A ceilidh was traditionally a social gathering that had roots in Scotland and Ireland and did not necessarily involve dancing. Rather, people met to tell stories, recite poems and sing.
Over time, however, music and dance became more and more important and now determine the main program of the meetings. Jigs, reels, polkas, line, square and circle dances are danced to live music from melodeons, fiddles, whistles and many other traditional instruments.