Winchester’s Queer Ceilidh

Why Queer Ceilidh?
Ceilidh dancing is a genre that emphasises the sociability of dances. It is often -- almost always -- called gender-free, it's inter-generational and family-friendly, and everyone is encouraged to partner with whoever they like. In this context, queerness isn't about who you partner with in a romantic way, but about rethinking how we relate to one another as a community, pushing back against social pressure to separate into cliques based on age, ethnicity, class, gender, school... WinQeilidh welcomes everyone, encourages consent culture, and teaches dancing without making assumptions about dancers.

What kind of dances do we do?
It really depends on the night, but we might do barn dances from English and American traditions, contra or Playford dances, Irish or Scottish ceilidh dances, Scandinavian or other international folk dances, French/bal dances, Irish sets, American swing, or couple dances like waltz and polka. We might even invent our own dances!

Who goes?
WinQeilidh dances are open to everyone (under 14s must be accompanied by an adult). We also welcome enquiries from musicians of any age who have some experience playing for folk dance; our regular live music is anchored by the inspired fiddle playing of Linda Game, who is known around the country and beyond for her lively, energetic dance music.

What does it cost?
Our regular series is £10 for the general public and just £5 for students from any school or university.