Events
We meet Thursday evenings at 7 pm in the Valhalla Room at the Scandinavian Centre for Folkdance and camaraderie.
We welcome all who have an interest in Scandinavian Folkdance and music. For information, please contact:
Mark Ellestad tel: 403-287-2735 email: hexagon@candisc.com
Kåre Asak tel: 403-239-5529 email: kareasak@shaw.ca
—————————————————————————————————————————————-
Tenth Annual Calgary Scandinavian Folkdance & Music Workshop
At the Calgary Scandinavian Centre — September 15-19, 2010
This year’s workshop features the music and dance from Valdres, Norway. Mikkel Thompson and Hilde Rudi Bråten will lead instruction in Valdresspringar; Tore Bolstad will teach hardingfele and play for dancing; Gunvor Hegge will teach langeleik; Laura Ellestad will teach hardingfele and play for dancing and Sverre Gjevre will teach torader (two-row button accordion). We will also be joined by members of Vestre Slidre folkemusikk- og dansarlag, a wonderful dance group from Vestre Slidre, Valdres! They will be on the dance floor to help guide us through the many figures of the Valdresspringar, and they will also be featured in performances.
Our instructors will be:
Mikkel Thompson (Dance and Music Instructor), Stockholm, Sweden has performed and taught as a dancer and musician at festivals, concerts and workshops throughout North America, Sweden and Norway. Mikkel has been a part of our workshops since 2003.
Hilde Rudi Bråten (Dance and Music Instructor), Hilde grew up in the valley of Valdres in a folk music family. On her mother’s side there have been many dancers and musicians that have kept the folk music tradition alive from one generation to the next. At a very young age, she started dancing, singing and playing the langeleik. Being young in Valdres allowed her to be a part of a wonderful dancing environment; notably, the dancegroup “I Valdrestakt” gave her the inspiration to continue dancing. Later she chose to study in Oslo , and has for many years been a part of the Bondeungdomslaget. She moved to Trondheim in 1997. Hilde has a teaching licence, and has for many years been working with drawing and painting in higher education. In Trondheim she keeps the dancing alive as a guest instructor at the BUL in Nidaros. Hilde has been to America several times, first as a highschool exchange student in Iowa, and then as a student at Augsburg College in Minneapolis, MN, and as a performer/teacher of traditional dance and music.
Tore Bolstad (Music Instructor, Dance Fiddler – hardingfele) (more info to follow)
Laura Ellestad (Music Instructor, Dance Fiddler – hardingfele) (Calgary, AB, Canada) began studying the Norwegian Hardanger fiddle in 2004. With a background in violin and ancestral roots in Norway, she was immediately fascinated by the Hardanger fiddle tradition. After receiving the Hardanger Fiddle Association of America’s Ole Bull Scholarship in 2005, she spent two winters studying Hardanger fiddle in Norway, and in 2008, she enrolled in the “Traditional Music I” program at the Ole Bull Academy in Voss, Norway.Laura has led instruction and given performances on the Hardanger fiddle in Norway and in North America. She has focused on the Hardanger fiddle tradition from Valdres, and master fiddler Tore Bolstad has been her main teacher. In 2009, she received Torleiv Bolstads minnestipend, a memorial scholarship awarded to young fiddlers who play in the Valdres tradition. She performs regularly as a dance fiddler for practices and workshops in valdresspringar. In addition, she has performed in the world premiere of Henrik Ibsen’s opera, “Fjeldfuglen”.
Gunvor Hegge (Music Instructor – langeleik) I was born and raised in Valdres. My grandmother, Guri H.Hegge, used to play the langeleik, and she taught many of her grand-children how to play it. In my family we have three sisters, and all of us learned this music. Quote from a CD: “Gunvor was brought up in a family environment which eas entirely devoted to traditional music. Gunvor inherited most of her repertoire from her grandmother whose musical heritage she feels is her moral duty to transmit.” I have, through many years, taught pupils in the public music school in Øystre Slidre, and have had several workshops in Norway and France. I have also participated in many kappleiks and concerts through many years. I have also recorded two CDs: “Levande Langeleik” 1995, Grappa and ”Norvège, La Langeleik” 1999 on Ocora, France.
Regarding her approach to the workshop:
1. I start by telling a little bit about the instrument, the principles of playing. We begin with simple familiar melodies.
2. We move towards the traditional music. Most of the teaching and learning is done by ear, but I sometimes have some simple notes for those who are used to reading them. This can also be a help in practicing later.
3. Usually my workshops are very informal; we are seldom too many people, so we often have a nice atmosphere. I often bring some examples of different styles to listen to, and I can also tell something about the history of the instrument.
We would typically manage to learn two or three melodies on a long week end like this.
Sverre Gjevre (Music Instructor – torader/durspel; two-row button accordion) I was born, and grew up with traditional folkmusic, in Vang, Valdres, Norway. I got my first accordion when I was six years old, and have played since then. My father and uncle played durspel (two-row button accordion), but mostly hardingfele (hardanger fiddle), so my first and basic tradition I learned from them. Later, I learned traditions from other parts of Norway, especially from Gudbrandsdalen. I play Valdresspringar, masurka, polka, reinlender, vals, march and pols. (Some Swedish).
Events and appearances:
On radio and TV 10-12 times, solo and in groups
World’s fair Expo 74 in Spokane WA.
Folklife festival WA. D.C., and, during the same trip, in Minot N.D.
Valdresspringar instructor and assistant in Julian CA.
Lessons and concerts in most parts of Norway
Festivals and concerts in Sweden, Lithuania, Poland, Germany and Switzerland
Judge for the Norwegian folkmusic festival (Landsfestivalen) 5 times.
The schedule is as follows:
Wednesday September 15: OPENING PERFORMANCE
7:30 Concert featuring our instructors — $15
Saturday: 6:00 Banquet and 8:00 Concert — $30 8:00 Concert Only — $15
EARLY SESSION: Thu, Sep 16: 12 to 9; Fri, Sep 17: 9 to 4
$65 Adult; $50 Youth
Includes lunch and supper on Thursday, lunch on Friday plus snacks and coffee, juice or water during sessions.
MAIN SESSION: Fri, Sep 17: 4-9. Sat, Sep 18: 9 – 4, Sun Sep 19: 10 -12
$100 Adult; $65 Youth; $50 Child.
Includes supper on Friday. Saturday lunch and Banquet, Sunday lunch plus snacks and coffee, juice or water during sessions.
BOTH SESSIONS (Thursday to Sunday): $150 Adult; $100 Youth
Includes the Wednesday September 15 OPENING PERFORMANCE
We encourage you to attend the early session as the groups are smaller and you will have an excellent opportunity to learn more dances and music.
For additional registration or ticket information, please contact:
Mark Ellestad tel: 403-287-2735; email: hexagon@candisc.com
Kåre Asak tel: 403-239-5529; email: kareasak@shaw.ca
Lynne Bratland (registrations) email: Lynne.Bratland@just.gov.ab.ca
Click on the following for PDF forms:
The 2010 Scandinavian Folkdance and Music Workshop in Calgary promises to provide some of the best instruction in North America for learning Traditional Scandinavian Folkdance and Folk Music.
Thanks to the many people involved who help make this happen.
Special thanks to:
Torskeklubben of Calgary for their financial support of this cultural event
Sons of Norway, Valhalla Lodge for their volunteer assistance.
