The word ceilidh comes from the Gaelic for ‘gathering’ or ‘party’. These days ceilidhs centre around dancing – Scottish style. It’s all about fun, not footwork. The Caller talks you through the dance before you begin and there’s always a helpful soul on the dance floor who’ll point you in the right direction. As long as you’re enjoying yourself you’re doing it right. So, if you’re ready to ceilidh step this way!
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It’s true that formal Scottish dress can, depending on the occasion, be quite prescriptive, but when it comes to ceilidhs there’s usually wiggle room - in all senses of the word.
Most ceilidhs are usually ‘smart casual’. It’s nice to make the effort but equally you need to wear something that’s comfortable to dance in.
The Prince Charlie: Worn with full dress sporran. Matching 3-button waistcoat – can be worn with 5-button vest.
The Argyll: Can be worn with 5-button waistcoat. Normally worn with a standard collar shirt and necktie. Semi dress sporran or leather day sporran.
Tweed: Again, can be worn with 5-button waistcoat. Normally worn with a standard collar shirt, matching tie and leather day sporran.
Victoria collar shirt: Great with a bow or ruche tie.
Wing Collar: Smaller lapels than the Victoria collar. Wear with a bow tie for a more formal look.
Ghillie: Open necked shirt with criss-crossed lacing. Wear with a kilt or trousers for a less formal look.
If you’re wearing a formal Bonnie Prince Charlie jacket then you must wear a bow tie. These generally match the jacket. With less formal jackets you have the choice of a bow, neck or ruched tie. And if you don’t want to be tied to a tie then go for a casual ghillie shirt.
Everyone looks good in a kilt. But if you want it to look perfect the best advice is to discuss what you want with a professional kilt maker or stockist – ideally in person, but if that’s not possible most will be happy to advise you by email.
The first thing you’ll have to decide is whether you want a full dress kilt or a more contemporary look. The standard kilt length is 8 yard, but a casual 5 yard is also available. Traditionally kilts are made of 100% wool, but Polyviscose – which hangs and swings the same way - can also be an option.
Casual or formal, you’ll need a pin. It should be worn on the right about four inches from the bottom. The kilt bottom, that is, not yours.
Sporran comes from the Gaelic word ‘spleuchan’ meaning ‘purse’. Full dress sporrans are worn on formal occasions, whereas a leather day sporran would be worn for a more dressed-down look.
These are ‘decorative’, so it’s up to you whether you want to wear one. Traditionally not worn with a waistcoat.
Gaelic for “black knife”. A small dagger of 3-4 inches in length often featuring Celtic motifs. Worn in the hose on the outside of the calf.
Check with your event organizer as Sgian Dubh are sometimes prohibited.
Otherwise known as kilt socks. Available in a variety of colours, but cream or black is always a safe bet.
White is best avoided unless you’re planning on joining a pipe band.
Fabric flashes which can be added to your socks. Avoid tartan unless they’re made from the same fabric as your kilt – even the same tartan won’t look right if it’s a different fabric.
Brogues: Simple black or brown laced shoes - ideal for fancy (or not-so fancy) footwork.
Ghillie brogues: Criss-cross lace-up shoes for wearing with a full dress-kilt.
Not just for the men, you know. Kilts or wee tartan skirts always look great.
Go for something loose and light as you’ll get hot when you’re dancing. In a good way, though.
Handy for when you take a break. Yes, you will have to take a break at sometime to top up those fluids.
An easy way to up the Scottish on your outfit. Choose your favourite (or family) tartan and finish with a Celtic brooch.
Under a skirt or on their own, leggings are excellent as you’ll be able to move like a dancer. Okay, maybe not a Prima Ballerina but we’ll take tartan over tutus any day at the ceilidh.
Having two left feet won’t be a problem, but wearing heels will. Once you hear the call of the fiddle you won’t want to stop. Flat shoes are your friends, so take a pair with you.
To non-Gaelic speakers ‘ceilidh’, might look like a bit of a tongue-twister, but the only twisting it involves is reserved for the dance floor.
Follow our guide and you’ll soon be saying it like a native.
Say ‘Kay’ followed by ‘lee’.
Pat yourself on the back because that was perfect.
Live music always made a ceilidh special and it’s no different today. Your typical ceilidh band has around five musicians playing the fiddle, accordion and drums, but some bands also feature the guitar, flute – even a mandolin.
In days of yore you didn’t even need a band to have a ceilidh. People would ‘diddle’ by singing puirt à beul which means mouth music. Making ceilidhs not only the first house party, but the predecessor to the beat box.
People have been dancing The Gay Gordons since the late 19th century. Some better than others mind you, but that doesn’t matter. Everyone and anyone can master it in a matter of minutes which is why it’s usually one of the first dances of the night.
Make sure you drink plenty of water. You’ll be burning lots of calories, so keep yourself hydrated.
Kilts were originally related to an area, rather than a family or clan. It was only in the early 19th century that a clan could claim ownership of a particular tartan.
In 1969 American astronaut Alan Bean honoured his tartan ancestry by taking a little piece of tartan with him to the moon during his Apollo 12 mission. It was brought back to earth and donated to the St Bean Capel in Perthshire.
Considered a symbol of rebellion, the kilt was outlawed by the ‘Dress Act’ under the Act of Proscription by King George II in 1746.
Prince Charlie and Argyll Jackets are usually made from heavy worsted pure wool fabric known as barathea.
Ceilidhs were originally hosted by a Fear an taighe, an MC (master of ceremonies), in Gaelic literally “the man of the house”.
Historically Scottish Highlanders wore a tunic under their kilts, but the Scottish regiments didn’t wear anything underneath (the possible origin of ‘going commando’). Unless you’re a Scottish dancer or competing in the Highland games what’s going on (or not) under your kilt is up to you.
Tartan is truly ubiquitous. ‘Tartan’ derives from the French tiretaine, stemming from the verb tirer (to pull). In Spanish tiritaña means a type of silk cloth.
An hour of ceilidh dancing can use up nearly 400 calories (the equivalent of 20 minutes of vigorous swimming) and works just about every muscle – even ones you didn’t know you had.
Never wear tartan with tartan. It’s like wearing spots with stripes, only worse. Much worse.
In the film Braveheart, Mel Gibson’s William Wallace wears a kilt even though the period is the 13th century – and the first Scottish kilts weren’t thought to be introduced until the 16th century.
You can turn up to a ceilidh with friends, with a partner or on your own. If you go to one on your own, you’ll always have someone to dance with. Just get up on the floor – the numbers invariably have a way of working out just right.
The first Scottish kilts are thought to date back to the 16th century and were known as Feileadh Mhor (‘feela mor’) meaning ‘Great Kilt’.
There are more than 4,000 registered tartans.
A set dance may involve 3,4, 6 or 8 people who are dancing together.
One of the simplest tartans is The Rob Roy, which is just red and black squares. At the other end of the tartan spectrum is The Ogilvie which changes colour 96 times.
The last time that kilts were worn in active combat was 1940 when the Royal Highland Regiment fought against the German army.
Synonymous with Scotland, the word ‘kilt’ may have come from the Nordic ‘kjalta’, first recorded back in the 9th century.
A bespoke kilt can take between three to six weeks to make. Allow an extra ten weeks if your tartan is being specially woven for you.
A partner dance is exactly how it sounds – just get together in a pair.
There are two main types of ceilidh dance, a set dance and a partner dance.
The addition of the kilt pin is supposedly down to Queen Victoria, who offered her brooch to a soldier during a regimental inspection. It was said to be a very windy day…
Traditionally this is the first dance of the evening.
The dance is over 130 years old, and was named after a famous army regiment from the North East of Scotland called the Gordon Highlanders.
Couples dance
Light
The Gay Gordons dance is over 130 years old. Which is ironic, as it will take years off you.
It was named in homage to the famous Gordon Highlanders army regiment. ‘Gay’ means extraordinary.
It is usually danced to a march like ‘Scotland the Brave’ or the tune ‘The Gordon Highlanders’.
The Gay Gordons is also a form of the card game Solitaire. Again, ironic as you’ll never feel alone when you’re dancing it.
Join right hands over the lady’s shoulder (man’s arm behind her back) and left hands joined in front. Walk forward for four steps.
Still moving in the same direction, and without letting go, turn on the spot (so left hand is behind lady and right hand is in front) and take four steps backwards.
Repeat in the opposite direction.
Let go of left hands, raise right hands above lady’s head. Lady can twirl on the spot. The man may set. Oh, and don’t forget to ‘whoop’ as you twirl. Whooping is always the right thing to do.
Joining hands in ballroom hold, polka round the room.
You don’t have to be dashing or a sergeant to dance this jolly reel. What’s especially good about this dance is that you can sing along to the words. Though silent singing in your head is absolutely fine.
Make sure you drink plenty of water. You’ll be burning lots of calories, so keep yourself hydrated.
Kilts were originally related to an area, rather than a family or clan. It was only in the early 19th century that a clan could claim ownership of a particular tartan.
In 1969 American astronaut Alan Bean honoured his tartan ancestry by taking a little piece of tartan with him to the moon during his Apollo 12 mission. It was brought back to earth and donated to the St Bean Capel in Perthshire.
Considered a symbol of rebellion, the kilt was outlawed by the ‘Dress Act’ under the Act of Proscription by King George II in 1746.
Prince Charlie and Argyll Jackets are usually made from heavy worsted pure wool fabric known as barathea.
Ceilidhs were originally hosted by a Fear an taighe, an MC (master of ceremonies), in Gaelic literally “the man of the house”.
Historically Scottish Highlanders wore a tunic under their kilts, but the Scottish regiments didn’t wear anything underneath (the possible origin of ‘going commando’). Unless you’re a Scottish dancer or competing in the Highland games what’s going on (or not) under your kilt is up to you.
Tartan is truly ubiquitous. ‘Tartan’ derives from the French tiretaine, stemming from the verb tirer (to pull). In Spanish tiritaña means a type of silk cloth.
An hour of ceilidh dancing can use up nearly 400 calories (the equivalent of 20 minutes of vigorous swimming) and works just about every muscle – even ones you didn’t know you had.
Never wear tartan with tartan. It’s like wearing spots with stripes, only worse. Much worse.
In the film Braveheart, Mel Gibson’s William Wallace wears a kilt even though the period is the 13th century – and the first Scottish kilts weren’t thought to be introduced until the 16th century.
You can turn up to a ceilidh with friends, with a partner or on your own. If you go to one on your own, you’ll always have someone to dance with. Just get up on the floor – the numbers invariably have a way of working out just right.
The first Scottish kilts are thought to date back to the 16th century and were known as Feileadh Mhor (‘feela mor’) meaning ‘Great Kilt’.
There are more than 4,000 registered tartans.
A set dance may involve 3,4, 6 or 8 people who are dancing together.
One of the simplest tartans is The Rob Roy, which is just red and black squares. At the other end of the tartan spectrum is The Ogilvie which changes colour 96 times.
The last time that kilts were worn in active combat was 1940 when the Royal Highland Regiment fought against the German army.
Synonymous with Scotland, the word ‘kilt’ may have come from the Nordic ‘kjalta’, first recorded back in the 9th century.
A bespoke kilt can take between three to six weeks to make. Allow an extra ten weeks if your tartan is being specially woven for you.
A partner dance is exactly how it sounds – just get together in a pair.
There are two main types of ceilidh dance, a set dance and a partner dance.
The addition of the kilt pin is supposedly down to Queen Victoria, who offered her brooch to a soldier during a regimental inspection. It was said to be a very windy day…
This is a group dance so you’ll need to gather in groups of three. It’s a reel, and it’s a very sociable dance, changing partners every so often, meaning your group of three will get the chance to dance with lots of different people.
It dates back around 150 years, having first become popular in the mid 19th century.
You might find that different villages or different areas of the country have slightly different versions, especially in the reeling part, but it doesn’t matter which version you do. It will work.
Groups of 6 with sets of 3.
Medium
The Dashing White Sergeant tune was composed by Sir Henry Rowley Bishop with words by General John Burgoyne.
The more well-known lyrics were penned by Sir Hugh S. Robertson (1874–1952) for the Glasgow Orpheus Choir.
The dance steps were influenced by Swedish circle dancing.
It is the regimental march of the Royal Berkshire Regiment.
In the USA, West Point graduates march to the tune of the Dashing White Sergeant at their passing out parade.
Some say the tune suggested was the inspiration for I Wish I Was in Dixie, as there is similarity in the opening bars.
The Guinness World Record for the largest Highland dance involved 1,453 pupils from five schools in the Nairn region dancing the Dashing White Sergeant on 22 June 2007 to celebrate the Highland Year of Culture.
With six dancers in a circle, join hands and circle round anti-clockwise for eight counts, then clockwise for eight.
The circle then separates into the two sets of three.
The dancer in the middle (the leader) of each set turns to the person on the right and sets to for four counts and then spins them for four counts.
Repeat with the partner on the leader’s left.
Using elbow grip, the leader then spins each person alternately – twice.
Join hands to form line facing the other set of three and advance towards each other. Stamp your feet and retire back and clap your hands.
Holding hands, sets walk towards each other again and one set raises its arms to form archways under which the other dancers pass to meet the next set of three. Then just repeat the fun.
This has to be one of most folk’s favourite ceilidh dances. Fast, birling and super simple, this is pretty much everybody’s favourite dance, absolutely not to be missed.
Make sure you drink plenty of water. You’ll be burning lots of calories, so keep yourself hydrated.
Kilts were originally related to an area, rather than a family or clan. It was only in the early 19th century that a clan could claim ownership of a particular tartan.
In 1969 American astronaut Alan Bean honoured his tartan ancestry by taking a little piece of tartan with him to the moon during his Apollo 12 mission. It was brought back to earth and donated to the St Bean Capel in Perthshire.
Considered a symbol of rebellion, the kilt was outlawed by the ‘Dress Act’ under the Act of Proscription by King George II in 1746.
Prince Charlie and Argyll Jackets are usually made from heavy worsted pure wool fabric known as barathea.
Ceilidhs were originally hosted by a Fear an taighe, an MC (master of ceremonies), in Gaelic literally “the man of the house”.
Historically Scottish Highlanders wore a tunic under their kilts, but the Scottish regiments didn’t wear anything underneath (the possible origin of ‘going commando’). Unless you’re a Scottish dancer or competing in the Highland games what’s going on (or not) under your kilt is up to you.
Tartan is truly ubiquitous. ‘Tartan’ derives from the French tiretaine, stemming from the verb tirer (to pull). In Spanish tiritaña means a type of silk cloth.
An hour of ceilidh dancing can use up nearly 400 calories (the equivalent of 20 minutes of vigorous swimming) and works just about every muscle – even ones you didn’t know you had.
Never wear tartan with tartan. It’s like wearing spots with stripes, only worse. Much worse.
In the film Braveheart, Mel Gibson’s William Wallace wears a kilt even though the period is the 13th century – and the first Scottish kilts weren’t thought to be introduced until the 16th century.
You can turn up to a ceilidh with friends, with a partner or on your own. If you go to one on your own, you’ll always have someone to dance with. Just get up on the floor – the numbers invariably have a way of working out just right.
The first Scottish kilts are thought to date back to the 16th century and were known as Feileadh Mhor (‘feela mor’) meaning ‘Great Kilt’.
There are more than 4,000 registered tartans.
A set dance may involve 3,4, 6 or 8 people who are dancing together.
One of the simplest tartans is The Rob Roy, which is just red and black squares. At the other end of the tartan spectrum is The Ogilvie which changes colour 96 times.
The last time that kilts were worn in active combat was 1940 when the Royal Highland Regiment fought against the German army.
Synonymous with Scotland, the word ‘kilt’ may have come from the Nordic ‘kjalta’, first recorded back in the 9th century.
A bespoke kilt can take between three to six weeks to make. Allow an extra ten weeks if your tartan is being specially woven for you.
A partner dance is exactly how it sounds – just get together in a pair.
There are two main types of ceilidh dance, a set dance and a partner dance.
The addition of the kilt pin is supposedly down to Queen Victoria, who offered her brooch to a soldier during a regimental inspection. It was said to be a very windy day…
Strip the Willow is a group dance with one long line of gents facing a long line of ladies.
All you really need to do is grab yourself a partner and stand opposite them in line.
Groups of 8
High
Strip the Willow is an old Hebridean weaving dance.
On 30 December 2000, 1,914 people danced the largest Strip the Willow as part of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations at the ‘Night Afore Fiesta’.
The dance is also known as Drops of Brandy.
Orcadian Strip the Willow involves ‘multiple willow stripping’ where every fourth or fifth couple strips downwards and everyone else moves upwards.
Grab a partner and stand opposite so that you and your fellow dancers form two lines. Men on the right and ladies on the left as viewed from the band.
1st couple (the ones nearest the band) link arms and spin.
1st lady ‘strips’ down the line of ‘men’ turning 2nd man (with her left hand), her partner (right hand), 3rd man (left hand), partner (right hand), 4th man (left hand).
1st couple link arms and spin at the bottom of the line.
The man then ‘strips’ back up the line turning 4th lady (with his left hand), partner (right hand) 3rd lady (left hand), partner (right hand), 2nd lady (left hand).
1st couple then spin again at the top (by this time you may be getting a little dizzy)!
Then the 1st lady ‘strips’ down the men, while 1st man ‘strips’ down the ladies, turning 2nd couple (left hand), partner (right hand), 3rd couple (left hand), partner (right hand), 4th couple (left hand).
1st couple spin to the end of the phase.
Start again with the 2nd couple who will now be at the top.