Each year, the RSCDS recognizes members who have made a contribution to the work of the RSCDS and its Branches. The highest accolade is the award of the RSCDS Scroll of Honour. This is awarded each year to a few individuals who have made an exceptional contribution, generally to the RSCDS at large/worldwide as well as locally. In 2020, our own Marjorie McLaughlin was awarded this prestigious honor! Congratulations to Marjorie for this well-deserved recognition!
Here is the background information for the RSCDS Scroll of Honour Nomination for Marjorie McLaughlin. It’s quite a story!
For over 50 years, Marjorie Easton McLaughlin has shared her passion and enthusiasm for Scottish Country Dancing with people all over the world, not only as a highly sought after guest teacher, but in her leadership in organizing experiences that promote, encourage, and enhance SCD among dancers of all ages and abilities.
Marjorie started dancing in 1964 in her father’s class in Cleveland, Ohio. She joined the San Francisco Branch when she moved to attend graduate school.
Even before earning her Preliminary Pass in 1985 and Teacher Certificate in 1987, Marjorie provided significant leadership to the San Francisco Branch. She served on the Asilomar workshop planning committee for six years (three years as chair). She served 7 years on the Branch Committee, including 5-1/2 years as Secretary. In 1987, she organized a dance in memory of her father, Tom Easton, that featured musicians Alasdair Fraser and Stan Hamilton playing together for the first time. She organized this event twice more. Marjorie also served on the organizing committee for the Branch’s Valentine Ball for three years. As a teacher, she taught the Branch’s Noe Valley class. Overall, Marjorie was a highly effective and respected leader and teacher in San Francisco.
In 1992 Marjorie married Richard McLaughlin and moved to San Diego. She was asked to restart the Branch demonstration team and served as its director for over 10 years. She prepared teacher candidates for the 2003 examiners tour. In recent years she has taught the Branch’s Poway class. On the Branch Committee, she served 3-1/2 years as Dance Director, and was Branch Chair in 2007-2008 (2 years). She currently serves as Vice-Chair. On a wider scope, Marjorie exercised her leadership by heading the organizing committee for the Southern California Regional workshop involving the San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Gabriel Valley Branches. She served in this capacity six times at three venues: Chapman University, Catalina Island, and Camp Cedar Glen.
Over the years, Marjorie has actively supported the Teacher’s Association (Canada). She has been TACTalk newsletter editor twice: 1998 – 2003 and 2016 – present. She has been on the TAC Summer School organizing committee, acting as Registrar since 2018. She has been on its teaching staff several times, most recently in 2014.
For many dancers, Marjorie is best known as a guest teacher at workshops. These experiences are too numerous to list, but they include Asilomar, Fort Worden (Seattle), Vancouver/Whistler, Vienna, Pinewoods English-Scottish Camp, New Zealand, Tokyo, Australian Winter School, Santa Rosa Youth Weekend, Catalina, Pauling (New York), Banff (Alberta), and Halifax & Dartmouth.
Finally, Marjorie has become an expert on the history of SCD and has researched many original manuscripts. She has given numerous presentations on the subject, including Tokyo Branch’s Tenth Anniversary event and the 2018 TAC Summer School. In addition, she wrote an article on Thomas Wilson for the Scottish Country Dancer (April 2013) and has another article appearing soon.
Marjorie’s love for the dancers, music, musicians, history, and achieving dance excellence shows in everything she undertakes.