Sandbach, Sophie and Gary

Congratulations Sophie and Gary from all in the Moody Food Ceili Band.

We had a new guest caller tonight – Mo Waddington – who was very sweet and brought along with her some new dances. I had never heard of 'The Road to the Aisle' which had a wedding story to go with it, and it was lovely that Mo chose Rosa,  a beautiful couple dance, for Sophie and Gary's first dance together.  

Highlight of the night was Sophie stepping up to the mike with her tin whistle to rip through a blistering set of reels, The Mason's Apron and Drowsy Maggie,  whilst the band struggled to keep up with her (well, it is bad form to upstage the bride).

Here's a list of Mo's dances for your Moody Food Dance Card:

The Cock o' the North / 100 Pipers

Rosa

The Road to the Aisle

Discouraging Waltz / Ragtime Annie

Blaydon Races

Gallopede

The Gay Gordons

The Humours of Scarrif / Some Say The Devil is Dead

The Siege of Delhi / The Earl's Chair

The Barley Reel

Yankee Doodle Dandy

The Mason's Apron / Drowsy Maggie

Circassian Circle

The Grosvenor Centre, Gnosall

Congratulations Storm on 'twenty-five wonderful years'.

Another gig, another guest caller. Tonight it was Jason who was wearing a very snazzy shirt which he bought in Nashville, which seems a very long way to go for a shirt. Anyway, we like Jason calling as we get to do the Salutation Square Dance which we think really ought to be danced to the Benny Hill theme tune Yakety Sax – we'll get around to learning it one day.

In fact there's more than a little of Benny Hill in Jason's style of calling. This is how he checks that the top and bottom couples know which is which – 'Hands up tops' followed inevitably by 'Hands up bottoms' – no sniggering at back please.

In spite of that it was another top night with lots of banter from the dancers, loads of posh nosh for the band and a hog roast which seems to be present at nearly every gig we do these days. There was also a very sweet moment whilst we eating together in an empty side room before the gig; a little boy came in looking worried and asked us in a very concerned way if we were feeling lonely eating on our own. We assured him that we were all OK, but it was nice of him to ask.

Here's a list of Jason's dances for your Moody Food Dance Card:

Behind the Haystack / Merrily Danced the Quaker's Wife
Jason's Big Set
Flying Scot
Salutation Square Dance
Barley Reel
Midnight on the Water / Waltz Vienna
Cumberland Square Eight
Stoke Golding Country Dance
Old Swan Gallop
Circassian Circle

On a sadder note, Gnosall is where our friend, the guitarist and singer, John Clifton came from; he wrote a lot of fine songs and we all miss him very much.

Quixhill Lodge Farm

There are barns and then there are really BIG barns. In fact everything about the night was big from the barn to the tractor and trailer that acted as our stage. Besides the dancing we had a hog roast and a charity auction and raffle with the money raised going to the 'Reaching Out to Children in Staffordshire' appeal. This will be used to build a centre in Stafford to help vulnerable young people at risk of cruelty. The building will be an environmentally-friendly, purpose built centre that will offer all of the NSPCC's specialist services under one roof and will be accessible to every young person across Staffordshire.

Here are Sylvia's dances for your Moody Food Dance Card:

Cock o' the North / 100 Pipers
Oxo Reel
Goatland Square Eight
Clopton Bridge
Postman's Knock
Discouraging Waltz / Ragtime Annie
The Siege of Delhi / The Earl's Chair
Old Swan Gallop
Orcadian Strip the Willow
Polka Off
Circassian Circle

Here's a bit of LoFi video of the Goatland Square Eight,

and a big yellow tractor for Finn.

Marthall Village Hall

Happy Birthday Sarah and well done Martin for arranging such a fun evening. The food was great and everyone danced even though it was a very hot evening. By the time we arrived the kids seemed to be experiencing a sugar rush – they were obviously having a good time and the huge dancing ballon man was very popular. Tonight was also the first outing with the Moody Food Ceili Band of Tom's Mohican – keep up the good work Tom, you're only young once.

Here's a list of Sylvia's dances for your Moody Food dance card.

Behind the Haystack / Merrily Danced the Quaker's Wife
Glasgow Gallop
The Snowball
Happy Birthday Sarah
Circle Hornpipe
Discouraging Waltz / Ragtime Annie
The Siege of Delhi / The Earl's Chair
Orcadian Strip the Willow
Goatland Square Eight
Postman's Knock
Polka Off
Midnight on the Water / Valse Vienna
Old Swan Gallop
Cock o' the North