Have you ever considered learning to ceilidh dance? With Burns Night fast approaching it’s a great excuse to cast off the back-to-work blues with an evening of foot-stamping, kilt-swirling excess. It’s one of the easiest and most inclusive dance styles around which I guarantee anyone can master in the matter of just a few minutes. So if you’ve screwed up at Salsa and tanked at Tango, ceilidh dancing will transform you.

What is a Ceilidh? 

With origins in both Ireland and Scotland, a Ceilidh (Scottish spelling) or Ceili (Irish spelling) is traditionally a gathering of people normally held in a village hall or a community space where participants would take part in community activities including story-telling, sing-alongs or group dances.  Nowadays, the original meaning of Ceilidh is understood to include  dancing only and takes place at weddings, parties and notably at Burns’ dinners or at dedicated Ceilidh clubs. 

How to pronounce Ceilidh? 

The word Ceilidh originates from Scotland and Ireland and is pronounced kay-lee from the Gaelic word “visit”. 

What to wear to a Ceilidh?

While you may well see a few men adorning kilts, traditional Scots attire is not a requirement of a ceilidh. Flat, comfortable shoes are a must – dancing in stilettos is a health hazard for both the dancer and those who may be unwittingly stabbed mid-reel. You will work up a sweat while dancing so loose, comfortable clothes worn in layers that you can take on and off between dances is ideal. If you are coming straight from work and are required to wear formal suits, bring a change of clothing with you.

How to ceilidh dance? 

Ceilidh dancing is one of the easiest dances to learn even for those with two left feet. I first learnt to ceilidh dance at primary school where both boys and girls were equals on the dance floor. Ceilidh clubs usually provide demonstrations courtesy of an experienced caller who talks through the steps before each dance. The majority of participants pick up the moves within the first minute as there’s absolutely no fancy footwork involved. The other great thing about ceilidhs is that a lot of the dances require groups of four or eight people which makes them ideal for those who come without a partner in tow. Ceilidh dancing is not the most graceful form of dancing as it involves a lot of foot stomping and jumping up and down but what it lacks in style, it more than makes up for in terms of ease and most importantly fun.

Fiddle Paradiddle Ceilidh dancing review

The ceilidh I attended at the Bedford Pub was courtesy of the dynamic Fiddle Paradiddle trio who transform traditional ceilidh  music into a rocking nu-folk vibe with the creative use of a cajon. (You can sample a brief blast here.)  However, there is also the London Ceilidh Club or you can join this meet up group if you don’t want to turn up on your own.

Feeling my Celtic blood stirring in my veins, I needed no excuse to join the dance floor. As zesty as a Zumba class,  ceilidh dancing’s surprisingly simple to pick up but surprisingly hard to keep pace with. Feeling a touch of “panic in my breastie” at the heady exertions to come, I wait in trepidation for our first Strip the Willow.   Assembled in two-line battalions, arms lock together as bodies weave in and out in a hurling, whirling scrum. Striking the floor with an earth-shaking tremor, this is no place for fancy footwork or Strictly-style posing and preening.

Puffing and panting as we slalom in tandem, the frantic pace of the fiddling offers no chance for a quick breather.  Heart-pounding and palms sweating, I can’t help beaming back at the sea of beetroot faces furiously bobbing up and down around me. A true bonding experience to put corporate team building exercises to shame. As the music mercifully comes to a halt, we head in droves to the bar where water jugs are drained in seconds.

Feet on fire (beware stiletto-wearers), but suddenly zinging with energy, my toes can’t help tapping in anticipation of the reels and jigs to come. If like me, you were born with two left feet, ceilidh dancing will have you reeling in euphoria with strangers who’ll become closer than work colleagues in the space of one short dance. A Burns Night ceilidh is the perfect antidote to the January back-to-work-blues.  But perhaps schedule in a few Zumba classes first.

Find a full list of ceilidh dances in London on Burns Night 2023.

How do you beat the January blues? Please share your thoughts.