Funnily enough the Chippenham Folk Fest has just finished, with LOADS of English - and American - and Anglo-American - and French etc dancing.

I wonder how many on this thread actually dance.

English folk dancing is going strong but, in practice, is largely danced by older dancers. Doesn't mean they're not active, or not good dancers. Most clubs IMHO seem to dance a variety of styles but with the accent on English. If different, it's usually clear in the club name.

Barn Dances are English but try telling that to the Yee-Hah! brigade for whom cowboy hats and check shirts are de rigeur. Probably just ignorance, but still cringeworthy. Hence, perhaps, the current use of ceilidh. (Do the French have a word for de rigeur?)

In England a ceilidh is usually a barn dance. "English ceilidh" is a coded version, which makes it explicit that it will be an energetic, bouncy English style of dance. Usually with all ages present. Steamchicken were excellent at Chippenham and the Committee Band were pretty good too.

That's how it is.

But - I dance two to three times a week, mostly in an English style - I have never seen an offer to attend - or do - English Country Dance.

Funny that. Must be the trolls dancing.