Ceilidh DancesIn the Celtic communities, what we now often call Ceilidh dances were originally simply local meetings which developed into a form of literary entertainment with story telling, recitations and songs; instrumental music and dancing were added later. In those days before radio and television, the performers would almost all be talented locals; any reluctance on their part would be mitigated by appropriate refreshment and the party atmosphere. Events like these can still be found, notably in the more isolated Scottish communities, but dancing to a live band usually predominates. As a visiting participant, it is important to remember that there are many local variants of what we may think of as familiar dances and so it is wise to be a little circumspect. Do not rely on the Dance instructions listed below to be applicable everywhere. "When in Rome . . . ". Nowadays, one is most likely to encounter a Ceilidh as part of the reception at a Scottish or, more commonly, an ex-patriate Scottish wedding. Even though there will usually be a caller, it is sensible to choose those Ceilidh dances which are sufficiently traditional that the names, at least, will be familiar to those expected to participate. Albeit inevitably subjective and extended to include a few modern Ceilidh dances which have become popular,
most of the following dances would be recognized by those who have attended a few Ceilidhs. The first list covers those popular Ceilidh dances for which a Minicrib or Maxicrib exists:
The following Ceilidh dances are more properly part of the Old Tyme and Sequence Dancing répertoire;
Instructions for all of these may be found in Let's have a Ceilidh by Jim Johnstone and Robbie Shepherd. Let's have a Ceilidh Is a pocket-sized guide to the most popular Scottish dances which you might expect to encounter at a ceilidh, is a good introduction to Scottish dancing and contains 20 basic dances, along with a piece of written music for each dance covering a variety of dances. The music in the appendix is specially chosen to highlight the steps and is ideal for musicians learning to play for these dances. Dance InformationLearn more about the etymology and history of the modern Scottish and English Ceilidh Dance here.
Additional search terms; cèilidh, céilí, cayli, ceili dance. Back to the top of this Scottish Country Dancing 'Ceilidh Dances' page |
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