If you’ve ever dreamed of dancing in the Shire, you have got to attend a Ceilidh. And for this, I would recommend none other than the Brighton Ceilidh Collective who hosted a fabulous night at Fabrica Gallery on June 27.
Firstly, I have been to Fabrica for quite a few events such as concerts before and I absolutely adore it as a venue. It is a refurbished church on Duke Street, right off the bus stop at North Street, and has a warm cosy vibe that is immediately welcoming. However, this was the first time I saw it transformed as a place to actually dance with other people and that has made me fall in love with it even more.
As I entered, we were greeted with the lovely band of accordion, bagpipe, guitar and drum giving us a taste of what the evening had in store for us. There were a few tables in rustic decor if you wanted to take a little rest and a very well-stocked bar with refreshments and plenty of water which you would absolutely need. There were fairy lights, buntings and flowy curtains surrounding the space as well.
We were welcomed into the space by Andrew, who conducted, hosted and choreographed the entire evening with so much mirth and humour. He led us through 10-12 dances, some intense and some slow but all extremely fun. All of us dressed in solstice wear, followed his directions as best we could to come together in rhythmic moves. We were often in sixes, fives and twos and the dances involved spins, turns, arches, swings and everything that compels you to actually join hands with strangers, which in this day and age is a rare sight.
Of course, it was all accompanied with brilliant music and “oohs” and “ayes” and claps from all of us there. The essence of an Irish jig, barn dancing and Pride and Prejudice-esque traditions all came together to create a beautiful night of nodding, bowing and collaborating with strangers. Even though I am a dancer, it was my first time at a Ceilidh and I assume most of us there weren’t too familiar with styles or steps and yet you could feel the sense of community emanating from the crowd. Hence, if you are at all unsure why you should come to one, my advice is to just try it once.
And to do so, you will have to look no further than Fabrica who already do this three times a year, two more being for Christmas and St. Patrick’s Day. And even better, they are soon going to expand it to four times a year. All of the proceeds go into charitable work that Fabrica does for the Brighton and Hove community. Alternatively, if you feel urged to immediately go to one, there are a few tickets left for the Ceilidh on July 4, at One Church Brighton hosted by Brighton Ceilidh Collective themselves. So go have yourself a little drink and a dance!
Address: 40 Duke St, Brighton, BN1 1AG
Websites: Fabrica Brighton | Brighton Ceilidh Collection
