Clarty Cloot Ceilidh Band
Listen to Scottish Borders Ceilidh Dance Music

 

The best way to find out what we sound like is to come to one of our gigs and experience the full Scottish Borders ceilidh dance atmosphere, but if you listen to any of the Clarty Cloot Ceilidh Band music tracks below you can get a flavour of the kind of music we make.

 

 

We use three Scottish marches for the Gay Gordons. This is a popular couple dance to start a ceilidh – many people know this one and if you watch the other dancers, it is very easy to pick up.   The Gay Gordons
(3Mb mp3)
Dancing to the Clarty Cloot Ceilidh Band
     
The Seneca Set Dance is a four couple set dance which is like a simple Virginia Reel. Here we play a set of Shetland reels that have the perfect structure for this type of dance, and finish off with an American civil war reel made popular by Aly Bain.   Seneca Set Dance
(4Mb mp3)
     
The Canadian Barn Dance is another popular couple dance – it is very lively and if there are enough participants, can be danced “progressively” which gives the dancers an opportunity to meet other people on the dance-floor. The distinctive hop and step character of the dance is mirrored perfectly in this set of tunes from Cape Breton and the Scottish Borders.   Canadian Barn Dance
(4Mb mp3)
     
Strip The Willow is a traditional Scottish four couple set dance – lively Irish jigs being the best accompaniment. This is a great dance if you are keen on getting a bit of exercise to work off that extra helping you had earlier.   Strip the Willow
(5Mb mp3)
     
The last dance in a ceilidh is an important one as it brings everyone together and creates a definite conclusion to a celebration. The Circassian Circle is the ideal dance for this as it involves everyone together in a circle and, as it is also progressive, encourages the dancers to change partners around the room. The reels for this dance include tunes from Shetland, Ireland and Cape Breton.   Circassian Circle
(4mb mp3)