Kickin' Ceilidh Band

cei·lidh - noun (pronounced kay-lee) - [hear it spoken]

Definition - Celtic, Irish, Scot., and Canadian (chiefly Prince Edward Island). a party, gathering, or the like, at which dancing, singing and storytelling are the usual forms of entertainment. [Origin: Ir céilidhe, ScotGael cèilidh, MIr célide, deriv. of OIr céile companion]

ceilidh or ceili (pronounced kay-lee) are celtic or gaelic words which refer to a family party or gathering where music and dancing are the main form of entertainment. In North America the same thing is called a 'barn dance' or 'Hoe down' and Australians call it 'bush dance'. The music MoonDance plays is a combination of English and Celtic influenced music and is designed for dancing, ideal to stave off the cold and wet of the British mid-winter weather. The repertoire is based firmly in the tradition with influences from all over the world, just as it always was - and should be. The music has a great feel, in fact the international world music magazine fROOTS pointed out in October 2003; "it’s often hard to tell who’s having the most fun - the dancers or the musicians". This is what dance music should be all about; dynamic movement and having fun. It's all about the dancing, not the dances.

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. No previous dance experience is required.

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 will select a caller who will be ideally suited to your audience. According to research from Brides Magazine, ceilidhs (or barn dances) are the second most popular form of wedding entertainment in the country.

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', but frequently for experienced dancers at regular ceilidhs or folk festivals. But most of our work is for social functions where the lively music and easy steps are 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 more traditional sound of violin with the punchy sound of keyboards, electric guitar, bass and drums and appeals to all ages from student balls to retirement parties. 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.

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 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.

The price of a ceilidh varies depending upon your requirements and location of the event. 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!

Every occasion is unique and as such fees vary according to factors such as:

• how long you want the band to play for
• location of the event
• size of the venue
• if you require extra services and/or specialist equipment (e.g. covers set, recorded music after the dancing, extra lighting etc)

If you want to have some recorded music after the end of the ceilidh then, for a small extra charge, we can play a selection of your choice through our PA system. We can either connect your iPod to the mixer or use our CD/MP3 player. While we are not DJs, we can play an agreed playlist for you.

Well, we would recommend that you have live music for your event wouldn't we, but it's not just us, most brides agreed that live music is best as well. Statistics* that we found on the web recently, from brides surveyed after the date of their wedding, show that this is the case.

• 72% of all brides say they would have spent more time choosing their reception entertainment.
• Almost 100% say they would have spent more of their budget on the entertainment.
• During wedding planning, Brides say their highest priority is reception entertainment is among the least of their priorities. Within one week after their reception, 78% of Brides say they would have made the entertainment their highest priority!
• When asked 81% of guests say the thing they remember most about a wedding is the entertainment.
• "Feedback from our clients indicates that the bride and groom consider the entertainment to be between 70 and 90% responsible for the success of their receptions"