One of the recent Queer Ceilidh Dance Parties at @cecilsharphouse hosted by @queerfolkuk ! 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️🥳
Video description Lisa filming in selfie mode. Her head is visible and she is wearing a sparkly top and headset microphone. Behind her are musicians, and then she pans around to show a busy dance floor with people galloping around a circle and then joining hands in groups of four to dance around in stars.
#QueerCeilidh #QueerJoy #Camden #Ceilidh
One of the things I love about ceilidhs is how they can bring different generations together on the dancefloor. Here's a lovely example of that from one of our dances in Northamptonshire.😊
Image description: People dancing in a brightly lit room with joined hands including teenagers and adults of a range of ages.
📷🎥 The photo is a still from a video by the fabulous Rachel at @veiledproductions ✨
#Intergenerational #FamilyPartyIdeas #CommunityDance #CommunityDancing #SocialDancing #LocalCommunity #Ceilidh #BarnDance #CeilidhClub #CeilidhDance #CeilidhDancing #FamilyParty #FamilyPartyTime #DancingTogether
👋 Hi! For my new followers who don’t know me so well I thought I’d introduce myself.
📷 Here’s a pic of me doing what I love best – calling! I’ve been teaching folk dancing at weddings, parties, festivals and other events for over 10 years now. I grew up going to ceilidhs and folk dance events and have probably been dancing since before I could walk!
🤫 I’ll let you in on a secret though – I *never* thought I’d want to become a caller. In fact, when someone first suggested it I thought “but I love dancing too much - I don’t want to be stuck on stage when I could be dancing!”
😍 Turns out that I enjoy sharing my love of dancing with others almost as much as I love dancing itself! I’m particularly passionate about bringing the joy of ceilidhs and folk dancing to complete beginners, and love adapting dances or writing new ones to make sure as many people as possible can get involved.
💃 I hope to see you on the dancefloor some time soon!
Image description: Photo of Lisa, a white woman in her early 30s with a short brown undercut, on stage. She is wearing glasses, a headset mic and a sparkly dress and jacket, and has pink glitter on her cheeks.
A few pictures of last night’s ceilidh with The Rainbow Folk inc Lisa Heywood. Thank you to everyone who made it such a special evening! Please do share any videos and photos you have, as well.
We’re back after the summer break on Sat 10 Oct with The Bismarcks & caller Ollie Simons. See you all soon!
The Rainbow Folk is led by accordianist and composer Natalie Brookes. We last saw her at Oxfolk with the band Take the Biscuit. She is joined by viola and fiddle player Beth Gifford, also of Take the Biscuit. We are delighted to see guitarist George Sansome, who you may also know from Granny’s Attic. Our old friend Lisa Heywood is calling the dances. Join us for a fantastic evening!
Tickets are still availble for Sat 9 May, 8pm Kennington https://buytickets.at/oxfolkceilidhs
#ceilidh #Oxford #Kennington
The story behind my dance “the bibbity bobbity boo one” - a contra-style ceilidh dance...
I wrote this dance in the style of an American contra dance, but aimed at a ceilidh audience. I knew that the dancers wouldn’t know the conventions of contra dancing, so this dance doesn’t rely on knowing those conventions. I also love the contra dance move balance and petronella, so this was an excuse to sneak it into a ceilidh dance!
So how did the dance get it’s name? The answer to that starts with the jazz/ swing inspired ceilidh band Steamchicken....
I used to call regularly with Steamchicken, and I called this dance for the first time at a gig with them....
...they played a set which included “The Magic Song” (Bibbity Bobbity Boo) from Cinderella. So the dance became known as “The Bibbity Bobbity Boo One”!
Want to learn more?
You can find a printable dance card with more detail on my Patreon!
Link in bio
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Image text as in post
Queer ceilidh vibes!
If you'd like to join us for some unconstrained queer joy, we'll be at @albanytheatre in Coventry on Saturday 16th May 🤩
More info and tickets at our link in bio
Video description: A sped up video of the ceilidh dance Weaver's Gallopede. The formation is two lines a few metres apart. It starts with a thread the needle move, where a line of dancers with joined hands dance through an arch. This is repeated with the other line. The dancers then swap sides and back as one pair dance up and down between the lines. It ends with the dancers spinning in pairs, and they clap and laugh when the dance is over.
🪩 Disabled DJs & Dance Music Culture
This study explores how Disabled DJs experience dance music culture, using interviews and media diaries collected by researchers at @unibirmingham and Drake Music, in collaboration with Disabled DJs.
It finds that disability can both support and challenge DJing. For example, some DJs feel a deep emotional connection to the dancefloor, while also having mixed feelings about dancing itself. Their experiences can also challenge common ideas about what a DJ should do and look like.
DJing creates a space for Disabled people to take part in dance music culture in their own way, often focusing on creativity and connection through sound rather than physical presence in the crowd.
Overall, the research questions traditional assumptions in both dance music and disability studies, especially ideas about the importance of dancing and stereotypes around neurodivergence.
🔗 Link to the article can be found in our bio
This article builds on earlier work from the project, which looked at Disabled DJs’ experiences with DJ equipment and software, also linked in our bio.
ID: A purple/ pink graphic with disco balls in the top right corner. Text reads 'Disabled DJs & Dance Music Culture. A report exploring themes around social and emotional experiences of Disabled DJs. By Maria Witek, Caro Cooke, Gemma Nash and Lisa Heywood.'
A brief interlude from dance-related content to share that I knitted my first pair of socks! The yarn is called "Rainbow Chard" from @riverknitsuk gorgeous Wonky Veg collection. 😁
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Image description: A pair of hand knitted socks in deep red tones with small areas of orange and pink. They have reinforced heels and ribbed cuffs. Behind is a patchwork quilt in pastel tones.
And for our final event before the summer break, this ceilidh with @therainbowfolk inc caller @lisah.dance Lisa Heywood is going to be perfect!
The Rainbow Folk is a vibrant queer-led folk band specialising in fun, friendly and inclusive ceilidhs. They combine inclusive, beginner-friendly dance instructions with infectious enthusiasm and an incredible live band to get everybody dancing!
Caller, Lisa Heywood (they/them), grew up going to ceilidhs and folk dance events and has probably been dancing since before they could walk! They’re passionate about bringing the joy of ceilidhs and folk dancing to complete beginners, and love adapting dances or writing new ones to make sure as many people as possible can get involved.
Tickets are selling well, and you can get them and full details from buytickets.at/oxfolkceilidhs
Discover the venue for our Queer Ceilidh in Coventry!
Image: Smiling people spinning together under colourful lights
The main entrance has a zig zag ramp on the right or 5 steps up to the doors.
Image: The Albany Theatre from the outside.
Inside the doors the Spotlight Studio is straight ahead. This is where the Queer Ceilidh will be!
Image: a door with Spotlight Studio and an arrow written above it. The door opens towards the camera and has a vertical handle half way up.
There’s a cafe, bar and toilets to the left of the entrance, plus a mobile bar to the right.
Image: Tables laid out in a row with chairs either side. To the right there is a bar area and pillars.
There’s an accessible toilet inside the Spotlight Studio, as well as a Changing Places toilet to the left of the bar.
Image: The door of an accessible toilet with a changing places sign.
There are more toilets opposite the bar, including a unisex toilet and baby change facilities.
Image: double doors which open away from the viewer. Above the doors there is a sign reading "Toilets and Clive Benfield studio"
Blue badge parking is at the back of the building.
Image: View of parking spaces from Albany Road.
Queer Ceilidh, Sat 16th May, Coventry.
Image: Smiling people dancing with their hands joined in a star formation
See you on the dance floor!
Tickets at our link in bio :)
Three things you need to know about my calling...
1. Your comfort is more important than doing what I say
Every body is different, and what works for some people doesn’t work for others. I encourage everyone to adapt the moves to suit their body and comfort - I won’t tell you off for doing something different.
2. I see ceilidh dancing is a “team sport” - so look after each other!
Everyone wants to have a good time at a ceilidh, and different people like different things. I encourage folks to check in with those around them about their energy levels and what they’re comfortable with.
3. Having fun is more important than getting it “right”!
My motto is “as long as you’re having fun, you’re getting it right”. Ceilidh dancing isn’t about perfection, it’s about social connection, silliness and joy!
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Image text as in post.
