 Everyone loves to dance and in Scotland we're no different. We have a great tradition of social dancing including the Dashing White Sergeant, Gay Gordons, Strip the Willow, Eightsome Reel and the Highland Fling. To dance though we need musicians so here is some information below.
Browse our Scottish dance music CD section.
Scottish dance music can be divided into different genres: Scottish country dance music - a form where the musicians have to play to strict tempo. Country dance bands have a standard make up of 2 accordions, fiddle, piano and drums. A few years ago you might have seen a trumpet in this lineup. Listen to Colin Dewar to hear this sound.
Ceilidh dancing - less strict but maybe slightly wilder and played by ceilidh bands. Ceilidh bands can be made up lots of different instruments as there is no strict form. This doesn't reduce the standard of the music in any way it just sounds different. Listen to The Vatersay Boys to get an idea of a ceilidh band.
Contemporary Scottish dance bands like Peatbog Faeries and Shooglenifty do not play for dancing but people enjoy shuffling along to their music. When they do gigs there are usually dance floors in front of the stage. These Scottish bands are popular world wide and can be heard at any world festivals.
There are other forms of dance including Scottish Step dancing. You would normally see this dance with a solo musician - fiddler or a ceilidh band providing the music. To watch it is very like tap dancing. It is very intricate and percussive and great to watch. Many people are learning this style at the moment. It was originally widely practiced in Scotland but was lost in the 18/19th centuries when many Scots emigrated. In recent years the Scots rediscovered it in Cape Breton, Canada where it was live and well and hardly changed in style.
Another famous type is Highland dancing. I'm sure you've seen the image of dancers in kilts with their hands in the air. The dancers usually dance to solo bagpipes. Famous dances include the Highland Fling, Sword dance and the Seann Triubhas (pronounced sean trews) and all these dances have famous tunes associated with them.
Heroes of Scottish dance music are many however special mention should go to Sir Jimmy Shand, Bobby Macleod, Will Starr, Fergie MacDonald, Jim Johnstone, Iain MacPhail, Colin Dewar (all accordionists), Angus Fitchet, Ian Powrie (fiddlers). All have contributed so much to our dance music and brought its unique sound.
Where can you hear these bands? Well apart actually going to a dance Scottish dance bands and Scottish country dance bands play regularly at Accordion and Fiddle clubs across Scotland and the UK. There isn't a website listing them at the moment but do a internet search for them. They're also present at many St Andrew's night dances across the world in November. Another useful link is the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society. This world-wide organisation arrange and teach dancing across the globe. There is the annual Accordion and Fiddle Championships every March in Dunblane where all the top players go. Ceilidh bands tend not to do concerts however bands like Bella McNabs Ceilidh band are working every weekend at different functions. | 
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