Enjoying a great ceilidh in 'the hub of the universe'

I was treated to one of the best ceilidhs this Island has to offer this past Monday evening.

Held every Monday and Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., this ceilidh has been a mainstay at the Stanley Bridge Womens Institute Hall for several years now. Regularly attracting crowds of over 150-175, often with standing-room-only, it is easy to see why The Ross Family Ceilidh has quickly become an upstanding tradition.

And quite the family this is.

Its almost as if God said, Hmm. Lets see what happens if I make Johnny an unbelievable blues/honky-tonk/jazz/rock piano player; Danielle a great vocalist, dancer and fiddle player of incredible precision; Stephanie this quirky gem of a guitarist, dancer and singer; Alex an excellent drummer and tremendous step-dancer; and, of course, have them combine the act with their mother, who is a champion step dancer. Alright! Now this will be a sweet family show to watch from heaven.

Of course, Gods eyes would rightfully be on Stanley Bridge anyway, as it is (as Johnny informed us Lucy Maud used to call it), The Hub of the Universe. And lo and behold, this universal epicentre is just a half hour drive from Charlottetown.

(Except, I have to say it took me almost twice as long to get home Monday night in that huge lightning storm! Man, it was Niagara Falls on Milton roads! My life flashed before my eyes. It was like a wrathful God was saying, See MacLean?! This is what you get for making fun of my Kenny Rogers!)

It began with a cappella step-dancing: the click-clack of tap shoes filling the full hall as Danielle and Stephanie struck up the show with a driving feet-beat.

Then, as the full band kicked in piano, fiddle, guitar and drums, we were given a taste of the toe-tapping tune-age that would be in store for the rest of the night.

After introductions from the emcee of the evening, Johnny Ross at the keyboard (Hes eager to please, and hes on the keys, said Stephanie), and the Island ceilidh staple of finding out where people around the room are from (85 per cent tourists, with two even being from Colombia), they fired up the music again, this time going into a medley of fiddle reels, starting royally, with The Princess Reel.

Danielle effortlessly ripped it up on the fiddle; grinning Johnny Jumpin Hands with his right hand flew up and down the keyboard, his left hand easily banging out octaves as if he was slappin the dust out of a couch cushion; Stephanie smilingly strummed up a storm on the guitar; and Alex, the straight man, kept up a straight beat back on the kit. These are all the parts of the main engine that drives The Ross Family show.

Until Johnny said, I think its time for us to get this show into top gear and ask my brother, Alex, to come out and show us what step-dancings all about.

And then that engine revved even higher as the dancing element entered the picture and we were wowed by the strength and abilities of not only Alex (who is the exact human replica of the wooden dancing man except with long black hair instead of a top hat), but also his sisters.

Highlights of this show are almost too many to mention, but they include, in no particular order: the well-done and funny version of The Rattlin Bog; Johnnys awesome flourishing solo performance of Summertime on the keys; the scrumptious strawberries and ice cream at halftime; Un Pied Mariton (a French song sung by Danielle and Stephanie that was incroyable in its comedy) and, most of all, the dance extravaganza near the end of the show that featured their mother, Dorothy, some Acadian chair stepping, some laughs and a whole lotta jaw-dropping dance skill, well, on everyones part except Johnnys, that is, which is all part of the comedy.

After a standing ovation, they were all brought back for an encore, and we were given one last reel-up by Danielle with Masons Apron, and then a fantastic step-dancing finale.

There is such a kaleidoscope of ceilidhs every summer on the Island and so many of them are so great that its virtually worth checking out every single one of them.

Although then, of course, you wouldnt do anything else all summer except go to ceilidh.

But, if youre looking for excellent variety, superb family musicianship, amazing group dancing and a warm atmosphere, then the Ross Family Ceilidh is your ticket.

Check out www.ross

family.ca for more information on the band, their ceilidh, and their music for sale.

Next week: Victoria Row jazz season finale.



At a glance

What: The Ross Family Ceilidh.

Who: Johnny, Danielle, Stephanie, Alex and Dorothy Ross.

Where: The Stanley Bridge Womens Institute Hall.

When: Aug. 25 but ongoing every Monday and Wednesday until Sept. 24.

Why: This is what happens when you have a mom whos an award-winning step-dancer, and all her kids are encouraged to musically develop in whatever way they please: A smorgasbord of family musical delights.



Each week, Todd MacLean brings

his readers into the experience of a new musical event, from Island ceilidhs and festivals, to the citys bar scene and rock concerts. When he is not writing or playing music, he can often be found strolling throughout the streets of Charlottetown philosophizing and eating cookies. He loves to hear feedback and suggestions for future musical endeavours. He can be reached

at tmaclean@theguardian.pe.ca or at

626-1242.