"An informal social
gathering at which there is Scottish or Irish folk music and singing
and folk dancing and even story telling", is how you would find the
word 'ceilidh' described in a dictionary. A Ceilidh (pronounced
"Kay-lay", emphasis on 1st syllable) is many things to many people. It
derives from the Gaelic word meaning a 'visit' and originally meant
just that. It can also mean a 'house party', a 'concert' or more
usually an evening of 'informal Scottish traditional dancing to
informal music'. Ceilidhs in the Lowlands tend to be dances, in the
Highlands they tend to be concerts. Dances in the Highlands and
traditional ceilidhs in the Lowlands are often referred to as 'ceilidh
dancing' or 'ceilidh dances'.
Ceilidh dancing is a more relaxed, non-competitive version of Scottish
country dancing. Ceilidh dancing is much less formal - its primary
purpose being the enjoyment of the dance. Scottish Country Dancing is
much more orientated towards being a demonstration or exhibition.
Ceilidh dancing over the last 20 years have become increasingly
popular with young people, particularly students, and often attract
from a few dozen people to several hundred. To many of us, going to a
ceilidh goes hand in hand with good company, fun times and having a
laugh while you swing and jig with friends on the dance floor to great
music.
In Britain and Ireland,
there is a fair amount of similarity between ceilidh dancing and barn
dancing. Chambers dictionary states that 'barn dancing', for example,
is: "a kind of party at which there is music and country dancing,
originally held in a barn". The country or folk dancing associated
with a barn dance, uses dances mostly from within and around the
British Isles and you may be familiar with terminology such as do-si-do,
right hand star and swing your partners, etc. These terms and
instructions certainly also feature prominently in ceilidh dancing.
In simple terms,
ceilidh dances tend to be either a partner dance or a group dance, and
they also frequently have callers who shout out the moves - which
makes a ceilidh ideally suited for novices in an audience. It's a
relaxed opportunity to meet and dance with a lot of people, friends
old and new. Because the dances are so energetic, it is quite usual to
pause for a chat and a drink between dances - or you can choose to
just watch the other dancers whilst you are soaking up the
energy-charged atmosphere.
Angela Dreyer-Larsen,
director of Scottish Traditions of Dance Trust, in a recent article in
the Scotsman wrote: "There's been a little bit of a revival of young
people dancing, as opposed to just 'shaking it all about' on the
floor." Her belief is that the youth are responding to a "lack of
proper dancing in their culture". Perhaps the main reason that
Ceilidhs are such a popular form of dancing among the young is because
it's a relatively easy form to learn - and involves having fun in the
process. "No one gets upset if you take a wrong step," says
Dreyer-Larsen. "They're more likely to kill themselves laughing!"
If you've never been to
a ceilidh before, just remember that the dances at ceilidhs are for
everyone to dance. Whether you're an expert or a novice, it doesn't
matter. You could have two left feet, or even three. You could be from
Cowcaddens or Katmandu. Believe us, culture, experience, nationality
or ability don't enter into the proceedings. Yes, everybody is welcome
at a ceilidh. It's socially inclusive and breaks down barriers and
builds bridges between participants. Try out the ceilidh experience if
you haven't done so - and you'll be astonished how hard it is not to
end up permanently on the dance floor. |