Ceilidhs are a fun and energetic social folk dance that can be perfect for weddings, parties, fundraising, and other special occasions. Traditional Scottish dress adds authenticity to your outfit and helps you blend in with the ceilidh atmosphere. Men may wear kilts with kilt jackets or tartan trews, while ladies would wear cocktail length dresses. Flat shoes are always advised because ceilidh dancing is quite active, so comfortable footwear is essential.
Formal wear for a ceilidh typically entails women wearing a gown or smart/dressy attire suitable for dancing. Men wearing kilt outfits will usually style these, such as the Gay Gordons, Dashing White Sergeant, Strip the Willow, Canadian Barn Dance, Military Two Step, and Eightsome. There are also dances that are part of a certain wedding tradition, such as the Cèilidh dance, which has gained popularity in recent years.
When attending a ceilidh, it is important to pay homage to Scottish traditions through your attire. Traditional Scottish dress adds authenticity to your outfit and helps you blend in with the ceilidh atmosphere. Opt for a kilt, paired with a sporran, a traditional Scottish belt, a ghillie shirt, and a kilt hose.
Cheese ceilidh bands like ‘Chitterybite’ perform live every Friday from 8.30pm to midnight, guiding dancers through popular Scottish dances like the Gay Gordons, Strip the Willow, and The Dashing White Sergeant. It is important to keep in mind the spirit of the ceilidh when choosing contemporary attire.
In conclusion, ceilidhs are a great opportunity to break out and wear a Scottish or Cornish tartan. Wearing a shift dress with ballet flats and a tartan corsage is recommended for dancing.
📹 Ceilidh Tree – Virginia Reel (Ceilidh Band)
The two long lines and all important final gallop in Virginia Reel can make this a showstopper. It works great as a wedding ceilidh …
What is a ceilidh wedding?
The Party Ceilidh. This is what we do best! Our party ceilidhs requires no prior knowledge and include our experienced and friendly caller to talk your guests through the steps. The dances are fun and lively and the music is based on the traditional music of Ireland, Scotland and England – jigs, reels, polkas and hornpipes. Unless you tell us otherwise, we assume your guests want to get dancing as quickly as possible to simple but fun dances.
Dancers will be invited onto the dancefloor to form a set with some a number of other couples. Usually there will be several sets on the dancefloor. The caller will provide a quick run through of the dance. This will usually involve some galloping and some partner swinging! The the band will start and the caller will stay with the dancers all the way through the dance to keep everyone on track.
You can expect between ten to twelve dances across the course of an evening, usually with some tunes in between the dances to give your guests breather.
How to dress like a Scottish woman?
What does the ancient Scottish woman wear?. The traditional Scottish dress for women consists of Tartan Skirt, Tartan Sash, and Ghillies. Besides that, another 3 yards garment which was a must in the dress is known as Earasaid. It was a white plaid containing a few small stripes of blue, black, and red.
The highland dress is categorized with Tartan. Their clothes include jacket, bodice, clan badges, and headwear too.
Clan Tartan was the biggest part of the dress of Scottish women.
Although traditional Scottish clothing varies for both men and women there are a lot of similarities in the highland dress for both the genders. Most women do not wear kilts but they do wear long skirts that go along the ankle length.
What should a woman wear to a ceilidh?
Contemporary Ceilidh Attire: Dressing to Impress with a Modern Twist. Not into the traditional Scottish dress but still want to look the part at a ceilidh? There are plenty of contemporary options that are both stylish and appropriate. Wondering whether you can wear jeans to a ceilidh or not? For men, a tweed jacket paired with dress pants or dark jeans is a classic choice, while women can opt for a knee-length dress, a tartan sash, or skirt with a dressy blouse.
Its important to keep in mind the spirit of the ceilidh when choosing contemporary attire. Think comfortable, casual, and fun – after all, youll be dancing and socializing throughout the night! Avoid overly formal or flashy outfits that may be out of place in the relaxed, festive atmosphere.
An informal ceilidh is much more relaxed without a specific set dress code, meaning that the most important thing to aim for is comfort!
By choosing comfortable contemporary attire that fits the occasion, youll be able to let loose and enjoy the lively music from a ceilidh band and company at your next event.
What do you wear to an Irish ceilidh?
In all honestly there is no rules on what to wear to a ceilidh, most venues/events will clarify if they have a specific dress code but otherwise you can wear whatever your comfortable to dine and dance in. Although its expected to be dressed smart some men will just choose to wear a nice shirt / jumper with smart trousers. Some women will opt for a smart blouse with suitable trousers/skirt.
Many choose to wear what they are comfortable in alongside tartan accessories to tie into the tartan aspect.
For some women they will wear a more fashion tartan skirt or dress to tie into the occasion. these arent traditional but are a great way of wearing tartan in a feminine way. Women can also wear kilts to as well to a ceilidh.
If your considering tartan accessories there is loads of tartan accessories you can chose from to tie a little bit of tartan into your outfit in a more subtle way.
Some men will chose to wear a tartan tie for a little flash or colour or ladies may wear a tartan sash or shawl to style some tartan into their outfit.
Is ceilidh Irish or Scottish?
Scottish Once again, the distinction is one of nationality; ceili is Irish and ceilidh is its Scottish counterpart, both deriving from the Gaelic word which translates approximately to a visit or a gathering.
You want everyone to get thoroughly involved and have lots of fun at your wedding reception party, so you’ve thought a session or two of good old-fashioned country dancing would be a great ice-breaker and would appeal across a wide age-range. So far, so good – but what exactly are you looking for? Is it called a ceilidh, a ceili, a barndance or a hoedown? Are they all different, and if so, which is which?
Don’t worry unduly, because apart from national characteristics and repertoire, the different terms are describing essentially the same basic type of entertainment – organised traditional dancing in pairs, groups and formations or ‘sets’.
Perfect entertainment for an English country wedding – a traditional barndance. Find out more about booking a live barn dance or ceilidh band for your wedding reception.
What do ladies wear to a ceilidh?
Traditional Ceilidh Attire: Embracing Scottish Heritage with Classic Dress. For those seeking to pay homage to Scottish culture and history at a ceilidh, traditional Scottish dress offers an excellent way to do so. Men can adorn themselves in kilts, jackets, sporrans, and other classic accessories, while women can don elegant tartan skirts, shawls, and brooches.
Acquiring traditional Scottish attire can be a daunting task, but rental options are available through a variety of shops and online sources.
Additionally, there are numerous tips and recommendations for purchasing a kilt and other garments that fit well and remain affordable. Donning traditional Scottish dress will certainly make you stand out from the crowd and allow you to fully immerse yourself in the rich heritage and festivities of a ceilidh.
What to wear to a ceilidh?
Contemporary Ceilidh Attire: Dressing to Impress with a Modern Twist. Not into the traditional Scottish dress but still want to look the part at a ceilidh? There are plenty of contemporary options that are both stylish and appropriate. Wondering whether you can wear jeans to a ceilidh or not? For men, a tweed jacket paired with dress pants or dark jeans is a classic choice, while women can opt for a knee-length dress, a tartan sash, or skirt with a dressy blouse.
Its important to keep in mind the spirit of the ceilidh when choosing contemporary attire. Think comfortable, casual, and fun – after all, youll be dancing and socializing throughout the night! Avoid overly formal or flashy outfits that may be out of place in the relaxed, festive atmosphere.
An informal ceilidh is much more relaxed without a specific set dress code, meaning that the most important thing to aim for is comfort!
By choosing comfortable contemporary attire that fits the occasion, youll be able to let loose and enjoy the lively music from a ceilidh band and company at your next event.
What is the first dance at a wedding ceilidh?
Q: Were getting married. What should we do for our first dance?A: Essentially – whatever you want! Traditionally, the first dance is a bridal waltz. Commonly, couples choose to dance briefly together to let folk take pictures, before the wedding party, then guests, are invited to join them on the floor. The band can play live music, or we can play your own recorded music through our PA. Some couples may choose not to have a formal first dance.Back to top of page.
The dancers. Q: Im worried my guests might tire of ceilidh dancing.A: Dont be! Our expert caller, will ensure the pace, energy and appeal of the dancing matches the enthusiasm and appetite of the room. That said, well happily shorten our set to fit your own plans and preferences.
Q: Do you play for children?A: Absolutely. In our experience kids, especially primary school children, love ceilidh dancing. They often pick it up more readily than the parents. We have played for many school ceilidhs and are regularly re-booked. Our caller, Drew, will keep it all very light-hearted and fun, tailoring the dances and the instructions to suit the age group.
What to expect at a ceilidh?
Almost all ceilidhs will feature a live band, usually an accordionist, who will perform traditional ceilidh music. This adds to the atmosphere of the event and brings a real sense of energy to the dances.
How do you dance to ceilidh?
St Bernards Waltz. Formation: couples around the room in ballroom hold heading anti-clockwise, ladies on the outside.Music: waltzes.Bars: Description1-4: In ballroom hold, take three steps sideways towards the ladys right, mans left, then stamp both feet.5-6: Take two steps sideways in the opposite direction.7-8: Take two steps towards the centre of the room (lady heading forwards with right foot then left foot, man backwards with left foot then right).9-10: Take two steps back out (same feet).11-12: Lady turns about on the spot under the joined hands.13-16: Waltz onwards round the room.Repeat ad lib.17-24: Joining both hands, swing together (slightly to the right of partner) and away, then change places, turning the lady under the mans left arm while doing so. Repeat.25-28: In ballroom hold, take two steps anti-clockwise, then two clockwise.29-32: Waltz round the room.Repeat ad lib.
Barn Dance. Formation: couples around the room facing anti-clockwise, ladies on the right.Music: 2/4 or 4/4 pipe march. (with reggae feel!!)Bars: Description1-2: Starting with the outside foot, walk forward for three steps and hop (or kick).3-4: Walk backwards for three steps and hop.5-6: Skip sideways away from your partner (men towards the centre of the room, ladiestowards the edge) for two steps and clap.7-8: Return to partner and join in ballroom (waltz) hold.9-12: In ballroom hold, skip sideways to the mans left, ladys right for two steps then back again.13-16: Use four step-hops to polka anti-clockwise round the room.Repeat ad lib.
Dashing White Sergeant. Formation: three facing three around the room, man between two ladies or lady between two men.Music: The Dashing White Sergeant – 32 bar reels.Bars: Description1-8: Join up in a circle of 6 and circle round to the left for 8 steps (4 bars) and back to the right.9-12: The person in the middle turns to the person on their right and sets to them, then turns them once round right hand (variation – both hands). The other partner stands still.13-16: Repeat with the other partner.17-24: Using elbow grip, turn 1st partner, then 2nd partner, then 1st partner, then 2nd partner.(Variation – dance a reel of three, giving left shoulder to 1st partner to start).25-28: In the lines of three, advance towards each other (two skip steps) and retire.29-32: Both lines dance forwards, one line raising their hands in an arch and the other line dancing underneath, and dance on to meet the next set of three coming in the other direction.Repeat with new three.NB. If room is not wide enough, the dance can be done in lines and sets fo 3 go under (or over) 2 bridges leaving 2 lots of 3 at each end (not one at each end!!).
How long is a ceilidh at a wedding?
As a guide, when the ceilidh is the main event, it might commonly last about three hours including a break. For weddings, where the ceilidh is only part of the entertainment we find that the guests tend to enjoy an hour or two of dancing.
📹 What is ceilidh?
For many of our regular Towersey goers ‘ceilidh’ is just part of everyday vocabulary ….. but for many it’s a whole new world!
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