By: Amelia Summers
Most of us students pass the Castle without thinking twice about what is behind the drawbridge. To be honest, the ruins equate to nothing more then a grassy field and the outer wall. But although the castle has a dark history and a neglected past, it now symbolizes a space that is shared by the St Andrews community, students, and tourists alike.
Last Sunday, the students took advantage of the historic monument that has guarded the town for over 1000 years and put on a Castle Ceilidh as a fabulous end to the artsy week of On The Rocks. The kilts were on, the accordions were out, and the cloudy somberness of the ruins by the sea was interrupted by a clear sunny sky and a good old-fashioned Ceilidh.
The idea of the On The Rocks Festival is to bring together all the performing arts during on week-long spectacular event. But the last event, the Castle Ceilidh, created an environment in which the audience were also the performers. We all know that Ceilidhs can sometimes be very confusing, but the castle landscape, the live music, and the traditional dances all created an enlivening ambiance that was enjoyable for everyone, even those who didn’t quite know which way to turn.
I am not Scottish, but I have quickly fallen in love with Ceilidhs. They give meaning to the saying “I am because we are”; they are collaborative, invigorating, inclusive, and get your blood pumping harder then a weekend boot camp. The Ceilidh was a huge hit and came on such a sunny and warm day that there was nowhere else we all wanted to be but dancing our socks off at the Castle.