Oakland (formerly Berkeley) English Ceilidh

English ceilidh ("kay-lee") dances, which you can call barn dances if you can't pronounce ceilidh, are raucous social dances similar to those found at pubs throughout England. Different in both style and music from both Scottish and Irish ceilidhs, English ceilidhs combine traditional English music performed by amplified ensembles with dances that are derived from but (usually) simpler English country dances. These are entry-level dances, extremely welcoming to groups of first-timers, children old enough to dance apart from their parents, and even morris dancers. Our English ceilidh dances are held occasionally, usually at Humanist Hall in Oakland.