VELKOMMEN!  (WELCOME!) & GENERAL INFORMATION

The Mid-Atlantic Norwegian Dancers (MAND) is a loose network of Norwegian dance and music enthusiasts centered in the Maryland-Northern Virginia-Washington DC area. We have monthly Norwegian-style house parties with potluck and dancing, occasional dance classes, and an annual Spring Springar Spree weekend.

Norwegian Hardanger fiddle (Hardingfele), considered the national instrument of Norway, is a beatifully-decorated instrument, and the music is absolutely beautiful! And Norwegian springar dances are uniquely wonderful. See the Hardanger Fiddle Association of America website, www.hfaa.org, for lots of information.

Email list: To receive the latest MAND news/events, email MAND@fanitull.org to get on the email distribution list. Usually one email per month.

OUR NEXT PARTIES

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2024:

Takoma Park, MD

6:30 p.m. doors/potluck, 7:30 p.m. music for dancing

Norwegian/Swedish duo lynx lynx (Vidar Skrede and Patrik Ahlberg), (https://www.lynxlynxmusic.com/events/), plus other guest musicians, will play Swedish and Norwegian tunes for dancing. Beginners, singles/couples, watchers/listeners all welcome. Please bring food to share and clean shoes to change into for dancing. Donations gratefully accepted. Masks optional. At Loretta and Tony's (no pets); if you need address contact lorettakelley@fanitull.org.

There is a possibility of Swedish and/or Norwegian fiddle workshops, for more information contact lorettakelley@fanitull.org.

Vidar Skrede and Patrik Ahlberg join their Scandinavian musical forces together in this Norwegian-Swedish folk music duo lynx lynx. The variety of strings includes fiddles, Hardanger fiddles, guitars, and mandolin. The tune mix includes both original and traditional Nordic fiddle tunes.  

Patrik Ahlberg is a multi-instrumentalist from Sweden. He regularly plays and performs both American and Swedish folk music. His current projects include duets of contemporary tunes and arrangements with Nashville fiddler George Jackson, a duo with Norwegian Hardanger fiddler Vidar Skrede, and a solo exploration of Swedish fiddle tunes on the classical guitar.

Vidar Skrede is a Nordic folk musician and teacher from Haugesund, Norway, currently living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is a performer and teacher of Hardanger fiddle, regular fiddle, and guitar. He has a background in traditional music from his home area Rogaland in the southwest of Norway, and has a master’s degree in Nordic folk music performance at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm. Vidar has contributed to numerous bands, projects, and record albums, both in Scandinavia and in America, and has received nominations and awards for his albums in Norway and Finland. He has toured all the Nordic countries, Scotland, Canada and the United States, and has performed with a wide range of artists, including Arja Saijonmaa (FI), Kevin Henderson (UK), Liz Carroll (US), Bruce Molsky (US), Natalie Haas (US), and others.

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Our parties are usually held the first or second Saturday, or Sunday, of each month throughout the year; exact date/time depends on fiddler and host availability and other area events.

Questions? Email MAND@fanitull.org. Welcome!

FUTURE PARTIES (2024)

November 2: Phyllis & Stephen
December TBD: Deb

OUR 18TH ANNUAL SPRINGAR SPREE WEEKEND
APRIL 12-14, 2024 

Sorry you missed it! We had a wonderful time learning to dance the Hallingspringar with our guest teachers from the Hallingdall region, as well as dancing to live Hardanger fiddle music during our all-day dance classes and parties. Come back when we set our Spree weekend dates for 2025!

OTHER LOCAL SCANDI DANCING/PLAYING

There are three other Scandinavian dance groups in the greater DC region. We each have a different focus, events are cross-publicized, and many folks attend more than one group. Newbies are very welcome everywhere. Here are the other three groups:

Scandia DC - 3rd Sat, Sep-May - Swedish & Norwegian, class & dancing - See ScandiaDC.org

Nordic Dancers - Wed, Sep-May - pan-Scan dance performing group - See sites.google.com/site/NordicDancersDC

Waltz Time Dances - Many local Scan dancers also enjoy the Waltz Time Dances in the splendid historic Spanish Ballroom at Glen Echo Park. Usually 1st and 3rd Sun afternoons. If you feel inspired to do some Scandinavian dance to music which goes "1,2,3" there's often a fellow Scandinavian dancer around with whom to have a little fun. See waltztimedances.org.

And there are two area Lags for fiddlers and other musicians. One is part of Scandia DC, rehearsing during dance class and playing the first set at the dance. The other is Washington's Spelmanslag - see WashingtonsSpelmanslag.com.

SCANDINAVIAN DANCE/MUSIC "CAMPS" 2024

January:
End of January:  Vermont Ski-Dance Weekend. Contact Tom Kringstad, tom@nordic-home.com.

February:
February 3-4: Hardanger Fiddle Association of America's "Open Hearth" Winter Workshop. See www.HFAA.org.

End of February, alternate years: "Telemark Winter Experience" at ski lodge in Norway, with visiting dancers/musicians and excursion to town. Contact TomLovli@gmail.com.

March:
March 15-17: Spring Swedish Music and Dance Weekend at Folklore Village near Madison, WI. Often same teachers as Boulder. See under events at FolkloreVillage.com.

March 22-24: Boulder Scandinavian Weekend in Boulder, CO. Often same teachers as FLV.  See calendar BoulderDanceCoalition.org.

April:
April 4-9: National Folk Organization's Annual Conference, Bruceville, Texas. Total eclipse viewing! Variety of international folk music/dance/crafts sessions. This year, special guests, Jaap Leegwater and Filip Filipov! Some sessions for folk group organizers. See NFO-USA.org.

April 12-14: MAND's Spring Springar Spree next to Washington DC. Our annual Norwegian dance/music weekend!

June:
June 8-15: Scandia Camp Mendocino in CA. Swedish & Norwegian music & dance. See ScandiaCampMendocino.org.

June/July:
June 29 to July 6 in NH: Nordic Fiddles & Feet Camp. Swedish & Norwegian music & dance. See nordicfiddlesandfeet.org.

July:
July 18-21 in WI: Hardanger Fiddle Association of America's Summer Workshop at Folklore Village in WI. For fiddlers AND dancers! See www.HFAA.org.

September (Canceled):
Labor Day weekend: World Village Music & Dance Camp at Camp Louise in Cascade, MD. Balkan and some Scandinavian. See dancingplanetproductions.com.

OTHER CONNECTIONS

Hardanger Fiddle Association of America. See HFAA.org

American Nyckelharpa Association. See nyckelharpa.org

Scanfolk - Scandinavian dance/music news email listserv - a great way to keep in touch with the network of dance/music folks across the US between events. To join send email to: scanfolk+subscribe@googlegroups.com

Norway's "official website abroad" & Norwegian Embassy. See norway.no/en/usa/

House of Sweden (Swedish Embassy) - mailing list for events/exhibits. See HouseofSweden.com, click on Exhibitions

Sons of Norway, DC chapter. See NorwayDC.org

American Scandinavian Association, DC chapter.  See Scandinavian-DC.org

Norwegian Society of Washington DC. See nosodc.org/noso/

Sveaborg Society in Baltimore (Swedish traditions and social events).  See SveaborgSociety.com