St. Andrew’s night is a special occasion to celebrate our patron saint and Scotland’s nationhood. However, this tradition seems to be less popular nowadays. It’s sad to see that it’s not as celebrated as it used to be. This year, Iron Broo only managed to perform at two St. Andrews ceilidh nights. On the other hand, we were excited about our second trip to Luxembourg to play for the St. George’s International School’s St. Andrews ceilidh.
Charlie Abel in Luxembourg
A new Ceilidh Dance
It was a wonderful experience to revisit the school and perform for the enthusiastic children who adore ceilidh dancing and music. During our performance, we even came up with a new ceilidh dance routine, which we have dedicated to the school in honour of its support. To add to the fun, we asked the children to come up with a name for this new dance and they did! Here it is…
The George Hamm Luxembourg Reel
Dance Instructions, credited to Sandy Mathers (fiddle) of Iron Broo Ceilidh Band, title by the children of St. George’s International School Luxembourg.
Lots of couples in a longwise set. Gents give left shoulder to band, ladies give right. All hold hands in line with last couples joining hands to make a horseshoe formation.
1st and 2nd gents make an arch, 1st lady draws all the line through the arch and round the back, to original postions again. (16)
Repeat the mirrored movement with 1st and 2nd ladies making the arch and 1st gent pulling the line through and round back. (16)
Top 2 couples make Right Hand Star for (8), Left Hand Star for (8)
Same 2 couples then form a circle of 4, spin for (8) and continue the spin while moving to the bottom of the set to remake the horseshoe formation…(8)
After the Ceilidh, a place to reflect
After spending a wonderful evening entertaining the children and indulging in the delicious half-time refreshments provided by the kids and their teachers, Sandy and I decided to head over to our favourite bar in Luxembourg. We had on a previous trip scouted out the place and found that Cafe Hammstuff was perfect for us. We enjoyed some local beer and a lovely glass of Cognac while catching up with some friendly faces. We are both eagerly looking forward to our next visit.
What’s your favourite St. Andrews night memory? Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to hear from you.
Join renowned Aberdeen ceilidh band Iron Broo for a rousing afternoon of Scottish music and dance suitable for all the family. If you’ve never ceilidh-ed, or you’re feeling a bit rusty, don’t worry, all the dances will be explained by the musicians.
The most wonderful time of the year is just around the corner, and what better way to embrace the festive spirit than by attending the Iron Broo Christmas Ceilidh on December 23rd, 2023, at the Star Ballroom Aberdeen? This enchanting event promises an unforgettable night of music, dancing, and camaraderie that will leave you with cherished memories for years to come. Here’s why you should mark your calendar and secure your spot for this fantastic holiday celebration.
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1. Experience the Magic of a Ceilidh:
Step into a world of traditional Scottish music and dancing as you experience the magic of a Ceilidh. The Iron Broo Christmas Ceilidh brings together the rich cultural heritage of Scotland with the joyful atmosphere of the holiday season. Whether you’re a seasoned dancer or a novice, the ceilidh offers a welcoming environment where everyone can enjoy the fun and celebrate the art of traditional dance.
Iron Broo Ceilidh Band
2. Embrace Festive Cheer:
The holiday season is all about spreading joy and happiness, and what better way to do that than by dancing and laughing with friends and family? The Iron Broo Christmas Ceilidh provides the perfect opportunity to let loose and embrace the festive cheer. Whether you’re attending with a group or flying solo, you’ll find yourself immersed in an atmosphere of merriment and goodwill.
3. Live Music That Moves Your Soul:
The heart and soul of any ceilidh lies in its music, and the Iron Broo Christmas Ceilidh will not disappoint. Prepare to be swept away by the lively tunes of traditional Scottish instruments like the fiddle, accordion, mandolin, Irish Banjo and songs. The captivating melodies will inspire you to hit the dance floor and twirl to the rhythm of the music.
4. Create Lasting Memories:
Attending the Iron Broo Christmas Ceilidh is more than just an event; it’s an opportunity to create lasting memories. From the energetic dances to the heartwarming moments shared with loved ones, the memories you make at this event will become cherished stories you’ll recount for years to come. Capture the essence of the holiday spirit and the joy of togetherness in a single night.
5. Celebrate Local Culture:
The Iron Broo Christmas Ceilidh celebrates the rich cultural heritage of Scotland, providing a unique window into the traditions that have shaped the nation. This event is a chance to appreciate the artistry and history of Scottish music and dance, while also fostering a sense of community and belonging.
6. Dress to Impress: – optional 🙂
Don’t miss the opportunity to dress up and look your best for this special occasion. Pull out your finest tartan, kilts, and elegant dresses, and step into the Star Ballroom with a sense of style and sophistication that befits the grandeur of the event.
7. Build Connections:
The Iron Broo Christmas Ceilidh is not just about dancing; it’s also about connecting with others who share your enthusiasm for culture, music, and celebration. Forge new friendships, strengthen existing bonds, and revel in the unity that comes from being part of a joyful gathering.
Conclusion:
As the holiday season approaches, the Iron Broo Christmas Ceilidh on December 23rd, 2023, at the Star Ballroom Aberdeen presents a magical opportunity to immerse yourself in the beauty of Scottish culture, music, and dance. From the lively music that will set your feet tapping to the warm camaraderie that fills the air, this event promises an evening of joy, laughter, and unforgettable memories. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this enchanting celebration and create cherished experiences that will stay with you long after the festivities come to an end. Book your tickets, mark your calendar, and get ready to dance the night away in a celebration like no other!
Don’t forget you get some of the finest Stovies and Macaroni & Cheese around from the Beach Ballroom’s chef and catering team.
Booking a Scottish ceilidh band for your wedding can be a fantastic way to add excitement, energy, and traditional flair to your special day. Here are a few reasons why you might want to consider booking a Scottish ceilidh band for your wedding:
Iron Broo at YWE wedding exhibition 2023
Create a Fun and Lively Atmosphere: Ceilidh music is upbeat and energetic, and the traditional dances accompanying it is fun and easy to learn. Hiring a Scottish ceilidh band can create an atmosphere of celebration and joy that will get your guests up and dancing.
Honour Your Heritage: If you or your partner have Scottish heritage, booking a ceilidh band is a great way to pay homage to your roots. Even if you don’t have any Scottish ancestry, the lively music and dances will surely be a hit with all your guests.
Encourage Guest Interaction: Ceilidh dances are often done in groups, which makes them a great way to encourage your guests to interact with one another. This is especially important if you have guests from different social circles who don’t know each other well.
Create Lasting Memories: Your wedding day is a once-in-a-lifetime event, and you want to ensure your guests remember it fondly. Hiring a ceilidh band can be a unique and memorable experience that your guests will talk about for years to come.
Overall, booking a Scottish ceilidh band for your wedding can be a great way to add excitement, energy, and traditional flair to your special day.
How will guests know how to join in with the ceilidh dances?
Typically, Scottish ceilidh bands will have a caller who will guide guests through the various dances and steps. The caller will usually stand at the front of the room and give instructions for each dance before the music starts.The caller will typically explain the steps clearly and simply and may even demonstrate the movements so guests can get a feel for the dance. The caller will also usually encourage guests to partner up with one another and will help them get into position before the music starts.In addition to the caller’s instructions, many Scottish ceilidh bands will provide written instructions or diagrams of the dances for guests to refer to. This can be especially helpful for guests unfamiliar with the steps or who want to ‘learn in reel time’. Overall, guests should feel comfortable joining in with the ceilidh dances, even if they have never done them before. The caller and the other guests will help guide them through the steps and ensure everyone is having a good time.
Will the ceilidh band travel abroad?
It depends on the specific ceilidh band you are interested in booking. Some Scottish ceilidh bands may be willing to travel abroad for performances, while others may not be available or have restrictions. Suppose you are interested in booking a Scottish ceilidh band for a wedding or event outside of Scotland. In that case, it’s best to contact the band directly to inquire about their availability and willingness to travel. Some factors that may affect their desire to travel could include the distance, the length of the trip, and any additional costs associated with international travel, such as visas, flights, and accommodations.It’s also worth noting that there may be local ceilidh bands or musicians in your area who can provide a similar experience, even if they are not specifically Scottish. These bands may be more accustomed to local customs and dance styles and may be more readily available for performances in your area. Our band love to travel but we need as much notice as possible due to out other booking commitments.
A Gay Gordons at Lonach Hall
Do you have first dance recommendations for a Scottish ceilidh?
One popular choice for a first dance at a Scottish ceilidh wedding is the Grand March, popular in the Northeast of Scotland. It requires a decent-sized dance floor and participation from the bride and groom and as many of guests as possible. Another popular choice is the Gay Gordons, which is a traditional Scottish dance that is easy to learn and fun to do. The music for the Gay Gordons is typically played on accordion, bagpipes or fiddles, and you can choose from many different versions of the dance.Another option for a first dance at a Scottish ceilidh wedding is the Dashing White Sergeant, which is another popular Scottish dance. This dance is typically done in sets of six dancers and involves a series of turns, spins, and partner changes.If you are looking for a slower, more romantic option for your first dance, you might consider a Scottish ballad or love song, such as “My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose” by Robert Burns or “Loch Lomond”. These songs can be played by a Scottish ceilidh band, providing a beautiful and intimate moment for you and your partner. This could be a slow Scottish waltz or Old time waltz.Ultimately, choosing the first dance song will depend on your preferences and the atmosphere you hope to create at your wedding. A good ceilidh band can provide suggestions and guidance to help you choose the perfect first dance song for your Scottish ceilidh wedding.
THE HITCHED WEDDING AWARDS 2023 RECOGNISE WEDDING PROFESSIONALS AFTER A RECORD YEAR OF WEDDINGS
Iron Broo Ceilidh Band won the Hitched.co.uk Wedding Awards 2023 and has been proclaimed one of the best wedding professionals in the UK.
This year marks the second edition of the prestigious Hitched Wedding Awards. Over 18,000 wedding vendors registered on the Hitched.co.uk platform were given equal chances of winning. 2022 saw a boom in weddings after the pandemic; this year’s edition serves as a tribute to the hard work we’ve seen in the industry. Iron Broo Ceilidh Band is one of the Hitched Wedding Awards 2023 winners in the Wedding Music and DJs category, making them one of the most recommended professionals by newlyweds on Hitched.co.uk.
Aberdeen , 24 of January of 2023.
Iron Broo Ceilidh Band, and thousands of other wedding professionals in the United Kingdom have just completed an unprecedented year for the industry – 2022 was the year of the ‘wedding boom’ following hundreds of thousands of delayed celebrations. Hitched.co.uk, a leading wedding planning platform and part of The Knot Worldwide group, has announced the winners of the second annual Hitched Wedding Awards.
These awards are based on reviews by couples who married in the past year. Iron Broo Ceilidh Band has won a Hitched Wedding Award in the Wedding Music and DJs category.
Iron Broo Ceilidh Band, received a total of 13 reviews on their online storefront on Hitched.co.uk and a rating of 5.0 out of 5.0 determined by the couples who planned their weddings with them. As of today, they have received a badge on their Hitched listing, which recognises them as winners of the Hitched Wedding Awards 2023. This badge will serve as a marker of quality to the thousands of couples who use Hitched to book their wedding vendors.
Last year’s awards were special, but this year’s edition holds even more value. In the words of José Melo, Vice President of Sales for Europe at Hitched.co.uk, “After two very difficult years of the pandemic for the sector, where professionals had to halt their activity and suffered great losses, this year we can finally talk about an edition where weddings were celebrated big.
Iron Broo Ceilidh at YWE wedding exhibition 2023
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“The professionals have worked long hours, without weekends off and have extended the season during practically all of 2022. Therefore, above and beyond individual recognition, the celebration of the Wedding Awards 2023 seeks to serve as a tribute to all those professionals and businesses that gave everything to make the recovery of the industry a reality.”
In addition to the annual objective of recognising the excellent service offered by wedding professionals in the United Kingdom, we have also added the objective of highlighting the incredible work of the professionals during and after the pandemic.
This year, with the boom in weddings, these awards were based on over 8.5 million couple reviews globally across The Knot Worldwide, a number that is growing continuously. With over 18,000 wedding businesses listed in the Hitched directory, the quality of service and level of customer satisfaction delivered by the winners cannot be underestimated. This is why the Hitched Wedding Awards is based entirely on reviews from real couples, who enlisted these professionals to help plan their weddings. This is precisely why ”This award has become an industry reference and a guarantee for couples planning their wedding every year,” Melo says.
The Wedding Awards include the following categories: Wedding Venues, Photographers, Videography, Music and DJs, Cars and Travel, Stationery, Favours, Decoration Hire, Mobile Bar Services, Photo Booth, Marquee & Tipi Hire, Speechwriting Services, Wedding Entertainment, Wedding Planners, Wedding Cakes, Catering, Bridal Shops & Jewellery, Groomswear Shops, Beauty, Hair & Makeup, Celebrants, Toastmasters, Honeymoons, Something Different and Others, and can be found in the complete list of winners here: https://www.hitched.co.uk/wedding-awards
About Hitched.co.uk
Hitched.co.uk is a leading UK wedding planning destination from the global wedding group, The Knot Worldwide, with a simple mission: to help people plan the happiest day of their lives with help from the best professionals. With their international presence, The Knot Worldwide has created the largest wedding community and online marketplace for wedding planning on a global scale. Their extensive database showcases over 700,000 wedding professionals and offers couples planning tools to prepare their guest list, manage their budget, find their suppliers, and more. The Knot Worldwide operates in 16 countries across different domains, including Bodas.net, WeddingWire.com, TheKnot.com, Matrimonio.com, Mariages.net, Casamentos.pt, Bodas.com.mx, Casamentos.com.br, Matrimonio.com.co, Matrimonios.cl, Casamientos.com.ar, Matrimonio.com.pe, Hitched.co.uk, Hitched.ie, Casamiento.com.uy, WeddingWire.ca and WeddingWire.in.
When Iron Broo was invited to Luxembourg to play a school ceilidh, it was a new destination for us and a good reminder that Scottish ceilidh dancing really can work almost anywhere.
We travelled over in December to provide a ceilidh for Year 8 pupils at an international school. Luxembourg was certainly colder than I had expected, colder than Aberdeen, which takes some doing, but it was a great trip and a fantastic event.
A Scottish Ceilidh for an International Audience
One of the questions we often get when playing for international groups is:
“What if our guests have never done a ceilidh before?”
That really isn’t a problem.
Calling and explaining the dances is a big part of what Iron Broo does. In Luxembourg, the pupils were largely new to Scottish ceilidh dancing, so we talked them through each dance before the music started and kept helping as we went along.
Despite being in a multilingual country, communication wasn’t a problem. Before long the floor was full and the pupils were throwing themselves into the dancing.
That is one of the things I love about a ceilidh. You don’t need years of dance experience, and you certainly don’t need to be Scottish. With good music, clear calling and a willingness to have a go, people very quickly find themselves joining in.
Bringing Scottish Music to Luxembourg
Luxembourg is a fascinating place to visit. The city is built over dramatic valleys and gorges, with the old fortifications and the lower Grund giving it a very distinctive character. We were also impressed by how multilingual the city was, with Luxembourgish, French and German heard alongside many other European languages.
Being there in December also meant Christmas markets, lights and plenty of atmosphere around the city.
But the real highlight for us was the ceilidh itself.
The reaction afterwards summed it up perfectly. Chantal Gluting wrote:
“They came all the way to Luxembourg to do a ceilidh with our Year 8 students and it was simply fantastic!”
She also said that the students were encouraged to take part and ended up loving the dancing.
Ceilidhs Work Across Cultures
The Luxembourg trip reinforced something we have seen many times over the years.
A ceilidh is particularly good for an international group because it gives everyone something to do together. People who have only just met can be dancing together within minutes, and the fact that the dances are called means nobody has to arrive knowing what to do.
That is just as useful at an international school event as it is at a wedding where families and friends have travelled from different countries.
Iron Broo Abroad
Iron Broo has travelled outside Scotland for weddings, private events and other celebrations, taking Scottish ceilidh music to audiences who may never have experienced it before.
We can provide different line-ups depending on the event and destination, from the compact One Man Ceilidh Band and Iron Broo Duo through to larger band combinations.
Wherever we play, the principle is the same: live Scottish music, clear dance calling and getting as many people involved as possible.
Planning a Wedding or Event Abroad?
If you are organising a wedding or celebration overseas and would like to bring a genuine Scottish ceilidh with you, we’d be delighted to hear about it.
Celebrate in true Scottish Ceilidh style with friends, family or colleagues.
Join us again this year for another fantastic Christmas Ceilidh at the Star Ballroom, upstairs at the Beach Ballroom. Our first post pandemic Christmas ceilidh. We are looking forward to it!
All welcome!
Join us on Saturday the 17th of December for a ‘cracker’ of a Christmas Ceilidh. A great way to de-stress and wind down from the pre-Christmas stress and get into the right frame of mind for the holidays.
We have again chosen the iconic Star Ballroom, upstairs at the Beach Ballroom in Aberdeen for our 2022 Christmas ceilidh as we love the venue. It’s intimate and has a lovely view over the North Sea on a winter night, and we know from experience that the Chef makes some of the best Stovies and Macaroni in town. Enough to keep Santa satisfied and left with a warm glow.
We will be calling the dances, so no experience necessary. Works parties and Families welcome.
Various ceilidh tickets available with discounted rates for families, OAP and students.
Doors open 7.30pm Dancing from 8 pm – Stovies or Macaroni included during the half time break – Band finish 11.30pm. The bar will close at midnight.
Here’s taster of our Christmas ceilidh with some clips from 2018.
Hi folks, This coming Saturday afternoon, 28th May 2022, the Iron Broo ceilidh duo will play a public afternoon ceilidh dance at the Cowdray Hall in Aberdeen. (Inside the Aberdeen Art Gallery)
A rare opportunity for an intimate afternoon of Scottish ceilidh dancing with each dance called with clear well-honed ‘dummy-proof’ dance step instructions, so ceilidh experience is not a prerequisite for joining in. Children and families are welcome. 1.30pm till 3.30pm
