If you ever wonder where to have fun on a Saturday night, just look for a Ceilidh in a village near you. I went to my first Ceilidh in our town hall last Saturday night. I was so impressed with the range of people there -- from 6 to 80-year-olds-- all clearly having a wonderful time.
A Ceilidh dance is an informal "party" where people gather to dance and hear a Ceilidh band play. The dancing is different from traditional Scottish country dancing, which is usually competitive. Dancing at a ceilidh is purely for the enjoyment of dancing.
‘Ceilidh’ is a Gaelic word. Its meaning is literally ‘a visit’, it can also mean a dance, a concert or just a party.
I didn't know any of the dance steps but that didn't matter, there was a ‘caller’ who explained the dances before each dance began. It was easy to catch on. And everyone was very forgiving when I made a mistake -- and I made a lot of them!
Our band had four members playing the accordion, and drums, flute and guitar. Usually there is a 5th player with a fiddle player.
Ceilidh bands often play at a Scottish wedding receptions and are arranged for occasions like St Andrew's Day, Burn’s Night and Hogmanay (New Year’s Eve).
If you ever get a chance to attend a Ceilidh, go. It's a lot of fun!
Really glad you had such a good time at our ceilidh and thank you for giving us such a nice write up! Oxfolk Ceilidhs is back after the summer break on Sat 11th Oct, if you fancy coming along.
ReplyDeleteCheers, Jane from Oxfolk