NESCARTS is having a ceilidh!
Bring your friends and come out for an evening of music, dance, and fun. You don’t need to know any of the social dances – we will teach you! It’s easy to learn and dance, and fun for kids and adults of all ages! We will have live music to dance to, provided by Celtic Beats.
Small donation requested at the door.
What’s a Ceilidh?
The word ceilidh (pronounced kay-lee) comes from the Gaelic word meaning “gathering” or “party.” Traditionally, it was a term for a generic social event, but nowadays a ceilidh is considered a specific type of get-together involving traditional live music, dancing, and friends. Unlike the Highland Dancing that you might see at a Highland Games, ceilidh dancing is a form of social dancing done in pairs and centers around simple patterns that are easy to pick up for beginners.
What kind of music will we expect?
Ceilidh music is traditionally live, provided by a small band of musicians. The dances are always upbeat, so the music is a lot of fun to listen and dance to.
Here’s a small clip to get you in the mood!
I don’t know any ceilidh dances.
Not to worry! Ceilidhs always have a “caller,” who explains the dance step-by-step. Learn as you go! The types of dances held at ceilidhs are always the simplest ones, so you don’t have to worry about learning any technique or complicated routines. The dances you will get to experience may include:
- Strip the Willow
- Virginia Reel
- Gay Gordon
- Military Two-Step
- Dashing White Sargent
- Flying Scotsman
- St. Bernard’s Waltz
- Canadian Barn Dance
- Eightsome Reel
Who can come?
Absolutely anyone! You don’t need any experience in any kind of dancing to participate. Just show up and have fun. Both kids and adults of all ages are welcome, so bring the whole family! Our live band will adjust tempos in consideration of the group. There’s a wide variety of dances to try, maybe you’ll like some more than others. The point is to just have fun and maybe come away from the experience with a little more knowledge about traditional Scottish dances.