Ceilidh Dances For Children

At events with a high proportion of very young dancers, it’s a good idea to choose dances with simple and fun figures that don’t require the dancers to move anywhere complicated! I like to include plenty of clapping, galloping and sound effects!

Note: I warn people about the progressive nature of sicilian circles in advance, and give them the option to dance in the middle of the big circle with no progression if they’d prefer to stay in the same group of 4 throughout.

Balance The Star – with do-si-dos and arches in the second half, not gateposts – can be a sicilian or a scatter dance

Borrowdale Exchange – with optional partner swapping

Bridge Of Athlone – a longways dance with a fun tunnel at the end

The Carousel – I’ve adapted it into a nice easy dance – dance instructions here

Chiltern Circle – by Lisa Heywood – I like to call this with a scatter promenade to add a bit of fun and chaos – but with the option of staying in their own small group throughout if they prefer not to scatter

Circassian Circle – can be done in 3s so that everyone is included; opportunity for cheering in the first couple of figures

Clopton Bridge – an easy stephop dance

Cumberland Square Eight – replace the baskets with circles

Falling Masonry – lots of galloping!

Flying Scotsman – with train noises! And I often replace the last figure with the opportunity for everyone to freestyle.

Galloping Gargoyles – my mashup of Up The Sides And Down The Middle / Galopede – dance instructions here

Galopede – easy longways dance with some galloping

Glemham Square – an easy square dance I wrote specifically for family ceilidhs – dance instructions here

Heaps (Gordon Potts) – more galloping!

Horses’ Brawl – a Tudor dance in an unusual formation, with no need for a partner and space for the dancers to improvise. Plus the tune is great fun to play and most English musicians know it!

Mock Turtle Hornpipe – sicilian with circles, stars, and easy arches

Moonstruck – an easy sicilian circle dance with clapping (although you do need to dance with an ‘opposite’ which some children might not be ok with)

The Love Knot – a longways dance with ‘trains’, very similar to Flying Scotsman

Pat-A-Cake Polka – a short dance with easy clapping

Quarndon Hill – would only attempt in a family ceilidh if there are also a fair number of adults dancing – it’s important that half the dancers move out of the way while the other half gallop. It’s a fun one though, if the dancers have proved themselves early on in the ceilidh!

Rakes Of Broadstairs – a 3 couple hopstep dance I wrote for a family ceilidh, inspired by the more complicated dance from 1748 called Rakes Of Rochester – dance instructions here (although you do need to dance with an ‘opposite’ which some children might not be ok with)

Riverside Jig – I change the figures in this all the time! Stars, circles, lines forward and back, top 4 charge down the middle!

Sotterley Square – easy square dance like Pat-A-Cake Polka but not as short (and no clapping) – dance instructions here

Trooper’s Hill – easy longways dance with some fun arches, like Boston Tea Party – dance instructions here

Virginia Reel – works in a big longways set, but smaller sets allow more time for the cast (the trickiest move)

Weaver’s Galopede – a fun longways dance, with option side-swapping chaos between the gallops!

Wring Out The Dishrag – the dishrag move is particularly fun/chaotic with children AND adults dancing together, but I also do variations of this dance without the actual dishrag move if necessary. The scatter promenade gives an exciting twist if you need another dance with lots of familiar easy moves!

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