CEILIDH DANCE
Saturday 19 May 2012
London Welsh Centre
Dancing to:
Details to follow
The London Welsh Centre, 157-163 Gray's Inn Road, London, WC1 8UE
7.30pm – 11.00pm
Licensed Bar - Raffle
Admission - £20; Members - £15, payable at the door. Children under 16 free!!
Telephone Sylvia or Donald on 01732 850450 for information and to book your tickets
or e-mail: tickets@thehisl.co.uk
Past Events:
26 November 2011 - St Andrew's Ceilidh Dance
We had one of our best supported functions for some time at the London Welsh Centre on Saturday 26 November. The Craigievar Ceilidh Band put in a lively performance for us, ably supported for some of the dances by pipers Jim MacKay and Alasdair Smith. We also had the pleasure of the company of Mairi MacInnes to sing for us, after a slightly hazardous journey down from Arran. Mairi delighted the audience with favourites such as 'O Mo Dhuthaich,' and 'Calum Sgaire' and some foot tapping mouth music. She rounded off a fine performance with 'Is Gaidheal Mi,' the Gaelic version of 'This Feeling Inside.'
19 February 2011 - Ceilidh Dance
Malcolm Jones, Calum Iain MacCorquodale and Paul MacLean were in fine form at Cecil Charp House and the dance floor was busy for the entire evening. Committee member Anna McCrae gave a delightful selection of songs and Jim MacKay offered some lively selections on the pipes.
20 November 2010 - St Andrew's Ceilidh Dance
Members and friends of the Society gathered at the London Welsh Centre for our annual St Andrew's Ceilidh Dance. Music for dancing came once again from 'The Reel Blend,' led by Society member Murdo MacRae. The dancing was thoroughly enjoyed by all. We were delighted to have Jenna Cumming with us, all the way from Harris, to provide the songs. Jenna was in fine voice and delighted our President by singing, at his request, 'Sgalpaigh Bheag mo Ghraidh-sa.' She finished her selection of songs for the evening with the wonderful 'Cianalas na Hearadh,' to which Jenna's mother, Chrissie, had put the music. We have had great feedback on how much people enjoyed Jenna's singing. Her first (and so far, only) CD is called 'Kintulavaig' and is available online on sites such as www.gaelicmusic.com, www.amazon.co.uk, www.footstompin.com, and www.musicinscotland.com.
27 March 2010 - Spring Ceilidh
The Society celebrated the arrival of Spring with a lively ceilidh dance back at its old haunt in Cecil Sharp House, Camden. The Reel Blend, led by Society member Murdo MacRae on accordion, made sure that the dance floor was busy throughout the evening with a wide selection of dances and getting the balance just right on the calling of the dances. The singing for the evening was provided by the hugely talented James Graham who enthralled us with his rendering of ‘Clachan mo Ghaoil’ and a particularly fine performance of ‘The Yellow’s on the Broom.’ Five delightful young ladies entertained with a display of Highland dancing to the music of John Angus Smith on pipes. All in all, a great night out and we are now looking forward to our St Andrew’s ceilidh dance on 20 November.
23 January 2010 - A Taste of Burns
A Highlands and Islands Society Hit in London
At the annual Burns Ceilidh and Dance of the Highlands and Islands Society of London, (HISL) there was an extra edge to the usual air of anticipation – felt by organisers of events everywhere – because for the first time it was to be held in the famous old York Hall at Bethnal Green in east London, a venue best known for its boxing events and luxurious Turkish Baths! Neither of these two entertainments was on offer on Saturday 23rd January when the HISL organised the main hall for its Burns supper Ceilidh and Dance! There was, however, plenty other punchy and indulgent entertainment offered in the form of dancing and nostalgia.
The fantastic talents of the three musicians, Stuart Cameron, Simon Moran and Andrew MacPherson who make up the ceilidh band ‘Deoch ‘n’ Dorus’ quickly had people up and dancing and after songs by Sandy Jones, including the lovely ‘Bonnie Wee Thing,’ the moment arrived to bring in the haggis. Led by piper Donald MacRury and with the haggis held aloft by Leodhasach chef Donald George MacDonald, Alasdair McCrae, who proposed the toast to the haggis, brought up the rear. His rendering of Burns’ much loved verses starting with the line ‘Here’s to your honest sonsie face’ brought smiles to all as he intermingled the lines with his own well-rehearsed wry and comical stage ‘asides’ to the audience.
The Victorian grandeur of York Hall with its elaborate wrought-iron railings skirting the balcony, provided a splendid setting for an event which honours a Scottish bard whose respect for the equality of all has meant that his words ‘that man to man the world o’er shall brothers be for all that’ are known throughout the world. Judging by the way that this Burns event drew (alongside many emigrant or holidaying Scots), an international crowd from every continent eager to sample some of Scotland’s famed repast as well as its songs, dance and poetry, HISL has managed successfully to uphold that sentiment.
Frances MacEachann