Jiggerty Barn Dance and Ceilidh Band

Do you supply your own PA?  Back

Jiggerty comes with a full PA (Public Address) system, suitable for venues with a capacity of up to 250 people.

How many dances do you do in an evening?   Back

In a typical evening there is usually time for between 8 and 10 dances. As a rule of thumb, each dance takes about 15 minutes in total, including the time taken to get dancers onto the dance floor and arranged into sets, explaining & walking through the dance without music, then doing the dance to music.

What dances do you do?   Back

Typically we provide barn dance/ceilidhs for social functions where most people are new/fairly new to this form of dancing and the organisers have no preference for dances. The programme for such an evening might start with Buttered Peas (a simple, mixing dance) followed by some other relatively simple dances such as Flying Scotsman and Lucky Seven, then head into some slightly more complex dances such as Cumberland Square Eight (the dance with the ‘basket’ / 'helicopter' dance!), Caerphilly March, Virginia Reel and Snowball, before ending with Riverside Jig and Circassian Circle – two simple, large-group dances, aimed at getting everyone on the dance floor at the end of the evening.

Alternatively, we can do a whole evening of traditional Scottish ceilidh at your request, with the Gay Gordons, Dashing White Sergeant, Strip the Willow (Orcadian and/or normal variants), St Bernard’s Waltz, Canadian (Highland) Barn Dance, Houlihan’s Jig, Eightsome Reel etc.

If you have any specific requirements, please ask – we have a range of dances we can do, from different regions or difficulty levels. We aim to tailor each ceilidh to suit the preferences and capabilities of its participants.

What sort of space do we need for dancing?   Back

We are experienced in working with a variety of different spaces and can adjust dances accordingly to provide a fun evening of dancing, whatever the size and shape of the venue. If you are in the process of selecting a venue, we recommend you look for a square or rectangular dance area with no obstructions or trip-hazards (for example, it is best not to use a portable dance floor - usually laid over hotel carpet for discos - as they are not large enough for ceilidh dancing and people may trip as they dance over the edges). The size of dance floor needed will depend on the maximum number of people you will have dancing at one time - we suggest you allow approximately 1 square metre of dance floor per person. For example, a typical church hall should provide a dance space of at least 7 metres width and 10 metres depth, which would be sufficient to accommodate approximately 70 dancers.

How much space does the band need?  Back

We would appreciate a space of at least 3 metres wide by 2 metres deep however we will work with whatever room is available. We recommend the use of a stage for the band if possible - this allows the band, and particularly the dance caller, to be seen and offers some protection to our sound equipment and instruments from the exuberance of the dancers. We also require a space some distance to the front of the band on each side for each of our two PA speaker stands (approximately 1 square metre in floor area each).

Do you have a microphone we can use for speeches?  Back

Yes. We are happy to give you access to a microphone for speeches/announcements during the event, at no extra charge. Please speak to us at the beginning of your event to arrange this.

Can we play our recorded music through your PA?   Back

We usually play recorded music through the PA system when the band is having a half-time break. If you would like to provide your own music for this (on CD or IPOD), please discuss with us in advance. We can also provide this facility after the band has finished (for a ‘disco’ end to the evening) for an additional cost - please discuss this with us if you are interested.

What power supply do you require?  Back

Our PA system draws less than 1kW which is easily provided by a normal mains supply. We require one standard mains power socket at the venue to plug into which should be not more than 5 metres away from the band’s performance area. To protect our PA, we can only agree to use an external generator as a power source (for example, in a marquee) if this has surge protection and has been supplied by a reputable company. Any cabling/sockets used outdoors must be suitable for outdoor use – if in doubt, please seek the advice of a professional electrician.

What parking and access do you require?  Back

We require a standard size parking/unloading space as close to the performance area as possible, to provide a short, safe access route for the transportation of our sound equipment. We like to have access to the performance area approximately 45 minutes before we are due to start playing, in order to set up and sound-check. Please discuss with us if there are any flights of stairs on the access route of if there is likely to be a problem accessing the venue/performance area in advance of our performance time.

Do we need to provide refreshments for the band?   Back

For a typical event the band will be out of their houses for at least 6 hours (allowing for travelling, setting up, performance and packing up afterwards). We would therefore appreciate you arranging refreshments for the band, equivalent to a meal and 2 drinks per person. It is customary for the band to be invited to share in food and drink provided for guests unless this would be inappropriate.

How can I book the band?  Back

Please use the contact details given on our main page to check our availability and receive a tailored quote for your event. We require a deposit to confirm a booking which should be sent within a week of your last contact with us, in order to be sure that we remain available for your chosen date - please contact us for details of how to pay this. Once we have received your deposit we will send you a letter containing details of what we have agreed (date, venue, timings etc), to form a contract.

What if I need to cancel or rearrange my booking?   Back

Cancellations will incur the loss of your deposit. Changing the date of your booking may be possible without penalty depending on how much notice we are given and whether we have turned away other work in the meantime