Welcome to Ceilidhs.co.uk, your one stop resource to the best ceilidh dances and ceilidh bands in the country. So if you want to dance and laugh until your feet and sides ache or you need a Ceilidh Band for your wedding then you have come to the right place.
Ceilidh (pronounced "Kay-lay") Dances have enjoyed a huge revival thoughout Scotland and elsewhere over the last 10 years for good reason. Although this revival was initially due to Scot's embracing their culture and traditions, many quickly realised that at its heart a Ceilidh was just a great night out - dancing, laughter and meeting new people is what a Ceilidh is all about.
While there is no set format for a Ceilidh Dance, they are a few common traits. Each dance will either be a set dance or a couples dances. In the set dances, four sets of couples dance together either in a circle or facing one another with each member of the set dancing with the members of the opposite sex in their particular set. Probably the most famous set dance at a Ceilidh are Strip The Willow which involves an awful lot of spinning around and the Eightsome Reel which has a bit of spinning but not quite as much as Strip the Willow!
The couple dances tend to be slower and can either be traditional, where you dance with your partner throughout the dance, or progressive where the lady moves to next man on the dancefloor after a set series of moves. Couples dances include ones such as the "Gay Gordons" with it's whooping
While all of this probably sounds way too complicated don't worry it isn't. Everyone at a Ceilidh understands that there will be many people there who have either never been to one or have been very infrequently and have no idea of the steps. So before each dance the band leader, known as a Caller, will very slowly explain the steps for each dance. In fact don't be surprised to find the Caller jump down onto the dance floor and with mic in hand and a female partner at his side walk you through each of the steps of the dance. Then throughout the dance itself he will continue to repeat the steps you should be taking. Despite this there will almost certainly be a breakdown in the dance at some stage - don't worry, it's normal and is all part of the Ceilidh Experience!
With the increase in popularity of Ceilidhs, Ceilidh bands are in great demand for weddings and parties. The size of a Ceilidh Band can vary in size but will usually involve an accordion, a flute or tin whistle and a fiddle as a minimum. Although there are now quite a few modern Ceilidh Bands which don't have an accordion and insead include drums and one or two electric bass guitars.
A wedding ceilidh is a great idea and is now one of the more popular forms of entertainment for a wedding as everyone young and old, from children to the grannies can get involved. Many ceilidh bands now combine themselves with DJs or can play more modern music to give you a selection of entertainment throughout the night.
Our main tip for choosing a ceilidh band for your wedding would be to go and watch them in action first. Most bands will be perfectly happy with this and it will give you a very good feel for whether they are right for your wedding. In particular, you want to make sure that the Caller would be right for you as he will be the one making sure everyone is having a good time throughout the dancing.
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