yousedancin? ceilidh band, Aberdeen, Scotland

About Us

yousedancin? are Pat Ballantyne, Ali Leith, Iain Richardson and Lorna Smith. What makes us different - we are passionate about Scottish dance and this makes our music great to dance to.

Pat Ballantyne, pianist, plays piano in the Cape Breton style - a percussive, driving style of playing that evolved to accompany dancers. Her first degree was in music. She is a highly accomplished step dancer and dance teacher and has studied dance and music with many of the best players and dancers in Cape Breton, Novia Scotia. She currently teaches music and Scottish step dance.

Ali Leith, fiddle player and harpist, began playing fiddle at her grandfather's (Benjamin MacGregor Leith) knee and learnt songs and stories from her father. Almost 20 years later she graduated with an honours degree in Scottish Music from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama where she studied fiddle, song, step dance and clarsach. She teaches fiddle and clarsach (Scottish harp).

Iain Richardson, piper and whistle player, has been playing whistles and bagpipes for ceilidh dancing, Highland and step dancing for many years. He plays Border pipes by Nigel Richards, Scottish Small Pipes by John Rutzen and whistles by Mischa Somerville. He is an experienced performer and teacher of Scottish ceilidh and traditional dances.

Lorna Smith is our excellent dance caller. A highly experienced Scottish traditional dancer, she calls and teaches the ceilidh dances, ensuring that everyone gets through the dances and has a good time.

We use a Bose L1 PA system for amplification. This is ideal for traditional dance music, giving a clear, consistent sound so that you can hear the music as it should be.

Photos (c) Niall Hepburn