2nd Poynton Ceilidh's Callers' Workshop

Subject: 2nd Poynton Ceilidh's Callers' Workshop
From: GUEST,Howard Jones
Date: 16 Mar 15 - 10:27 AM

Following the success of last year's inaugural Callers' Workshop, Poynton Ceilidhs is organising a second all-day workshop on Saturday 25 April, with Martyn Harvey and Dave Ball supported by live music from Albireo. This will be held at Poynton Community Centre near Stockport, Cheshire.

This will include both discussions and practical sessions and is suitable for both novices and experienced callers. This will include an opportunity to work with a live band, and a feedback session.

Following the workshop there will be an evening ceilidh with Albireo and Martyn Harvey. Tickets are £35 for the workshop or £40 for a combined ticket with the evening ceilidh. Student discounts are available.

For more information please go to Poynton Ceilidhs' website

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Subject: RE: 2nd Poynton Ceilidh's Callers' Workshop
From: Thompson
Date: 16 Mar 15 - 05:33 PM

Céilidh callers? Is that a thing? I thought it was only in square dances that instructions were shouted out, on the basis that square dances involved people from Scandinavia, Germany, Ireland, France, England, etc, whose dances are similar but not the same and so people might like to know if they were to pass back-to-back - Dos a dos - or whatever. But I've never heard anyone giving instructions at a céilí, not even when I managed to set a whole dance hall at odds by giving the odds in the Ladies' Chain in a sixteen-hand reel.

Subject: RE: 2nd Poynton Ceilidh's Callers' Workshop
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 17 Mar 15 - 04:02 AM

I think that's a really good idea. You never stop learning. Too far for me to go. Even with experienced callers there are things to learn.
FloraG.

Subject: RE: 2nd Poynton Ceilidh's Callers' Workshop
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 17 Mar 15 - 04:27 AM

I think this is a brilliant idea - best of luck Poynton from all at The Beech Band

On a slightly smaller scale

Subject: RE: 2nd Poynton Ceilidh's Callers' Workshop
From: GUEST,Howard Jones
Date: 17 Mar 15 - 05:00 AM

Thompson, in England we have borrowed the Scottish word 'ceilidh' to mean folk dancing done in a lively and informal style. The music is more often English or European, rather than Irish or Scottish. It can be distinguished from 'social dance', which 30 or 40 years ago was regarded by the younger generation, mainly with a background in folk song and morris, as hidebound and dominated by older people too interested in doing complicated and often recently composed dance figures. This younger crowd wanted to go back to more traditional forms of dancing, with more stepping, and which placed more importance on the music. The term 'ceilidh' was adopted for this, sometimes known as 'English ceilidh' or just 'e-ceilidh'.

Unlike a Scottish ceilidh or an Irish ceili, callers are invariably used for both 'social dance' and 'ceilidh'. The techniques the workshops will cover are about how to plan the evening and how to interact with the audience and band, and apply equally to both styles of dancing.

Subject: RE: 2nd Poynton Ceilidh's Callers' Workshop
From: Mo the caller
Date: 17 Mar 15 - 12:36 PM

Well done to both Poynton & Beech.

The actual chance to have a go, as well as talk about it is so valuable. When you go to a workshop that is all talk it is either about something you've worked out (painfully) for yourself, or it's way past what you are ready to learn.