Cannae Beat a Ceilidh

The drinks are flowing, the party is in full swing and 70-year-old grannies are being flung around the dancefloor by middle-aged, drunken men in kilts – ye cannae beat a ceilidh!

Although I can safely say it wasn’t my favourite time of year at school – when we swapped footballs and badminton racquets for the Gay Gordons and Strip the Willow – it’s definitely grown on me as I’ve gotten older and I’m proud that in our country we celebrate special occasions such as weddings by giving it laldie around a dancefloor, heel-toe-heel-toe-ing to the sound of a jaunty Scottish folk tune.

Now, the guys at Live Active Leisure have taken ceilidh dancing to another level by introducing a brand new fitness class guaranteed to get you moving. The six-week block will be held at Bell’s Sports Centre and it all kicks off on Friday 1^st September - this is a great opportunity to brush up on the moves ahead of winter ceilidh’s, as well as getting some great exercise and having fun! The classes will be led by Bernie Hewitt, an accordion player, experienced ceilidh caller and member of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society.

Bernie is hoping to see people of all ages and abilities attend the classes and as well as helping you to get fit, he’ll be there to guide you through all of the steps to make you the star of the show the next time you hear the music for the Dashing White Sergeant.

“We’ll be doing the same dances that you find at any good ceilidh or Scottish wedding and for those who are new to the steps – or have forgotten them – there’ll be plenty of advice and instruction to keep you right.

“I think that we’ve all become accustomed to ‘wellbeing’ being a new idea that it’s easy to forget the traditional methods of keeping fit that have been around for generations.

“Scottish Country Dancing ticks all the boxes; it gets you active, it’s extremely social, it keeps the brain working throughout and it requires good team work. Everyone loves a bit of a hoolie - we’re looking forward to seeing customers new and old, of all ages and abilities. Plus, you’ll be guaranteed a great time!”

The news has been welcomed by Bell’s Sports Centre’s General Manager, Kerr Smith, who is delighted to have the new fitness class at the Live Active venue.

“We’re delighted to be welcoming Bernie to Bell’s for his ceilidh classes. It’s always a good idea to break up your usual fitness routine with something a little different and this is a great opportunity to do just that!

“Everyone loves a bit of a hoolie, so we’re looking forward to seeing customers new and old, of all ages and abilities, having a spin around our hall. Make sure to book!”

It looks like it’s going to be a lot of fun and there’s no better opportunity to improve your fitness while jogging your memory of those old Scottish dances. With Christmas and Hogmanay parties looming, six weeks with Bernie and you’ll be ready to show off on that dancefloor! Go with a partner, with friends or on your own – everybody will be partnered and if anything, it’s a chance to meet some new people and have a good laugh, all while improving your fitness and getting your heart rate up. You may even see some Small City faces there!

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For more information or to book, visit the Live Active website or call 01738 454647. It’s recommended that you wear comfortable, lightweight clothing and flat shoes – no need for Lycra or kilts!

Photographs by Perthshire photographer, Fraser Band.