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Announcing Nordic Fiddles & Feet 2008

Camp this year is June 28 to July 5. Download the flyer and registration form now.
Again this year:first-time campers get 10% off; mini-camp June 28 - July 1.

Whether you’re new to Scandinavian dance/music or a perennial camper, come embrace the Fiddles and Feet community that springs to life each summer!

Immerse yourself in this enchanting folk music and dance in the beautiful West Virginia hills, taught by some of the best Scandinavian musicians and dancers in the world.

Dance classes include Swedish, Norwegian, and Basics and are designed for all levels of dancers. Dance basics is intended to give beginners an introduction to Scandinavian dancing while working on skills that help all levels of dancing. We change partners often (you need not register with one). Evening parties are varied with gammaldans, mixers, bygdedans, dances taught during daily classes, and your special requests. We dance to live music at every session and party!

Music classes include multiple levels of Swedish fiddle, as well as hardingfele, and nyckelharpa. Classes are generally taught "by ear" although a syllabus will be available. To take a fiddle class you should be a competent fiddler in some tradition, but may be new to Scandinavian music. For basic hardingfele or nyckelharpa you need to have some musical background. The gammaldans band and allspel sessions are open to ALL instruments and singers.

Crafts and cultural sessions will be presented by various members of the staff throughout the week.

Swedish Staff

Berit Bertilsdotter comes from Föllinge, Jämtland, in north-central Sweden. She is primarily responsible for carrying on the strong tradition of Föllinge dancer Ernst Grip, who preserved the local dances in unbroken tradition. Berit leads the annual camp in Föllinge, Föllingeveckan, and has been to the US several times to help spread these lively, lovely dances. Berit’s partner, Petter Johansson, is a talented young dancer, performer, and teacher, from Boden, Norrbotten. He has been dancing Swedish folk dance since he was a child and has studied dance and dance teaching at Eric Sahlström Institut in Tobo.

Mats and Ulf Andersson grew up in Föllinge, and while they have branched out as violin teachers and performers, they both retain their long love and deep knowledge of the local traditional music. They have been to the US many times and make quite a team. They obviously enjoy inciting each other in musical flights, and together they promise a rip-roaring good camp, for both musicians and dancers.

Norwegian Staff

Dag Hamre took his first halling class at age 12, and danced in his first Landskappleik in 1978. He competed actively in both springar and halling until 1996, and has taught dance courses since 1989. He says he likes to focus on harmonizing the dance relationships: within the dancing couple, and between them and the musician. Brit Berthelsen Totland, Dag’s partner, has been dancing Norwegian folkdances since the 70’s, and is still participating in the Landskappleik. Both Brit and Dag have been to Buffalo Gap before. Brit says, “When the dancers have learned the Valdresspringar, they just dance and do not think what shall come next.”

Tore Bolstad is the heir apparent to the great Valdres fiddler Torleiv Bolstad (his great-uncle). He grew up on a farm in Valdres (which his parents still work). He has won the Norwegian Kappleik in hardanger fiddle, and recently gave a concert with Hauk Buen. He’s been to the US many times. He’ll bring his new recording!

State-Side Staff

Roo Lester and Larry Harding are returning to NFF and will share their broad experience and delightful teaching style with us. They are especially welcoming and helpful to new campers and less experienced dancers while deeply respected and favorite teachers of more experienced dancers as well.

Ben Lagerberg-Teitelbaum is our nyckelharpa teacher for 2008. A recording and gigging ‘harpist (with the Swedish trio Bjärv), Ben holds the first U.S. BA in performance on nyckelharpa. He’s studied at the Sahlström Institut, and at the Royal Academy in Stockholm. He is currently pursuing a PhD in ethnomusicology.

Loretta Kelley returns this year! She’s the best-known American hardanger fiddler, with many recordings and countless camps and dances to her credit. She adds spark to any evening party (late nights at the sauna, anyone?), and will be tutoring hardanger students as well as running the hardanger spellmannslag.

Karin Code will direct the gammaldans band, play for dancing, and generally add life and music to camp. She’s well known to HFAA members – especially for her musical roots in Hallingdal – has a solo recording, and has given concerts and workshops throughout the US.

BUFFALO GAP COMMUNITY CAMP is in Capon Bridge, WV, near Winchester, VA, about 2 hours west of Washington, DC. It is a rustic 200 acre camp with a beautiful, open-air, covered dance pavilion overlooking a small, private swimming lake with a sandy beach (bathing suits are optional) and a wood burning sauna at one end. Cabins are nestled in the hill surrounding the pavilion. Some are only screened in, others are more enclosed. The bathrooms facilities range from sinks and toilets in the cabin and group showers, to rennovated full bathrooms shared by 3 to 4 rooms. Expect to share a cabin with up to 8 people. You are welcome to bring a tent for more privacy.

www.nordicfiddlesandfeet.org • fiddlesandfeet@bellsouth.net • (865) 522-0515

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