Ceilidh and Barn Dances

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I have written a number of dances some of which I use when calling for ceilidhs and barn dances. I love dances that are fairly simple but great fun to do, but occasionally I get an idea for a more complex dance.

Here is a selection:

Little Willow
Mrs. Forbes Square Set
Phil's Hat Mash
Whirly Girl
Banana Split
Daft Circle Dance
The Sad Man
Speed The Reel of the 51st Plough Division
Swinging Set Reel
The Virginia Star
The Inverse Square Dance

Please come back when I have got round to uploading the notes for these dances. In the meantime if you would like the notes for any of these please do get in touch.

I work as a dance caller for ceilidhs and barn dances, so if you are organising an event, whether it be a party to celebrate a birthday or wedding, a pta, church or village dance, a festival or corporate event, please do get in touch. I have recently moved from Nottingham to Somerset, so I mainly work in the East Midlands and the South West, but am available to travel anywhere in the country.

I used this dance for the first time at Chippenham Folk Festival in the dance callers workshop (which was led by Rhodri Davies and Madeleine Smith) and again at the New Callers Showcase dance. It seemed to go down very well, and several people were kind enough to say they liked the dance very much. The dance features a 4-couple strip-the-willow which (though I say so myself) I think is quite a clever thing to get into a dance with only three couples! I would be interested to know if anyone else has come up with this idea, as I have never seen it done before. The dance as originally written starts with set right and left twice, but when I called it at Chippenham, I did set and turn single instead. This gives it more of an English than a Scottish feel, but I think worked better for the more experienced dancers at this event.

Phil Preen Contact Details

Click to send Phil a message

I work as a dance caller for ceilidhs and barn dances, so if you are organising an event, whether it be a party to celebrate a birthday or wedding, a pta, church or village dance, a festival or corporate event, please do get in touch. I have recently moved from Nottingham to Somerset, so I mainly work in the East Midlands and the South West, but am available to travel anywhere in the country.

I used this dance for the first time at Chippenham Folk Festival in the dance callers workshop (which was led by Rhodri Davies and Madeleine Smith) and again at the New Callers Showcase dance. It seemed to go down very well, and several people were kind enough to say they liked the dance very much. The dance features a 4-couple strip-the-willow which (though I say so myself) I think is quite a clever thing to get into a dance with only three couples! I would be interested to know if anyone else has come up with this idea, as I have never seen it done before. The dance as originally written starts with set right and left twice, but when I called it at Chippenham, I did set and turn single instead. This gives it more of an English than a Scottish feel, but I think worked better for the more experienced dancers at this event.

Phil Preen Contact Details

Click to send Phil a message

Since becoming involved in morris dancing I have put together a number of new and 'rediscovered' morris dances.