Deb Lees, Perth, Scotland
Jen Schoonover, Boston, Massachusetts
Geoffrey Wood, Milpitas, California
Lori Howard, Pleasant Hill, California
My first encounter with Scottish Country Dancing wasn’t at a Highland Games or a dance class, but in my living room. I was watching television one evening after work and happened upon a PBS broadcast of a local Scottish dance event. I was intrigued by the women in their ball gowns and the men in their kilts, by the beautiful music and by the intricate patterns of the dances. Later, a coworker encouraged me to join a local Scottish Country Dance class and was thrilled to realize I could actually become part of what I had seen those months before.
I soon started attending two other classes, where I met my future husband. I joined a Scottish step class and eventually also the performance team that would become the New World Scottish Dancers. A few years later, I began my teaching journey, earning my preliminary pass in 2001 and full certificate in 2005. Upon the retirement of founder Claudette Sigg, I became the director of the New World Scottish Dancers, which performs at various Highland Games and other Scottish-themed events around the Bay Area.
I currently teach Scottish Country Dancing in Crockett and Berkeley, and Scottish step dancing in Lafayette. I am a bookkeeper by trade, and enjoy spending time with my family, reading, and playing with our cat.
Jody Kulas, Pembroke, Ontario
Jody was raised in Foremost, AB and her journey into Scottish country dancing began after college when she attended her first class in Medicine Hat. She was instantly captivated by the vibrant energy and community spirit of the dance. This passion led her to pursue formal training, earning her Level 1 Certificate in 2006 and her Level 2 Certificate in 2008 at the Teachers' Association of Canada (T.A.C.) Summer School.
After moving to Ontario, Jody became an integral part of the Scottish country dancing community. She has taught various levels of classes with the RSCDS Ottawa Branch and the affiliated Ardbrae group. Currently, she is nurturing a new class in Pembroke, ON, where she finds immense satisfaction in teaching newcomers.
Jody's experiences have taken her across Canada to teach weekend workshops, at Pinewoods camp, and return to the T.A.C. Summer School as an instructor. Her commitment to the community extended to serving on the T.A.C. committee, where she was the Director of Summer School for four years, organizing events in various locations across the US and Canada.
Since Covid, Jody has found a renewed appreciation for the social interaction that makes Scottish country dancing truly magical. For her, it is this social connection that brings the dance to life, creating a unique blend of excellent music and camaraderie that is unmatched by any other activity.
Deb Lees, Perth, Scotland
I began Scottish Country Dancing at Newcastle University as an 18-year-old student – one class and I was hooked, going to my first dance four days later! I started SCD teaching at the University class, obtained my full certificate in 1987 and for many years I taught the advanced/demonstration class and the step class in Newcastle, before moving to Perth in Scotland.
Over the years I have taught SCD and step classes and workshops across the UK and continental Europe, including at the RSCDS Summer and Winter Schools. I am also a long-time member of Dunedin Dancers in Edinburgh and have regularly danced with them at home and abroad, including being the dance leader/choreographer with both Dunedin and Newcastle Branch when we have been invited to traditional music and dance festivals in Europe and further afield. And you might also find me with my whistles, playing for the dancing or just joining in with a tune session!
Teaching classes and workshops is always a great privilege and I have enjoyed some tremendous hospitality and worked with great musicians. I really appreciate the amount of work that the musician puts in to preparing for playing and I’m looking forward to some fantastic classes at Asilomar!
Jen Schoonover, Boston, Massachusetts
Jen Schoonover is a dancer and choreographer. She teaches movement principles, improvisation, and dance pedagogy at Bridgewater State University, and specializes in Scottish dance modalities including Cape Breton Step, Cèilidh, Highland, and Scottish Country dancing. A book she cowrote with Mats Melin, Dance Legacies of Scotland: The True Glen Orchy Kick, detailing the history of Scottish percussive dancing, was recently published by Routledge. Another publication resulting from collaborative research into Frederick Hill’s 1841 dance manuscript with Mats and the late Colin Robertson is in the works. Recently, Jen has been enjoying attending the Newcastle Festival of Scottish Country Dancing as a member of the North American Team.
Geoffrey Wood, Milpitas, California
Geoffrey has loved to dance since a young age. He started Scottish Country Dancing in 2001 and kept at it through high school even though he was frequently the only boy. When he moved across the country to San Jose for his first job he was delighted to find a very active dance community and quickly started dancing multiple times a week. He dances with multiple groups socially as well as with the performance group The Red Thistle Dancers. He had his first dance published by the Royal Scottish Dance Society in 2016 and continues to write the occasional dance. In 2017 he started teaching and got his full Scottish Dance teaching certificate in 2022.
In his life outside of dancing Geoffrey does pre silicon verification of computer chips. He also enjoys hiking, reading books, and visiting his dancing friends around the world.E