Weddin' Dancin' --- Any tips?

[madmacs]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmJWf9uk4js

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1E2ZAfT63g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTkA-hD2iuk

And i'll throw in theat other ceilidh favourite... The military two step...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJg7O32G474

All easy to learn, and not unusual for a walk through demonstration to be done before starting the music... Also not uncommon for the dances to be done several times in the evening, but usually to different tunes... Notice the accordian and fiddle band though not a piper...

[Macman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmJWf9uk4js

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1E2ZAfT63g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTkA-hD2iuk

And i'll throw in theat other ceilidh favourite... The military two step...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJg7O32G474

All easy to learn, and not unusual for a walk through demonstration to be done before starting the music... Also not uncommon for the dances to be done several times in the evening, but usually to different tunes... Notice the accordian and fiddle band though not a piper...

I agree. We did the Gay Gordons at our wedding. It's a lot of fun and easy to get the hang of. You could learn it with some of your family members and friends before the wedding, and then they can help the other guests on the day. Good luck!

[madmacs]

Good advice Madmacs. You could also try the Eightsome Reel and the more sedate St. Bernard's Waltz.

Yep, im guessing you had to suffer through them at school too based on your location... Never thought they'd be useful at the time...

Eightsome reel is worth a try, but very easy to get lost in if people dont know it... Still i dont know that that was ever a problem at any of the ceilidhs i went to...

Will be interesting to see what Jock weighs in with...

[Burly Brute]

My gratitude to you all. I shall begin looking through them all. I suppose it all might help if I could dance a lick! We shall see...

[madmacs]

Ceilidh type dancing is very forgiving... Just look at some of the youtube videos... at the end of the day though pretty much everyone has a good time...

[mayberry]

If you go to the website of the Country Dance and Song Society, cdss.org, and click on "Events and Groups", you can search for a traditional dance group near you. I don't know where in Arizona you are, but I found the Arizona list, which is here:
http://www.phxtmd.org/PTMD/AZ_Contra.html

Every local group has a contact person listed- just contact them and see if they can hook you up with a caller, who will be able (for a modest fee, I'm sure) to get your whole group doing easy, fun, dances of exactly the sort you describe. You won't regret it. It is THE best way to get a whole bunch of people, even if they're not regular dancers, to coalesce into a temporary community of joy. You may also want to arrange for a live musician (fiddle, button-box, or whatever your contact can suggest) to really get things going.
Google "contra dancing" to see what this can look like.

Feel free to PM me if you want to chat more about this.
(This offer goes for anyone else who is interested in finding out more about this.)
Cheers,
John

[ForresterModern]

Chicken dance, Hokie-Pokie, Macarena, and the Electric slide are all classic wedding dances that I am sure date back several centuries at least, and should be well within any serious piper's or wedding band's repertoire.

If you are having a kilted wedding I think I would avoid any break-dancing or anything that requires handstands or cartwheels, unless your reception crowd is feeling adventuresome.

;) Glad I could help.

[Bigkahuna]

"Can't Touch This!"

[MacRobert's Reply]

Yep, im guessing you had to suffer through them at school too based on your location... Never thought they'd be useful at the time...

Yes indeed, Madmacs, the benefits of a Scottish education that prepared the pupil for life as well as labour! The dancing has proved to be more useful than the algebra

[Laird_M]

Invite me!

Your dancing will look professional by comparison.