Pride of Erin céili FAQ

It seems like we often get a lot of the same questions from new dancers who show up to céili class for the first time, so I'll try to answer them here.

What is a céili?

A céili (pronounced kay-lee) is simply an Irish dance party. In Ireland, céilis are often held in the town hall or in someone's home. There is always dance, and often live music, food, and drink.

 

I'm a complete beginner. Are you sure it's OK for me to come?

Absolutely! Some of our members who are currently performing came to Pride of Erin's céili class as complete beginners.

 

That dancing looks complicated. How am I going to learn it?

Actually, some of the dances are quite easy. We'll have you dancing your first time visiting the Pride of Erin! As for the harder dances, they just take a little bit more time and practice to learn. If you keep coming back to Pride of Erin, we'll be able to teach you.

 

What are these "threes" and "sevens" I keep hearing about?

Threes and sevens are the basic footwork of Irish Dancing. The sidestep, or "seven" is what makes Irish dance look so distinctive. When you're ready to to learn the footwork, just ask our teacher and he'll show you how.

What are those funny shoes you are wearing? Do I need a pair?

Sometimes the women in the Pride of Erin wear Irish dance shoes called ghillies. They are made of soft leather and have leather soles sort of like a ballet shoe. You definately do not need ghillies to Irish dance. In fact, we usually recommend sneakers to beginners because they have more padding. If you have any other low-heeled dance shoes, those are fine too.