Experience Madrid

Madrid is divided into a number of different ‘barrios’, each with its own distinct character. Sol is the heart of the city with the other areas clustered around it. A short impression which is interesting for tourists is given here as an orientation for first time visitors.
Team CTR 2011

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Come to the Ceilidh – And learn to dance like the locals

Bouncing and twirling people are everywhere; it appears they are att­empting to dance but failing miserab­ly, at least to those who’ve never seen this sort of dancing before – welcome to the Ceilidh! After observing the ap­parent chaos for several minutes, it is time to work up the courage to join in, despite not knowing the steps. With the help of a Scottish gentleman who knows the ropes and using observation and imitation skills, it is quite possible to get used to the dances at the Ceilidh.

A Ceilidh is an event that consists mostly of different dances and involves Gaelic folk music. To take part in such an adventure, a visit to the BONGO Club is one of the best choices. One of the organisers of this Club is Ei­lidh Steel and she was willing to answer some questions concerning Ceilidh dancing.

Steel explained that Ceilidh is a Scottish Gaelic word which has evolved from Old Irish. Originally Ceilidh meant a social gathering. This can be associa­ted with the fact that family-members and friends from the Highlands often lived far away from each other. Conse­quently they came up with a big event to unite the whole family and celebrate together. Such a feast involved, among other things, songs, story telling and dancing, although over the years dan­cing became the main ele­ment of the Ceilidh.

Nowadays there are dif­ferent kinds of Ceilidh dances depending on the area. Some­times the speed of the dances differs as well. For example the dances on the west coast are much faster than the ones on the east coast.

At the BONGO Club several tourists, who want to experience something traditionally Scottish first-hand, take to the floor. This is normal but as Eilidh Steel confirmed, many locals come to join the dancing as well. The main mo­tivation for attending a Ceilidh would be the social aspect and the fun. It is not surprising that a Ceilidh seems a little like a dating agency comparable to speed-dating only with more spinning. Partners usually change from dance to dance, if it is not a group dance, giving approximately three to five minutes to explore whether the chemistry is right or not.

Being a novice at Ceilidh dancing is no problem because there is always someone who explains the steps. You are free to skip dances in order to re­lax and to catch your breath, but you should grab the chance to dance and…
Text and photo by Edinburgh team March 2011
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