Family Disco Ceilidh Dates

Come along to one of our monthly Family Ceilidhs running from October to March. Virginia Reel to car wash and Strip the Willow to Born Slippy: this is a ceilidh like no other!

Bring your own Drinks and nibbles. Bring your friends, bring your kids! All run 630pm to 930pm.

£5 adults £3 kids (under 5s free) in advance from ticket source
or £6 adults £2.50 children on the door

Saturday October 4th Hyndland Community Hall
Come and celebrate the start of the ceilidh season with us, release the birler within.

Saturday 22 November – St Andrews Ceilidh – Hyndland Community Hall
We’ll have a St Andrews theme tonight, so bring your tartan, your Tennants and your Haggis flavour crisps.

Saturday 6 December – Christmas Ceilidh – St Silas Church
Our Christmas Disco Ceilidh will be very popular so we’re holding it at St Silas church in Hillhead to accommodate more people. Come and dance to the best and cheesiest Christmas songs!

Saturday 24 January – Burns Ceilidh – St Silas Church
A special Burns night ceilidh with special guests The Broomhill Ceilidh Band. We’ll start with a traditional ceilidh set then move onto some Disco Ceilidh.
There will be an open mic slot at half time for some Burns poetry !
All proceeds from the ceilidh will go to RSPB. Price £7 adults £2 children

Saturday 21 February – Hyndland Community Hall
Come and dance off the winter blues with a Disco Ceilidh

Saturday 21 March – St Silas Church
Last in the Disco Ceilidh season. A final fling in the run up to Spring.


Buy tickets

Directions to at Silas church
Directions to Hyndland Community Hall

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Family Disco Ceilidh – 21 March – A Final Fling to welcome the Spring

Well it might not seem it, but Spring is on the way.  We at Disco Ceilidh don’t need an excuse for a party, but it’s the Spring Equinox, so what better excuse to come out for a dance.  The returning of the light evenings also means that we are coming to the end of our Disco Ceilidh season. This is the last one for a while but we’ll be back in October (and if you just can’t wait why don’t you book us for your party!)

Come to our ‘It’s Spring’ Disco Ceilidh

(and it’s only the day after the solar eclipse so it’s exciting times …..)

Join us on 21st March back at the fantastic venue of St Silas Church for great atmosphere, acoustics and lighting!
Here’s some footage from the last ceilidh we had there. So much fun.
Bring your weans, Bring your friends and Bring your own drinks and snacks and come and Shoogle yer Bahookie to the best tunes. Tickets from ticket source (£5 adults £2 kids) in advance or on the door (£6/£2.5)

21st March St Silas Church  630pm-930pm

Send any enquiries hello@discoceilidh.net

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Family Ceilidh – Hyndland Parish Hall – 21 February 2015

Virginia Reel to car wash and Strip the Willow to Born Slippy: this is a ceilidh like no other!

After our fabulous Burns Night Ceilidh at the new venue of St Silas church we are back at Hyndland Community Hall for our February 21 Disco Ceilidh.

Bring your own Drinks and nibbles. Bring your friends, bring your kids!

We run 630pm to 930pm.

£5 adults £2 kids (under 5s free) in advance from ticket source
or £6 adults £2.50 children on the door
Directions to at Silas church
Directions to Hyndland Community Hall

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Saturday Burns Night Fever: Ceilidh callers sought after surge in demand

Press Release:

Saturday Burns Night Fever: Ceilidh callers sought after surge in demand

With Burns Night nearly upon us, it’s peak ceilidh season and all over Scotland, and the world, the reeling and jigging is about to start.

Not everyone envies the job of the caller, but if a radio mic and command of a dancefloor is something you have always wanted to do, then there might be a job out there for you.

‘Sometimes it can be like herding cats in time to the music,’ says Kat Jones, founder of Disco Ceilidh who is seeking a new ceilidh caller (or two) to join her, ‘but it’s got to be the greatest feeling in the world getting a whole dancefloor ceilidhing together and creating a party atmosphere’

Kat is looking for a special person to join the team ‘We’ve had a huge increase in enquiries for ceilidhs and I am needing another caller to join me.’ she says. ‘Loving ceilidh dancing, having a sense of rhythm and being a natural communicator is more important than having called a ceilidh before. If I find the right person I also hope they may help to grow Disco Ceilidh with their own franchise’.

Kat taught herself to call ceilidhs a few years ago ‘I’d wanted to organise a ceilidh to raise money for the school but bands were so expensive. In the end I formed my own band from parents from the school and I ended up a caller by default’. Kat still plays with the band but set up Disco Ceilidh to bring ceilidh dancing to a wider audience and at a more affordable rate.

‘I set the traditional ceilidh dances to pop and disco tracks’ she says, ‘everyone loves the classic disco tracks – Le Freak for Dashing white Sergeant is a favourite- but people love to hear up to the minute chart tracks too.’

And it seems to be going down really well. The regular family ceilidhs she runs have been hugely popular and enquiries about private parties and community events are surging.

‘The best bit is when you see people really ad libbing on the dancefloor, and getting so into it they nearly forget the next move. It’s such a privilege to be able to call ceilidhs, I am looking forward to finding the right person to help me make more ceilidhs happen’.

Ends

Notes:
1. Disco Ceilidh’s next family ceilidh is 24 January at St Silas church, Woodlands Road, Glasgow. https://discoceilidh.net/2014/12/23/burns-family-ceilidh/

2. The job description can be found here: https://discoceilidh.net/2015/01/22/disco-ceilidh-jobs/

3. Contact Details:
Kat Jones hello@discoceilidh.net
Www.discoceilidh.net
Follow us on twitter @discoceilidh
And Facebook.

Event Host and Ceilidh Caller
Do you love ceilidh dancing and think there just aren’t enough opportunities to strip the willow, dash the white sergeant and pas de bas? Do you want to spread the good news of traditional set dances to a wider audience? Have you always secretly wanted to call ceilidhs and have just been waiting for the right opportunity?

An enthusiastic, engaging, and reliable extrovert is sought to call ceilidh dances for Disco Ceilidh events. Needs a natural sense of rhythm, and to be a born communicator who comes into their own in front of an audience. Must be available evenings and weekends, and willing to travel.

Disco Ceilidh brings together the dances of a traditional ceilidh with the groove and floor filling anthems of disco and pop music to create a unique party experience. Bookings are growing for birthdays, weddings, community events, fundraisers and anniversaries so we are seeking an addition to the team. You will receive training, mentoring and support as you learn how to bring ceilidh joy to a wide audience and create a fabulous feel-good event.

Aptitude, ability to learn, passion for ceilidh dancing and temperament are extremely important in this job – training to call ceilidhs will be given.

Disco Ceilidh Jobs!

Event Host and Apprentice Ceilidh Caller

Do you love ceilidh dancing and think there just aren’t enough opportunities to strip the willow, dash the white sergeant and pas de bas? Do you want to spread the good news of traditional set dances to a wider audience? Have you always secretly wanted to call ceilidhs and have just been waiting for the right opportunity?

An enthusiastic, engaging, and reliable extrovert with an entrepreneurial streak is sought to call ceilidh dances for Disco Ceilidh events. Needs a natural sense of rhythm, and to be a born communicator who comes into their own in front of an audience. There are opportunities to expand the offer and potential for taking on a business franchise for the right candidate. Must be available evenings and weekends, and willing to travel.

Disco Ceilidh brings together the dances of a traditional ceilidh with the groove and floor filling anthems of disco and pop music to create a unique party experience. Bookings are growing for birthdays, weddings, community events, fundraisers and anniversaries so we are seeking an addition to the team. You will receive training, mentoring and support as you learn how to bring ceilidh joy to a wide audience and create a fabulous feel-good event.

Aptitude, ability to learn, passion for ceilidh dancing and temperament are extremely important in this job – training to call ceilidhs will be given.

Job Description
The purpose of the job is to create a fantastic, memorable and hugely enjoyable, experience for the people taking part in a Disco Ceilidh event and to offer excellent customer service for the party organiser (client).

The role consists of the following tasks:
In advance of the event you will liaise with the party organiser (client) to confirm all the details and double-check arrival times, running order and any special requests. On the day of the event you will pick up the equipment needed and arrive in time to set up promptly at the venue, including setting up lighting and sound equipment.

A normal event constitutes two ceilidh sets and providing disco music between sets and afterwards. No two events will be the same and we aim to offer a unique experience to everyone so flexibility will be needed for times and set up and finishing.

Opportunities for development within the job, depending on performance and aptitude, include marketing and publicity, social media, expanding the range of the offer and, in the medium term, a possible business franchise.

Location of Job:
Based in Glasgow but willing to travel to events – travel time will be paid.

Person Specification

Qualifications (essential)
Valid Driving License

Skills/competencies (Essential)
Excellent sense of rhythm
Familiar with most basic ceilidh dances
Confident performing in front of an audience
Able to connect with an audience of all ages, abilities and backgrounds

Skills/competencies (Desirable)
Has own car
Has DJing skills
Events management skills

Experience (Essential)
Has experience of performing in front of an audience
Has worked in a customer-service environment

Experience (Desirable)
Has taught dance or called ceilidhs.
Has organised events
Has publicised events

Aptitudes /temperament (essential)
Extremely Reliable
Natural communicator
Hard-working and committed
Friendly, welcoming
Responsible.
Quick learner, can take initiative
Enthusiastic and outgoing

Aptitudes /temperament (desirable)
Entrepreneurial approach
Excellent problem solver

Other (Essential)
Comfortable moving, setting up and transporting equipment (training provided)
Able to work on a casual basis, evenings and weekends and commit time in advance.

Pay £10 per hour, double at Christmas and New Year. Holiday pay. Probation period three months.

To Apply:
If you would like to enquire further email hello@discoceilidh.net

To apply fill in application form on the website, Disco Ceilidh Job Application form specifically detailing how you meet the specification for the job. Accompanying material (videos/other) welcome. No CVs – please use application form

Closing Date 31 March 2015

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Burns Family Ceilidh 24 January 2015

It’s peak ceilidh season and we’ll be celebrating the Bard with a stoating night of ceilidh dancing.

Sooooooo…… Don your tartan, bring your weans, pack the Haggis flavour crisps and a hip flask and get into the Burns Night groove.

Hosted by Disco Ceilidh and with special guests The Broomhill Ceilidh Band, we’ll be starting out with all the traditional jugs and reels and finish up with a Disco Ceilidh Inferno.
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Bring your own drinks and fav snacks. We’ll have home baking, and some snacks and soft drinks on sale.

All money raised to RSPB Scotland
Tickets in advance from ticketsource £7 adults £3 kids or on the door (£7.50/£3.50) Under 5s Free.

Yay! Burns Night! And if you have a Burns poems or song you want to share, we’ll have an open mic at half time.

Bring your friends too – here’s the link to the Facebook event if you want to share it!

Saturday 24 January 2014
630pm-930pm
St Silas Church, 69 Park Road, Glasgow, G4 9LE
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Family Ceilidh Dates

Come along to one of our monthly Family Ceilidhs running from October to March.

Virginia Reel to car wash and Strip the Willow to Born Slippy: this is a ceilidh like no other!

Bring your own Drinks and nibbles. Bring your friends, bring your kids and come and have the best time you can have without a babysitter!

All run 630pm to 930pm. £5 adults £3 kids (under 5s free)

Saturday October 4th Hyndland Community Hall
Come and celebrate the start of the ceilidh season with us, release the birler within.

Saturday 22 November – St Andrews Ceilidh – Hyndland Community Hall
We’ll have a St Andrews theme tonight, so bring your tartan, your Tennants and your Haggis flavour crisps.

Saturday 6 December – Christmas Ceilidh – St Silas Church
Our Christmas Disco Ceilidh will be very popular so we’re holding it at St Silas church in Hillhead to accommodate more people. Come and dance to the best and cheesiest Christmas songs!

Saturday 24 January – Burns Ceilidh – St Silas Church
A special Burns night ceilidh with special guests The Broomhill Ceilidh Band. We’ll start with a traditional ceilidh set then move onto some Disco Ceilidh.
There will be an open mic slot at half time for some Burns poetry !
All proceeds from the ceilidh will go to RSPB. Price £7 adults £2 children

Saturday 21 February – Hyndland Community Hall
Come and dance off the winter blues with a Disco Ceilidh

Saturday 21 March – St Silas Church
Last in the Disco Ceilidh season. A final fling in the run up to Spring.

Directions to at Silas church
Directions to Hyndland Community Hall

Latest Family Disco Ceilidh Dates


Buy tickets

The regular family Disco Ceilidhs proved a huge hit and so, after a break over the summer (and lots of queries as to when the next Disco Ceilidh is happening) I have arranged a monthly event between October and March. Something to keep us all happy and having fun over the dark winter months.

Thank you to those who have commented on the events: it seems people really like the friendly, informal atmosphere and the opportunity to socialise with friends and have fun with family at the same time. The fact that you can bring your own drinks and snacks so it’s a good-value night out is rather popular too

Numbers have been growing and so I have a bigger venue on the books this time to add to the favourite of Hyndland Parish Hall. St Silas Church has a great atmosphere for a ceilidh and I’m really looking forward to filling it with kids and their parents doing the Canadian Barndance to ‘Get the Party Started’ and other anthems.

I was at a ceilidh held at St Silas Church last week so here’s a couple of pictures to show a bit of the atmosphere!
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Looking forward to seeing you. No need to book for the St Silas venue as it is really big, but may be worth registering for tickets if you want a place at the Hyndland ones….. just email me on hello@discoceilidh.net

And look out for the special themed events this year:

  • Kilts and tartan for the St Andrew’s ceilidh
  • Dance some ceilidh dances to some cheesy Christmas Tunes in December
  • Get up on the stage for some Burns’ recitation for Burns’ night!

I just can’t wait – Dates in poster below (all Saturdays 630pm-930pm):
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4 Oct Hyndland Parish Hall
22 Nov Hyndland Parish Hall St Andrews Ceilidh
6 Dec St Silas Church Hall Christmas Ceilidh
24 Jan St Silas Church Hall Burns’ Ceilidh
21 Feb Hyndland Parish Hall
21 March St Silas Church Hall

10th May – Family Disco Ceilidh with Broomhill Ceilidh Band

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The Broomhill Ceilidh Band invites you to:

A Springtime Family Ceilidh

Traditional Ceilidh set from the Broomhill Ceilidh Band

followed by Disco Ceilidh – setting traditional dances to your favourite tunes.

Saturday 10th May 630-930pm

Broomhill Church Hall, Randolf Road, G11 7JL

Doors 6:30pm Music to start 7pm.

Bring your own drinks and nibbles, bring your friends, bring your kids. We’ll provide the music and entertainment.

£5 adults £2 kids (under 5s free)
All money raised to School of Life Romania


Tickets on door or reserve by email to hello@discoceilidh.net

Green Afro Wigs and Deely-Bopper Ceilidhing to the Pogues

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I’m just back from the St Patrick’s Disco ceilidh with the songs of the Pogues still ringing in my ears.

I had the idea about doing a whole Disco Ceilidh to the music of Irish Bands but had a bit of trouble finding the right songs. By nature Disco Ceilidh is a bit cheesy, a bit camp, and doesn’t really take itself too seriously. So you can probably imagine that its hard to fit U2 into the genre. In the end the Pogues featured large in the playlist (inevitably). I had great hopes for C’est La Vie by B*witched, but it’s not quite right, and I couldn’t face Westlife.

A big hit was Sally MacLennane for the Millitary two-step and Streets of London for the Flying Scotsman. But it was YMCA, Get lucky and Gangnam Style that really got the dance floor going. The folks who came complete with green Afro wig, green deely-boppers and other St Patrick’s accoutrements really made my day.

One of the guys propping up the bar had an excuse I’d never heard before for not dancing. ‘I actually really like dancing’ he said, ‘but I went to the gym for the first time in years yesterday and now I can’t lift my arms higher than this’ he said waving his hands about at hip-level. ‘It would be pure agony for me on the dance floor’.

Steampunk Bar and Grill was a great venue for a disco ceilidh and I think we’ll definitely be back there so watch this space.

As usual I was too busy with the calling to take any photos. Next week I’ve got a 40th birthday party to do and I’ll do my best to get some photos to post on the blog.

Lá fhéile Pádraig sona dhuit!

St Patrick’s Disco Ceilidh – Monday 17th March

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Come along to Steampunk Cafe to celebrate St Patrick’s Day with some serious Disco Ceilidh.

Disco Ceilidh will be getting the party started in the retro surroundings of Glasgow’s Steampunk Cafe. The usual selection of disco and pop anthems will be augmented by some of Ireland’s amazing music (just seeking some suitably upbeat tunes by Irish bands….)

Come and have a Guinness and a shoogle of yer bahookie! We’ll be kicking off the dancing at 8:30pm

Steampunk Cafe, 1 Drury Street, Glasgow, G2 5AP

£2 on the door for more info email hello@discoceilidh.net

Disco Ceilidh at St Silas International Cafe – Wednesday 12th March

Are you an international student and want to experience some ceilidh culture? Disco Ceilidh will be at the St Silas International Cafe on 12th March. This event is for international students, but any ceilidh experts are also welcome to help out the beginners!

Come and learn some traditional Scottish Ceilidh Dances with a twist.  We’ll be dancing to traditional music and Disco and pop tunes. No experience needed, Beginners welcome.

There will be tea, coffee and cake and we’ll start off at 730pm

 St Silas Church Hall, Park Road, G4 9JE

Wednesday 12 March   7.30-9.30pm

 Free entry


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Family Disco Ceilidh: Joyful Chaos

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We had so much fun last night at the family Disco Ceilidh. At times around three-quarters of the dancers were under the age of 10 which led to some added fun and unpredictability. But I was amazed at how well they all picked up the dances.

Some had learned the main ceilidh dances at school but many were new to it and there were enough adults on the dance floor to keep the kids in check in some of the more complex dances like strip the willow and dashing white sergeant.

The smallest kids were fascinated by my new disco light projector and gathered round to stare into the globe of bright coloured LEDs. And the swirling light projections helped turn the short interval between sets into a disco, with parents and kids taking to the dance floor to groove to Daddy Cool. Next time we’ll extend the time for the free disco dancing as it was so popular.

All in all, a great evening. A few comments from the feedback sheets follow and I look forward to the next Family Disco Ceilidh on 15th March

Quotes from the feedback sheets….
‘Great night – well done, children thoroughly enjoyed themselves.’

‘Make it last longer!’

‘Loved the venue and atmosphere’

Lights, Ceilidh, Action

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It’s nearly time for the Hyndland Disco Ceilidh and the new disco lights have arrived.

I have no idea why I never thought to buy any before, just to use in in the living room for a bit of a boogie.

With the table-cloths I’ve been sewing from curtains and duvet covers from the best of Dumbarton road’s charity shops, I hope we’ll transform Hyndland Community Halls into a Disco Inferno tomorrow.

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Wiggling at WEST

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Friday night we were at the amazing venue of WEST brewery for a Disco Ceilidh. It was great to see loads of folk turn out in their tartan to shoogle their bahookies.

There was a great atmosphere and extra folk kept piling onto the dance floor even as each dance was on the go. This made for a happy bedlam with sets of dancers growing as the song progressed which made for an interesting Flying Scotsman which started with the usual four carriages and ended with nine.

There seemed to be an awful lot of WEST’s famous 2-pint beer glasses around which presumably was why, towards the end of the night, there was some rather groovy ad-libbing on the dance floor as disco-ceilidh went freestyle.

The audience was great and weren’t the type to want a sit-down between dances so at the end of the night we did a back-to-back medley of Strip the Willow to ‘Born Slippy’, Circassian Circle to ‘Get Lucky’, Military Two-Step to ‘Born this Way’ and then, in a departure from my planned set, a rather experimental Gay Gordons to YMCA.

I’d had a hunch that the Village People and the Gay Gordons would be a good mix, though I hadn’t tried it before, and with such a fantastic group of dancers and the heroic quantities of WEST’s beer that was being consumed, I felt it was the right time to try.

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It worked a treat with dancers breaking out at intervals for the actions. It was brilliant fun, hugely cheesy and my only regret is that the various phones and cameras had all run out of battery/memory so I couldn’t record it on video for posterity.

Watch out for it at the next Disco ceilidh.

A few comments from the feedback forms:

‘Do it more, for longer and more often!’

‘Come and do Disco Ceilidh at our wedding!’

‘Unique, energetic, fun selection of music’

‘More Abba!’

What did you like best?
‘It’s a DISCO CEILIDH!!’

Was there anything you didn’t enjoy?
‘When there was a break/the end’

Battle of the Compilation CDs

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My 11 year old daughter is mad on pop music. We all listen to Capital Radio whenever she is in the car and she sings the latest hits to whoever will listen, morning noon and night.

This year for Christmas she asked for Now 86 from her grandmother so she can listen to Katy Perry’s ‘Roar’ whenever she wants and stick it full-blast on the CD player for a dance round the living room.

The CD got a bit lost in the post and the long-anticipated present arrived today. Daughter ripped off the wrapping to discover she was now the owner of, not Now 86, but Now 1986.

Disappointment from daughter contrasted with unparalleled delight from me and my sister, triggering a full-blown biding war for the CD.

1986 turns out to have been the classic year for pop tunes: Thorn in my Side, Sledgehammer, Word Up, Kiss, Holding Back the Years, Don’t Leave me This Way, I Just Died in Your Arms, and those all-time favourites: The Final Countdown and In the Army Now.

That was the absolute hey-day of pop wasn’t it? And that is an objective opinion, It’s nothing to do with the fact that in 1986 I was an 11 year old pop fanatic.

What Excitement- We’re in Scotland on Sunday

scotsman websiteWow! Today we are on page three of Scotland on Sunday in an article by Alastair Dalton. Have to admit to doing a wee reel to celebrate: and because the Christmas music is still ringing in my ears, and I’m going to have to wait a whole year for it to come round again, it was to ‘I wish it would be Christmas every day’.

Here’s the link to the website article:

And we’ve even made it to the
editorial!

Continue reading

I think the world is ready for Disco Ceilidh

First published at cuilbay.com 21st Aug 2013

‘ve been spending a few spare moments recently puzzling out what disco tunes would go with which ceilidh dances. It must be one of the things that you can’t find on the internet (I did try) so you’ll be pleased to know that I am adding to that fabulous open source project by documenting my findings here ….

In choosing these tunes I have considered tempo, how the pattern of the dance matches the tune, and boogie-value.

These have not been definitively tested yet so bear with me, I’ll update once I have rounded up some experimental dancers ….

Gay Gordons
American Boy – Estelle 118 bpm

Dashing White Sergeant

Disco Inferno – The Trammps 128 bpm
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Canadian Barndance
Dancing in the Moonlight – Toploader 124 bpm

Circassian Circle
Up all night to get lucky – Daft Punk 130 bpm?
Works especially well with a bit of a disco conga instead of the promenade.

St Bernard’s Waltz
The times are changing – Simon and Garfunkle

Virginia Reel
Car wash – Rose Royce but think I’ll go with the Christina Aguillera version from Shark Tale

Strip the Willow
I am convinced that Born Slippy (140-145bpm) – by Underworld will make a fabulous Strip the Willow but I will need to try it out with a full set of dancers to see how it works ….

The background to this eccentric exercise is that I am a novice caller in a ceilidh band. It’s a band made up of parents from the school, formed by a note I sent round via school bag post, seeking a group to play local, family-friendly ceilidhs for fun. We soon assembled a full team, but no-one stepped forward to do the calling. So after a few web-searches and a bit of a brass-neck, I’m exploring a whole
new world.

In getting to know the dances, it’s been quite fun working out which tunes would suit which dance. And now I’m thinking of having half a traditional ceilidh set and half a disco set when we play. That way the band will get a chance to party too!

This is sooooo the next Zumba