English Ceilidh
by Jonathan Coxhead
In England this would normally be referred to as "barn dancing". This is the kind of dancing that would be done at a wedding or club social event in England today. It's like contra dancing, in that it is fast and fun, but ceilidh dances are more varied than contras, mixing crazy baskets (a kind of swing for 4 people) with elegant set waltzes (though they are never as sedate as a Playford-style English Country Dance). Recently, the Bay Area County Dance Society has started a regular ceilidh series in the Bay Area, and you can find out more at:
