What is e-ceilidh?
The eCeilidh phenomena is taking the UK by storm and is set to make serious inroads into the North American social dance scene. The music has a great feel, in fact fROOTS (October 2003) pointed out "it’s often hard to tell who’s having the most fun - the dancers or the musicians". This is what music should be all about movement, dynamic, the vertical expression of the horizontal intent.

The music is a combination of English and Celtic influenced music and is designed for dancing, maybe to stave off the cold and wet of the British mid-winter weather. Whatever it is it works. Forget languid tropical beats, this is the reel stuff, and if you can do two dances in a row then you’re not doing right. The repertoire is based firmly in the tradition with influences from all over the world, just as it always was - and should be. This isn’t folk; it’s world music from the industrial revolution. So grab your dancing feet, hit the floor and find nirvana in the beat.

What sort of events have ceilidhs?
Weddings, parties, anniversaries, festivals, corporate entertainment, fund-raising events and children's parties. No-one is excluded because the dances are demonstrated before the music starts, and are easy enough for everyone to do.

The music is so funky that everyone gets into it without feeling embarrassed or awkward. The dancing can be done to your own level, and for as long or short as you wish. If you specify exactly for whom your event is being held, we can select a caller who will be ideally suited to your audience.

What is the difference between a ceilidh and a barn dance?
Essentially not very much. Both are traditional English dance forms, using a caller and folk music to generate an evening's dancing. The caller walks the audience through the dance, then, when the music starts, calls the figures the first few times through the tune, and lets everyone get on and enjoy it.

A ceilidh tends to be more lively than a barn dance: it is not like being taught folk dances at school, but rather about enjoying yourselves. People do not walk through the dances but step through them; the bands' energy forces them to. You are likely to encounter a wider range of music at a ceilidh. Barn dances tend to mainly use jigs and reels, whereas at a ceilidh you could well hear polkas, waltzes or schottisches.

Everyone can get into ceilidhs, be they young or old. MoonDance selects our music and dances, not just for beginners' functions, but frequently for experienced dancers at regular ceilidhs or folk festivals. With the lively music and easy steps, it is a great way to get all your guests dancing and enjoying themselves. It breaks the ice when the audience may not know each other, which is especially importantant at weddings.

MoonDance's selection of instruments mixes the traditional sounds of violin and acordian with the punchy sound of saxophone, electric guitar, bass and drums. The music may be based on traditional English and/or Celtic tunes, but also has tunes composed by members of the band, or French, Scandinavian, American, or even Eastern European tunes.

What do you need to stage a ceilidh?
Not much, really. Ceilidhs take place anywhere there are dancers. They are normally indoors, though they have also been done in marquees, barns, and occasionally even something as seemingly unsuitable as a car park! No matter where it is, you must make sure you can provide a power supply consisting of at least one safe mains socket (13 Amp). Space to dance is also required which is level, relatively smooth and free from obstacles so the dancers don't trip over.

MoonDance is entirely 'self-contained' which means that we can provide our own PA (amplification) systems, and even lighting if that is required. Just make sure your guests know what they are coming to so that they can select suitable footwear, and they are sure to have a great time.

How much does a ceilidh cost?
The price of a ceilidh varies depending upon your requirements. We can either appear as a six piece line-up with separate caller. We can also field a smaller four piece 'acoustic' line-up with either a member of the band calling or an additional caller. The caller often also acts as a Master of Ceremonies to ensure the evening runs smoothly. This is particularly important for wedding ceilidh / barns dances where the bride and groom tend to have a few other things on their minds! If we need to travel a long way then we may have to charge and additional fee to cover fuel costs.

Repertoire Click here to find out more about the tunes, dances and songs that MoonDance performs during the course of an evenin.