• See our ‘What is a ceilidh’ page for more!

  • No! The caller talks and walks through every dance before starting, and then provides instructions throughout the dance until everyone is comfortable. Ceilidh is very beginner friendly and requires no previous experience!

  • Ceilidh dancing is usually done to folk or traditional music.

    Our music choices are influenced by all of our members’ collective experience, and so includes a wide range of folk music from England, Ireland, Scotland, America, Canada and elsewhere. All these tunes are brought together with the help of our rhythm section who use modern beats and harmonies to inject additional drive and energy into our music for the ultimate dance accompaniment.

  • However long you like really!

    We would normally suggest two ‘sets’ of about 45-60 minutes is a good amount for most events. There are breaks between each dance but a longer 30-45 minute break between sets is a useful breather.

  • Anything that is comfortable for moving. In particular, we recommend having a comfortable pair of flat shoes on hand. If you are attending a wedding we suggest packing some trainers to change into for dancing - white Converse are a bridal favourite.

    Aside from that, whatever you like!

  • See our ‘About the Band’ page for more info on us!

  • Our pricing is dependant on a number of things including the location and duration of the event.

    Please get in touch to discuss and we will provide you with a personalised quote for your event.

  • We’re happy to consider ceilidh bookings whether they are close to home in Somerset, Avon and Gloucestershire or whether they are further afield! Individually, our musicians have travelled for events hosted in Bristol, Bath, London, Oxford, the Cotswolds, Devon, Wales and even overseas in France, Switzerland and interstate in Australia.

  • Yes. We have all the sound equipment we need but are also happy to work with you if you would prefer for us to use your own, or equipment belonging to a venue.

    All of our equipment is safety checked annually (PAT), and a certificate is available should your venue require this.

  • Our set up time is quite quick, usually around 45 minutes, but we prefer to have an hour between arriving and starting. Packing up at the end only takes around 20-25 minutes!

    If you need an ‘early’ set up (e.g., before guests arrive), we usually charge a little extra for this. Please let us know when getting in touch whether this is something you’d like to include.

  • This will depend on the number of people at your event! The caller will also only call dances that are suitable for the available space.

    A good wooden dance floor is good, and an area free of obstacles like pillars, tables and chairs is a must!

  • Many venues, especially in residential areas, use electronic cut-off devices to keep sound levels down, often as a licencing requirement.

    We have lots of experience working with sound-limiters - please let us know when contacting us if your venue has one and we will work with the venue management to keep everyone happy and dancing.

    Ceilidhs are generally not that loud due to the music, even with drums, but sound-limiters can be triggered by dancers stamping, whooping and clapping!

  • In short, no - we are insured!

    Dodging Pheasants have full public liability cover, and all of our equipment is PAT safety checked annually. We can provide a certificates of both if required by your venue.

  • The caller is the person who teaches the dances, so yes! If you know a caller that you would like to use for your event please let us know. Otherwise we will happily organise one for you.

  • We’re not in the sound equipment hiring game, but we’re happy to work with you if you would like to use our equipment for speeches or music between sets etc. Please get in touch to discuss your requirements.

    If you’re considering an ‘early set-up’ (see our band FAQ on setting up times), please mention this when getting in touch.