Paul Burke doesn't go to the same dances that I go to. But then I'm one of the geriatric social dancers, and some of the tunes we use are hauntingly beautiful. And if the dance is a repetitive longways dance you can enjoy the counter-melodies and variations from the band. But some of our tunes are from the classics, or were traditional songs 300 years ago.
Ceilidhs are different beasts but don't have to be just rhythm.
Then there is the traditional barn dance repertoire, maybe the faster tunes are not so much danced as they were.