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Scottish Ceilidh
Hello and welcome to this podcast brought to you by That's English!, the Spanish Ministry of Education's official distance learning English course.
To find out more about That's English! go to www.thatsenglish.com or contact your local Official School of Languages.
Debbie: Hi John! You look tired!
John: Hi Debbie! Yes, I´m very tired. I was out ‘til late last night.
Debbie: Where did you go?
John: I went to a Scottish ceilidh
Debbie: A what?
John: A ceilidh! It´s a Gaelic word for gathering or party.
Debbie: I´ve never heard of that before! So, what happens at a ceilidh?
John: Well, in the past a ceilidh was an evening of entertainment. People would recite poems, tell traditional stories and legends, sing and dance. Nowadays, a ceilidh is a dance with a live band. They are held in village halls, hotels and other spacious venues.
Debbie: That sounds like fun! Did you enjoy it?
John: Yes, I really did! A friend of mine who´s Scottish organises ceilidhs in a hall once a month and she´s always asking me to go along, so I decided to go and try it out! You should come with me next time!
Debbie: But John, you know I´m a terrible dancer!
John: It doesn´t matter! You don´t need to be a good dancer. The dances are easy and it´s led by a ‘caller’ – usually a member of the band who gives basic instructions so that everyone can take part! There´s lots of spinning around involved - it´s great fun.
Debbie: Sounds like I might get dizzy. And what kind of music do you dance to?
John: It´s traditional folk music so you´ll hear bagpipes, drums, accordion and the fiddle.
Debbie: The fiddle is the violin, isn’t it?
John: Yes! In folk music the violin is often called the fiddle.
Debbie: And do you dance in pairs?
John: In some parts yes, in others, you dance in a group or in threes. The classic dances all have names such as The Gay Gordons or The Dashing White Sergeant. The Gay Gordons is traditionally the first dance of the evening and it´s over 130 years old! The Dashing White Sergeant is danced in groups of three and you change groups often so you have the chance to dance with many different people – it’s very sociable.
Debbie: And does everyone know the dances?
John: In Scotland the dances are well-known but you don´t need to be a professional to dance them. It´s quite informal and, as I said, the ‘caller’ names each dance and gives instructions so it´s not too difficult to follow.
Debbie: Do people wear a kilt to the ceilidh?
John: It´s not obligatory! But you can if you want to. Ceilidhs are popular at weddings, parties and special events so at those kinds of ceilidhs, you´re more likely to see the men in kilts.
Debbie: Were there many people at the ceilidh you went to?
John: Yes! There were about 30 of us and of different nationalities – Spanish, English, American, French and Scottish! It´s a great way to meet new people and break the ice. It´s also a good way to exercise!
Debbie: Were you good at it?
John: Well, you know I´m not the most coordinated person! Everyone was very friendly, though, and nobody minded if you got the steps wrong – it´s very informal. Most people were beginners like me. We enjoyed a few glasses of Scotch whisky afterwards too.
Debbie: No wonder you look tired today!
John: Why don´t I show you a video? I took one on my phone!
Debbie: Sure! I´d love to see it!
Debbie: That looks like fun! The band sound very good, don´t they?
John: Yes, they were very talented and great at motivating us all to dance. You can get up to dance whenever you like, which I thought was good because if you just want to watch, you can, but at the same time, everyone is encouraged to join in.
Debbie: It does sound and look interesting.
John: Why don´t you come to the next one with me?
Debbie: Well, I guess I could give it a try.
John: Great! I´ll let you know when the next one is. In the meantime, you can watch videos of some of the dances and the steps on
www.scotlandinfo.eu/scottish-ceilidh-and-dances
Debbie: Perfect! I´ll have to watch some!
We hope you found this podcast useful. Please follow us at That´s English! on Facebook, Instagram and Instagram. We look forward to hearing from you. Bye for now!
To find out more about That's English! go to www.thatsenglish.com or contact your local Official School of Languages.
Debbie: Hi John! You look tired!
John: Hi Debbie! Yes, I´m very tired. I was out ‘til late last night.
Debbie: Where did you go?
John: I went to a Scottish ceilidh
Debbie: A what?
John: A ceilidh! It´s a Gaelic word for gathering or party.
Debbie: I´ve never heard of that before! So, what happens at a ceilidh?
John: Well, in the past a ceilidh was an evening of entertainment. People would recite poems, tell traditional stories and legends, sing and dance. Nowadays, a ceilidh is a dance with a live band. They are held in village halls, hotels and other spacious venues.
Debbie: That sounds like fun! Did you enjoy it?
John: Yes, I really did! A friend of mine who´s Scottish organises ceilidhs in a hall once a month and she´s always asking me to go along, so I decided to go and try it out! You should come with me next time!
Debbie: But John, you know I´m a terrible dancer!
John: It doesn´t matter! You don´t need to be a good dancer. The dances are easy and it´s led by a ‘caller’ – usually a member of the band who gives basic instructions so that everyone can take part! There´s lots of spinning around involved - it´s great fun.
Debbie: Sounds like I might get dizzy. And what kind of music do you dance to?
John: It´s traditional folk music so you´ll hear bagpipes, drums, accordion and the fiddle.
Debbie: The fiddle is the violin, isn’t it?
John: Yes! In folk music the violin is often called the fiddle.
Debbie: And do you dance in pairs?
John: In some parts yes, in others, you dance in a group or in threes. The classic dances all have names such as The Gay Gordons or The Dashing White Sergeant. The Gay Gordons is traditionally the first dance of the evening and it´s over 130 years old! The Dashing White Sergeant is danced in groups of three and you change groups often so you have the chance to dance with many different people – it’s very sociable.
Debbie: And does everyone know the dances?
John: In Scotland the dances are well-known but you don´t need to be a professional to dance them. It´s quite informal and, as I said, the ‘caller’ names each dance and gives instructions so it´s not too difficult to follow.
Debbie: Do people wear a kilt to the ceilidh?
John: It´s not obligatory! But you can if you want to. Ceilidhs are popular at weddings, parties and special events so at those kinds of ceilidhs, you´re more likely to see the men in kilts.
Debbie: Were there many people at the ceilidh you went to?
John: Yes! There were about 30 of us and of different nationalities – Spanish, English, American, French and Scottish! It´s a great way to meet new people and break the ice. It´s also a good way to exercise!
Debbie: Were you good at it?
John: Well, you know I´m not the most coordinated person! Everyone was very friendly, though, and nobody minded if you got the steps wrong – it´s very informal. Most people were beginners like me. We enjoyed a few glasses of Scotch whisky afterwards too.
Debbie: No wonder you look tired today!
John: Why don´t I show you a video? I took one on my phone!
Debbie: Sure! I´d love to see it!
Debbie: That looks like fun! The band sound very good, don´t they?
John: Yes, they were very talented and great at motivating us all to dance. You can get up to dance whenever you like, which I thought was good because if you just want to watch, you can, but at the same time, everyone is encouraged to join in.
Debbie: It does sound and look interesting.
John: Why don´t you come to the next one with me?
Debbie: Well, I guess I could give it a try.
John: Great! I´ll let you know when the next one is. In the meantime, you can watch videos of some of the dances and the steps on
www.scotlandinfo.eu/scottish-ceilidh-and-dances
Debbie: Perfect! I´ll have to watch some!
We hope you found this podcast useful. Please follow us at That´s English! on Facebook, Instagram and Instagram. We look forward to hearing from you. Bye for now!
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By That's English!Hello and welcome to this podcast brought to you by That's English!, the Spanish Ministry of Education's official distance learning English course.
To find out more about That's English! go to www.thatsenglish.com or contact your local Official School of Languages.
Debbie: Hi John! You look tired!
John: Hi Debbie! Yes, I´m very tired. I was out ‘til late last night.
Debbie: Where did you go?
John: I went to a Scottish ceilidh
Debbie: A what?
John: A ceilidh! It´s a Gaelic word for gathering or party.
Debbie: I´ve never heard of that before! So, what happens at a ceilidh?
John: Well, in the past a ceilidh was an evening of entertainment. People would recite poems, tell traditional stories and legends, sing and dance. Nowadays, a ceilidh is a dance with a live band. They are held in village halls, hotels and other spacious venues.
Debbie: That sounds like fun! Did you enjoy it?
John: Yes, I really did! A friend of mine who´s Scottish organises ceilidhs in a hall once a month and she´s always asking me to go along, so I decided to go and try it out! You should come with me next time!
Debbie: But John, you know I´m a terrible dancer!
John: It doesn´t matter! You don´t need to be a good dancer. The dances are easy and it´s led by a ‘caller’ – usually a member of the band who gives basic instructions so that everyone can take part! There´s lots of spinning around involved - it´s great fun.
Debbie: Sounds like I might get dizzy. And what kind of music do you dance to?
John: It´s traditional folk music so you´ll hear bagpipes, drums, accordion and the fiddle.
Debbie: The fiddle is the violin, isn’t it?
John: Yes! In folk music the violin is often called the fiddle.
Debbie: And do you dance in pairs?
John: In some parts yes, in others, you dance in a group or in threes. The classic dances all have names such as The Gay Gordons or The Dashing White Sergeant. The Gay Gordons is traditionally the first dance of the evening and it´s over 130 years old! The Dashing White Sergeant is danced in groups of three and you change groups often so you have the chance to dance with many different people – it’s very sociable.
Debbie: And does everyone know the dances?
John: In Scotland the dances are well-known but you don´t need to be a professional to dance them. It´s quite informal and, as I said, the ‘caller’ names each dance and gives instructions so it´s not too difficult to follow.
Debbie: Do people wear a kilt to the ceilidh?
John: It´s not obligatory! But you can if you want to. Ceilidhs are popular at weddings, parties and special events so at those kinds of ceilidhs, you´re more likely to see the men in kilts.
Debbie: Were there many people at the ceilidh you went to?
John: Yes! There were about 30 of us and of different nationalities – Spanish, English, American, French and Scottish! It´s a great way to meet new people and break the ice. It´s also a good way to exercise!
Debbie: Were you good at it?
John: Well, you know I´m not the most coordinated person! Everyone was very friendly, though, and nobody minded if you got the steps wrong – it´s very informal. Most people were beginners like me. We enjoyed a few glasses of Scotch whisky afterwards too.
Debbie: No wonder you look tired today!
John: Why don´t I show you a video? I took one on my phone!
Debbie: Sure! I´d love to see it!
Debbie: That looks like fun! The band sound very good, don´t they?
John: Yes, they were very talented and great at motivating us all to dance. You can get up to dance whenever you like, which I thought was good because if you just want to watch, you can, but at the same time, everyone is encouraged to join in.
Debbie: It does sound and look interesting.
John: Why don´t you come to the next one with me?
Debbie: Well, I guess I could give it a try.
John: Great! I´ll let you know when the next one is. In the meantime, you can watch videos of some of the dances and the steps on
www.scotlandinfo.eu/scottish-ceilidh-and-dances
Debbie: Perfect! I´ll have to watch some!
We hope you found this podcast useful. Please follow us at That´s English! on Facebook, Instagram and Instagram. We look forward to hearing from you. Bye for now!
To find out more about That's English! go to www.thatsenglish.com or contact your local Official School of Languages.
Debbie: Hi John! You look tired!
John: Hi Debbie! Yes, I´m very tired. I was out ‘til late last night.
Debbie: Where did you go?
John: I went to a Scottish ceilidh
Debbie: A what?
John: A ceilidh! It´s a Gaelic word for gathering or party.
Debbie: I´ve never heard of that before! So, what happens at a ceilidh?
John: Well, in the past a ceilidh was an evening of entertainment. People would recite poems, tell traditional stories and legends, sing and dance. Nowadays, a ceilidh is a dance with a live band. They are held in village halls, hotels and other spacious venues.
Debbie: That sounds like fun! Did you enjoy it?
John: Yes, I really did! A friend of mine who´s Scottish organises ceilidhs in a hall once a month and she´s always asking me to go along, so I decided to go and try it out! You should come with me next time!
Debbie: But John, you know I´m a terrible dancer!
John: It doesn´t matter! You don´t need to be a good dancer. The dances are easy and it´s led by a ‘caller’ – usually a member of the band who gives basic instructions so that everyone can take part! There´s lots of spinning around involved - it´s great fun.
Debbie: Sounds like I might get dizzy. And what kind of music do you dance to?
John: It´s traditional folk music so you´ll hear bagpipes, drums, accordion and the fiddle.
Debbie: The fiddle is the violin, isn’t it?
John: Yes! In folk music the violin is often called the fiddle.
Debbie: And do you dance in pairs?
John: In some parts yes, in others, you dance in a group or in threes. The classic dances all have names such as The Gay Gordons or The Dashing White Sergeant. The Gay Gordons is traditionally the first dance of the evening and it´s over 130 years old! The Dashing White Sergeant is danced in groups of three and you change groups often so you have the chance to dance with many different people – it’s very sociable.
Debbie: And does everyone know the dances?
John: In Scotland the dances are well-known but you don´t need to be a professional to dance them. It´s quite informal and, as I said, the ‘caller’ names each dance and gives instructions so it´s not too difficult to follow.
Debbie: Do people wear a kilt to the ceilidh?
John: It´s not obligatory! But you can if you want to. Ceilidhs are popular at weddings, parties and special events so at those kinds of ceilidhs, you´re more likely to see the men in kilts.
Debbie: Were there many people at the ceilidh you went to?
John: Yes! There were about 30 of us and of different nationalities – Spanish, English, American, French and Scottish! It´s a great way to meet new people and break the ice. It´s also a good way to exercise!
Debbie: Were you good at it?
John: Well, you know I´m not the most coordinated person! Everyone was very friendly, though, and nobody minded if you got the steps wrong – it´s very informal. Most people were beginners like me. We enjoyed a few glasses of Scotch whisky afterwards too.
Debbie: No wonder you look tired today!
John: Why don´t I show you a video? I took one on my phone!
Debbie: Sure! I´d love to see it!
Debbie: That looks like fun! The band sound very good, don´t they?
John: Yes, they were very talented and great at motivating us all to dance. You can get up to dance whenever you like, which I thought was good because if you just want to watch, you can, but at the same time, everyone is encouraged to join in.
Debbie: It does sound and look interesting.
John: Why don´t you come to the next one with me?
Debbie: Well, I guess I could give it a try.
John: Great! I´ll let you know when the next one is. In the meantime, you can watch videos of some of the dances and the steps on
www.scotlandinfo.eu/scottish-ceilidh-and-dances
Debbie: Perfect! I´ll have to watch some!
We hope you found this podcast useful. Please follow us at That´s English! on Facebook, Instagram and Instagram. We look forward to hearing from you. Bye for now!