Who is Zekundbest? Martin Hallett - ceilidh caller, melodeon player, town crier, railway enthusiast, a great sense of humour, decades of experience and a jolly fine chap really....
What is a ceilidh? Google and Youtube are your friends.... or see "What is a Ceilidh"
Is a ceilidh right for me? Well it's probably not for everyone, for some, a disco or covers band will be more to their liking; but if you want a light-hearted, fun, very sociable, couple of hours, using muscles and brain cells you did not even know you had, with time and music volume levels to be able to chat with friends, then this could be the start of a beautiful friendship.
What areas do you cover? I try not to travel too far these days. I'm not getting any younger and I have a loyal but ageing dog waiting for me at home who I do not want to to leave alone for too long. I am based near Caernarfon and will happily travel to all areas of Gwynedd, Ynys Mon and Conwy County. I may be able to travel further afield if circumstances permit and the stars are aligned correctly.
Why should I book you for my ceilidh? My priority is to make the event fun for everyone. I like to think I have a good sense of humour and don't take things too seriously, although I am fully committed to giving a professional performance to meet a clients expectations. I have been calling and playing for over 30 years, for well over 1000 ceilidhs over a full range of shapes and sizes. I have been a championship winning Town Crier, so public performance is in my blood (see Links). I have MC'd festivals, been a regular caller at Bangor Ceilidh Club, and performed at several dance and music festivals. I am flattered that some people think I am the best caller in the area, but I prefer to not raise peoples expectations too much, and I am content to be known as the "Zekundbest" caller.....
Can anyone do Ceilidh Dancing? Well, just about, yes! I believe in being as all-inclusive as possible at ceilidhs. I am happy to call for everyone from 5 to 95. Children are often far better then adults at picking the dances up! I have had people dancing on crutches and in wheelchairs, I have had a totally blind dancer have a great evening. I don't stick to "perceived conventions" - anyone should be able to dance with anyone else regardless of age, gender, sexuality, ability or beliefs! I don't mind if people go wrong, fall over or totally mess it up, it's all part of the fun, although I feel humble and flattered if you do get it right! I go at a pace to suit the event, it's not an athletics event, it's meant to be enjoyed, not endured, so there will plenty of opportunities for rests and refreshment if needed.
Do you call in Welsh? Although I know some Welsh, I am not confident enough to be able to call dances in Welsh, much though I would like to, and it is a source of regret. It's hard enough having to play and call at the same time in my first language of English, without having to do simultaneous translations in my head! Being a solo performer means I need to react quickly to circumstances and I just do not have time to to do that in two languages. I can play Welsh tunes, I can call Welsh dances, so I hope that will suffice. The bands listed in the Links section do sometimes use Welsh speaking callers, so it would be best to give them a call if you require that service. Having said that, I have called dances to schoolchildren in Germany, and a wedding party of French people in Anglesey using little more than a schoolboys knowledge of the language, sign language, shouting loudly in slow, exaggerated English and physically pushing people around, so don't necessarily rule me out.....
How many dancers can you accommodate? If it's just me and my squeezebox, I would say 20-25 dancers would be an ideal number, possibly a few more. With PA, 30-40 would be okay, but any more than this and it would be difficult for me to be able to control the dancing as well as concentrating on the music. Playing recorded music, maybe 50-60 dancers would be okay, but to be honest, if you are thinking of having 40-50 guests or more, I really would think about having a full live band if you can afford it, it really would give you a better all-round experience.
To be continued....