PSC Irish Dance
The Irish word, ‘Céilí’, has several meanings. It can indicate a specific type of dance - Céilí figure dances - but it can also it can mean a dance event. At the Portland Céilí Society's third Friday Céilí dances it means an evening of traditional Irish music, dance & drink. At the events, Céilí dances, set dances and two hand dances (such as shoe the donkey) are performed.

Irish dance teachers and callers
The Northwest is lucky to have many fine Irish dance teachers and callers. Over the years many of these teachers have volunteer their time calling for the Portland Céilí Society. Some of the callers who have donated their time include:

For more on teachers and callers please visit the teachers page.

Céilí Dance
Céilí or figure dances were originally danced at house dances. Céilí dances range in the number of participants (2 hands, 4 hands, 6 hands, 8 hands, 16 hands or more). The majority of the dances are danced in jig (6/8) or reel (4/4) time. Today they are primarily danced in competition. Today if you attend a Céilí dance in the republic of Ireland you will not see Céilí dances danced, you will see sets. Céilí figure dances are more predominate in the North, however this is changing with the popularity of set dancing.

Set Dancing
Irish set dances were derived from the French quadrilles introduced circa 1816 by soldiers returning home form the Napoleonic Wars (Breathnach 1983:27). Set dances can be broken down into steps and figures. Sets, as they are called, are danced in square formation. A set is comprised of various sections called figures. These figures can range in number anywhere from two to nine. A particular tune type, generally a reel (4/4), jig (6/8), slide (12/8), polka (2/4) or hornpipe (2/4 or 4/4) accompanies each figure.