The rise of Queer Ceilidhs

English Dance and Song April 2024

This news item is based on articles in English Dance and Song, the magazine of the English Folk Dance and Song Society. The world’s oldest magazine for folk music and dance, EDS was first published in 1936 and is essential reading for anyone with a passion for folk arts.

Vibrant folk dancing has exploded onto the gay scene, reports Membership Co-ordinator Tennessee Woodiel

On a bright and sunny day in Manchester last September, a folk miracle occurred. It was the first day of Manchester’s Alternative Pride 2023 – a pride event run by the Queer Roots Collective that offers a community-centred alternative to more corporate city events. A last-minute idea for a queer folk workshop hosted by the Manchester University Folk and Ceilidh Society brought together a group of a dozen young folkies who had little expectations for attendance. Upon arriving at the small corner allocated to them – placed nearby a noisy DJ tent – they prepared themselves for what could be a muffled afternoon of quiet folk music.

The facilitators watched with amazement, however, as their session began to pull dancers from the soon-abandoned DJ tent until they had amassed an attendance of nearly 100 young and eager participants. It was not long before one member began to call an impromptu ceilidh dance, resulting in a spontaneous expression of folk dance, joy, and general queer jubilation. Organiser Alastair Warner described the evening as ‘Literally one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen in my life.’

Perhaps this wasn’t just the stuff of magic or miracle – in recent years, vibrant folk dance events hosted by and for LGBTQ+ participants have been appearing and thriving all across the UK. Queer ceilidhs (sometimes amusingly called gaylidhs) are drawing in staggeringly high numbers of young participants, many of whom have little to no previous experience with folk traditions.

Community queer folk spaces are nothing new – just ask The Gay Gordons, who have been hosting Scottish Country Dancing for the LGBTQ+ Community since 2005, or researchers like Queerfolk, who uncover the presence of queer stories within some of the oldest folk songs. Despite this history, the recently accelerated demand for such events is undeniable: our own Queer Ceilidhs at Cecil Sharp House, hosted by Queerfolk, routinely attract 250 attendees with overflowing waiting lists of people itching to have a merry and gay time through folk music and dance.

Why the sudden leap in interest? One explanation points towards a core component of social dancing: in-person, unmediated connection. Lisa Heywood is a social dance caller and organiser who specialises in queer ceilidhs, and she’s noticed that younger generations in particular are craving opportunities to participate in more authentic forms of socialisation: ‘For a generation whose formative years as young adults were during times of Covid and social distancing, there’s a real attraction to events which create in-person connections. Being in a room filled with so much energy and joy is something very special.’

In addition to the face-to-face fun, organiser Alastair Warner notes that young queer people may be especially attracted to the ways in which folk events like social dancing provide organic, community-led spaces for queer culture to grow: ‘There’s a strong desire for rejecting the corporatisation of queer culture. Folk music as a tradition is democratic and egalitarian and inherently non-consumerist. You don’t consume culture at a session, you produce culture. There’s a general desire for that within Gen Z overall, but especially within the queer community who has seen their culture commodified and sold back to them.’

The exploration of queer culture within these spaces really does shine through – many events combine social dancing with performances by drag artists, queer poets, or queer folk musicians. Some even incorporate singalongs where participants share queer folk songs – both old ballads with queer themes, as well as adapted songs that highlight queer stories. Although some may see these events as a departure from the traditional social dance experience, queer ceilidh organisers feel that their work is deeply rooted in an appreciation and celebration of folk traditions: ‘We’re all coming from the background of the tradition. We might be changing the course of the river, but we’re very much running with it’ – Alastair Warner. ‘I think that what we are doing introduces people to the tradition in a way that is very true to the spirit of social dancing’, says Lisa Heywood:

‘I don’t think that people “back in the day” did social dancing purely because it was traditional – I think they did it because it was fun.’

This all points towards perhaps the most essential reason for the rise of queer ceilidhs: fun! The more people feel safe and comfortable experiencing folk music and dance, the more fun there is to be had, and the more likely an event will attract an enthusiastic audience.

This doesn’t only apply to new events – there are steps that existing organisers can take to make their events more inclusive for LGBTQ+ people. If your club or organisation would like to make your events more inclusive, a great place to start is incorporating gender-free calling. Gendered calling can lead to uncomfortable situations for some dancers, particularly trans and non-binary folk. Gender-free calling is an excellent solution that can have benefits for many others as well, such as same-gender parents and children or siblings who want to dance together. Lisa Heywood has compiled detailed resources that can help your club make the switch.

Another step that organisers can make is to reach out to your local queer spaces. Working with existing queer communities allows for essential knowledge-sharing and more organic connections with potential new dancers. Good places to start might be local community centres, libraries, bookstores, or queer pubs/bars.

Making events inclusive requires consistency, creativity, and dedication, but the rise of queer ceilidhs demonstrates the importance of cultivating queer-friendly social dances. These innovative spaces are introducing new generations to folk traditions, fostering meaningful connections, and sharing joy, laughs, and unfiltered fun – reminding us of the human spirit that lies behind the magic of social dance.

Queer Ceilidhs return to Cecil Sharp House on Saturday 1st June 2024. Book now to avoid disappointment! 

Photo by Rosie Reed Gold.