Swedish Dance & Music Weekend

Folklore Village Farm in Dodgeville, Wisconsin

May 7 ~9, 1999

Featuring

Tommy & Ewa Englund, Bengt Jonsson, & Karin Thörn

The Englunds are favorite dance instructors at camps and festivals throughout the US. Born in Hälsingland, Tommy and Ewa live in Sandviken, Gästrikland, and both have earned their big silver medals. They won the Hälsingland Hambo contest four times, serve as judges for various dance events, and also lead their own polska group. Tommy and Ewa will teach a selection of their favorite Swedish dances, from the provinces of Hälsingland, Gästrikland, Jämtland, and Dalarna.

Bengt Jonnson has been playing since he was very young. Bengt's group "Jonssonlinjen" plays for Polska Cirkusen, a dance group he organized in his home region of Hälsingland; he has also played for the Hälsingland Hambo contest. A supreme dance fiddler, Bengt first travelled to the US in the early 1980s and was instrumental in introducing Swedish fiddle music to American musicians. His excellent sense of musical style, combined with his vast experience playing dance music, have made him a well-respected group leader with a knack for selecting tunes everyone can play.

Fiddler Karin Thörn, also an accomplished dancer and singer, is a talented member of the spirited dance band "Wallmans Polskekvartett". With the quartet she sings and plays for the polskemerkeuppdansning, refered to as medal testing. She and Bengt will alternate teaching fiddle workshops and playing for dance workshops.

The weekend begins Friday at 5:00 pm with Scandinavian Dance Basic Workshop and Advanced Fiddle Workshop followed by a potluck, with Dance Workshop for all at 8:00 pm followed by a dance party. Saturday there will be fiddle and dance workshops in the morning and afternoon; Supper, Concert & Dance Party at 7:00 pm. Sunday morning will include dance and fiddle workshops, the weekend will end with lunch at 1:00 pm.

        Workshops: Workshop level(s), material, and pace will be determined by the instructors, based on participants present.
        Musicians Listening Tape: Bengt will provide a listening tape of fiddle tunes, which will be mailed to all those who order it by April 23. Cost is $5; available ~April 1.
        Prices: Adult Full Time: $110 before April 23, $120 after. Price includes dance and fiddle workshops and all meals. The Friday 5:00 - 6:30 pm workshops are separate and cost $10. Housing is not included in weekend costs. Part time options may be available as space permits. Work scholarships for kitchen work are available.
        Housing: Bunkhouse $8/night (within walking distance, shower at Falwell Hall for 25 cents); Tenting $6/night; Motels are available within 7 miles of FLV - please make your own arrangements though we can provide you with motel names and telephone numbers.

Folklore Village does expect this festival to fill. Please register early. For more information, please call Folklore Village Farm at 608-924-4000, or send email to swedish@folklorevillage.org.