Who is 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/Barn Dance"
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 don't like being too late home! 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 second best caller.....
When are you free? I try to keep Saturday evenings free for playing with bands, but I do have some days where I know the bands are not playing so you can try asking. Other than that I am available just about 24/7 (probably not Christmas Day, to be honest, don't think I will be allowed out.....)
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, ethnicity, sexuality, ability or beliefs! I am happy and able to do "gender neutral" calling if required- its the 21st century for goodness sake! 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.....
Do you do requests? Of course! If you have a favourite dance let me know, I have a couple of hundred dances in my little box, so there's a good chance I will have it. To be extra certain, let me know in advance. I can also add, say, a Scottish flavour to the event by throwing in a few favourites from there like the Gay Gordons, Stripping the Willow etc. However, I don't do Line Dancing, Riverdance or the Hokey Cokey...... okay, if you really want it, we can do the Hokey Cokey, if you must....... and I have got "Cotton Eye Joe" on mp3.....
How many dancers can you accommodate? 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. If it's just me and my family musicians, I would say as few as 8 or 10 and ideally 20-25 maximum, 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.
Ok, let's get the bottom line - how much, and what do I get for the money.....? You get me..... I don't mind saying, I am good at what I do, very good, that's what people tell me. I have called for well over 1000 dances over the last 30 or so years and have been involved in folk dancing since I was a young child. My basic charge for solo performance is £120 plus travelling expenses at 25p a mile from Caernarfon and back, but I always round down to the nearest £5. For that you get two up-to-75 minute sets, which should give you about 12 dances, which is probably enough for most smaller parties. (If you want a longer event than this, a live band is probably a better option) If I have the PA with me, I can play background music during none dancing times and I can add half an hour of party disco favourites at the end if you want! However, I am always happy to be flexible to meet your requirements if I can. If I am playing live music and you want an additional musician, they will also be priced at around £100 each, but probably with no additional travelling expenses. These are guide prices and there may be scope for a bit of flexibility depending on the event - but at the end of the day, it's how I earn money! Sometimes people ask if I can just play for an hour for a cheaper price, and the answer is..... I'm afraid not - the actual performance time is only a small part of the total time spent travelling, setting up, loading/unloading, preparing, and all the other "behind the scenes" time and costs, such as fees, insurance etc., that goes into making the event work, so the price remains the same.