STAFF BIOS

2022 SPRING SPRINGAR SPREE--STAFF BIOS PAGE

Alix Cordray is a Norwegian dance instructor in Oslo. She currently teaches two recreational groups, Hordaringen and Springarn, in addition to numerous short courses and workshops. She has taught Norwegian dance internationally, including in Russia, Japan, France, England, and Denmark. Alix grew up in international folk dancing (especially Balkan) in the San Francisco Bay Area. She danced in and later directed Westwind International Folk Ensemble, and taught at the Mandala folk dance coffee house in San Francisco. She moved to Norway in 1975, where she has focused on Norwegian dance. Starting in 1977, she has toured the US teaching Norwegian dance many times. Alix is also a trained dancer, including extensive training in modern dance (Graham technique), an MA in dance from Mills College, RSCDS teacher certification, and university work in Norwegian dance in Norway.

Bjørn Ove Opheim grew up near the town of Voss in western Norway. He started dancing as a teenager and had summer jobs dancing for tourists at the Stallheim hotel (on the bus route from Gudvangen to Voss). In 1978 he moved to the Oslo area and became active in Hordaringen, the Oslo group for people with roots in western Norway. In recent years, he and Alix have been on numerous teaching and learning trips together both in Norway and internationally.

Elise Tegnér grew up in Drøbak near Oslo. She started playing classical music at 9 and folk music at 15. She graduated from the Norwegian Academy of Music with a degree in the practice of folk music. She can play a wide range of Norwegian folk music, both on regular fiddle and on Hardanger fiddle. In her playing, Elise focuses on creating lively and exciting music with good dance rhythm, so that it "swings" and appeals to both dancers and listeners. She has traveled extensively with Bjørn Ove and Alix.

Loretta Kelley: has been performing on, teaching and writing about the Hardanger fiddle (hardingfele) for more than 30 years. She has appeared on Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion and American Radio Company, and National Public Radio's "All Things Considered" and "Performance Today." She is a regular teacher at the Annual Workshops of the Hardanger Fiddle Association of America and the Nordic Fiddles and Feet Scandinavian music and dance camp, as well as at Scandia Camp Mendocino and innumerable local workshops throughout the US. She has made over 30 study trips to Norway and has placed highly in many fiddle competitions there. Her playing has been featured in an hour-long radio program on Norwegian radio. Her recording with Andrea Hoag and Charlie Pilzer, "Hambo in the Snow," was nominated for a GRAMMY award in the Best Traditional World Music Album category. Loretta is currently the president of the Hardanger Fiddle Association of America (www.hfaa.org).