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 PARTY

SATURDAY, MAY 4, 2024: 

Live Norwegian and Swedish dance music will be provided by Loretta Kelley and friends. Please bring a dish to share for the potluck at 6:30. Dancing starts at 8:00. Location: Deb Weinreich’s place, Columbia, MD. Donations gratefully accepted. All dance levels welcome.

Masks optional; testing before arrival appreciated but not required. Please don't attend if you are feeling ill or if exposed to COVID in the previous week. Dance room has an air filter. Wear clean smooth-soled shoes on the dance floor. Note: There is one cat there as well. For location, please contact debweinreich@hotmail.com.

GENERAL PARTY INFORMATION

Norwegian-style house parties with potlucks, friendly company, wonderful music, and beautiful dancing. All-live music on Norwegian Hardanger fiddles and Swedish nyckelharpas, which both have sympathetic strings under the bowed strings. Beginners, singles/couples, and watchers/listeners all welcome. Please bring potluck or snack/dessert food to share, clean shoes to wear, and bucks you can spare. No need to bring a partner--we mix and some switch sides so all can dance. We share dance moves and sometimes have informal classes beforehand or separately.

Our parties are usually held the first or second Saturday 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 (Saturdays)

June 15: Phyllis & Stephen

July 13: Linda Brooks

August 3: Loretta & Tony

September 14: Sonia White

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:
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