I come from a very musical family and started dancing at 5 years of age under the influence of my mother who was a Piano teacher and my father who was a piper and dance teacher best known for devising the dance Angus MacLeod. I qualified as a teacher of Scottish Country Dance in 1993 and I hope that this has enabled me to inspire a love of music and dance in others.

   I have taught regular branch classes in the north of England and workshops around the UK and also at RSCDS Schools in St Andrews, Pitlochry, New Zealand, and TAC. I have also been very fortunate to receive invitations to teach around the world in such diverse locations as Japan, Russia, USA, Canada, and across Europe. In addition to teaching, I am a dance deviser and composer of Scottish music and have published my own book of dances as well as providing dances for other publications. My music has been recorded by a number of Scottish dance bands, including my own.

   I enjoy promoting good technique and derive a great deal of satisfaction from seeing dances performed to a high standard. My classes seek to help all abilities of dancer to achieve their own personal best whilst ensuring that they have fun!

   Having been made so very welcome in Canada and the USA in recent years, I am especially looking forward to teaching at the West End Workshop and making new and renewing old friendships.

Marion Hamilton was introduced to the magic of SCD by Georgina Findlay in her Saturday morning class in Weston, Toronto, as a young teenager along with her 3 sisters. She lost dancing for a time, as life moved along, but found it again in 2007. The beautiful Celtic music, the wonderful teamwork required to accomplish formations in a dance and the energetic interesting people she met drew her in again.  Her husband, Michael, soon joined the dance and they enjoy dancing even when traveling, finding local branches or workshops worldwide!

   She earned her full certification in 2013 in Toronto and has taught at all levels.  Currently, she is Chair of Instructors in Ottawa branch. It is always an honour to be asked to teach at a workshop in Toronto and she looks forward to emphasizing the finer points of “dancing” while applying them to interesting and fun “dances”.

    When not dancing, Marion can be found at her very rustic cottage in the Gatineau Hills with family and friends.

May started dancing in Scotland when she was very young, and continued until she left Scotland.

She later started to dance in Canada about 1990 and was smitten again.      

   She took her teaching certificate in 2005 (and before that had been teaching classes in Brampton). She enjoyed teaching Scottish country dance to Elementary School children for a couple of years. She has taught multiple Branch Classes – Level One at Swansea and Level Two at Eastminster, and currently May teaches beginners for RSCDS Toronto at St Leonard’s.

   May says,

“I have a great love for Scottish dancing, and  have attended many workshops, near and far.  I hope to pass that love along to everyone I teach. I look forward to teaching at the West Toronto Workshop.”