don't forget your kilt - we're going dancing!

Berlin updates are going to have to wait till I a) get my sweet disposable cameras developed (which also depends on my figuring out where and having €€€) and b) finish with all my Scotland stories!

So today's post is brought to you by the traditional Scottish dance party (that's how I'll describe it anyway) called a Ceilidh (pronounced KAY-lee. duh). I didn't really know what to expect, but when we walked in and were greeted by the general dress code of kilts, tshirts and heavy boots, I knew I'd like it. 

Basically, it is a live band playing traditional Scottish music (on their electric fiddles, of course...) and everybody dances along. I don't mean dancing like prom night, but actual traditional dances. 
How do you join in if you don't know the dances, you might ask...
Before each dance, you go out on the dance floor however they tell you to line up (the majority had all the couples in one giant loop around the dance floor, boys on the inside, girls on the outside. Some had us in small circles of 6 or 8. One was 5 couples in a straight line, partners across from each other). Then they walk you through the steps. Some were simple: forward 3, hop, backwards 3, hop, spin the girl, waltz forward 8. While others were more complicated: 4 people hold hands and twist in and out of each other, 2 people work together to pick up 2 others under the shoulders and spin them around so fast their feet fly out. But they were all so much fun. After they walk you through it once, it's time to bust out your best moves. Or just, as I did, cross your fingers and hope you don't die. 

This Ceilidh is sponsored by the university and comes once a month. The crowd ranged anywhere from small kids (only a few, though) to old men (they would have seemed like creepers if I wasn't afraid they were going to die from the fast-paced music). There were experienced dancers who knew all the dances and did them well, then there were people like me who were there for the first time. 

We danced hard for a good 3 hours - I was so exhausted (and sweaty) by the end! And Simon, Shahida's   boyfriend, was such a good sport being the only boy in our group with 3 girls.  So it was always one girl dancing with Simon and then two other girls dancing together  (which, of course, led to the next decision of who was going to be the boy). 

And to wrap it all up, we all gather in a big circle and hold hands and sing Auld Lang Syne. Or as I like to call it [G]Auld Lang Syne (because I'm just that cool). 

Oh Scotland, thanks for the red hair, love your dancing!