What types of dances do you do?
We dance traditional Swedish and Norwegian couples' folk dances. These include polska, pols, polskdans, springdans, slängpolska, waltz, vals, schottis, schottishe, reinlender, polka, polkett, rudl, rull, gangar, springar, springleik, hamburska, hambo, gammalvänster, bakmes, snoa, mazurka and mixers.
I've never done [a particular] Swedish or Norwegian folk dance before. Is that a problem?
Not at all! Many of our 2026 camp's participants have never done Springleik frå Lom before and that’s why they came to camp! Even those of us who have learned some of the dances before need a refresher course and are always picking up something new from the different instructors.
Can you explain how dances are traditionally learned?
Traditionally people learned dances by watching and dancing with family members or experienced dancers. At camp, our dance teachers teach a dance step by step and figure by figure over multiple days until you have an entire dance.
Tell me more about the dance classes I might take.
Our Dance Basics classes introduce basic dance practices while teaching body mechanics and skills helpful for all levels of dancers. They usually introduce dances in 2/4, 3/4 and 4/4 time, which are the building blocks of our dance program.
Our Swedish dance teachers typically teach five or six dances during the week. In 2026, the focus will be dances from Hälsingland and Dalarna, Sweden. Here is a video of the polska from Boda, Dalarna, being danced in a workshop setting in Sweden.
Our Norwegian dance teachers typically focus on the springar or gangar from one region for the week. In 2026, the Norwegian dance focus will be Springleik frå Lom, a beautiful couples' dance from Gudbrandsdal. Here is a video of Springleik frå Lom being danced by this summer's teachers in a competition setting in Norway.
Do I have to have my own dance partner to take the dance classes?
No, our instructors assume no one has a certain partner. Participants rotate partners frequently, which is a good practice. The dances we do require leading and following as well as physical balance. When you change partners, you learn how to be a better leader (how to communicate your intentions) and how to be a better follower (how to pick up a leader's cues).
Are women welcome to lead dances; are men welcome to follow?
Absolutely! Learning both roles helps dancers appreciate the whole dance even more. You are welcome to decide which role you want to learn, which can be different for each dance and day.
How do you balance dance classes between leads and follows?
Class participants can choose at any time to do the lead or follow role. There are enough experienced dancers in our community who are comfortable in either role, so they will help to balance the ratio. If, during a class, someone decides not to dance at some point, our dance teachers may ask participants to adjust so that everyone will have a partner, if possible. Our dance teachers will also dance with participants.
I like to hambo at my local contra dance. Is there more to Swedish folk dance?
The hambo is a great gateway to Swedish folk dancing. You'll find more than a few campers in our community who came to us the same way. The hambo is a type of Swedish folk dance called a polska. Practically every village in Sweden developed its own polska variation to music by local fiddlers. The variety of tunes and dances keep Swedish dance afficionados very happy. Norwegian folk dancers have a similar high-energy dance called the Rørospols, and have their own deep bench of local folk dances and tunes that developed across Norway.
I do other type of other types of dancing. Will I be able to learn this?
Having experience with any other type of dancing will help you catch on to this type of dancing because you are already body aware and have taken movement cues from music.
Will I fit in? (Am I too old, too young, too new at dance?)
We have all ages and skill levels dancing and playing at camp from ages 14–100! No matter where you are in life, you will fit in and belong.
What happens at evening dance parties?
Our evening dance parties include dances that are being taught during the week, mixers, and dances from prior years or the common repertoire. Musicians play 20-minute sets, with other musicians playing a "tweener" tune between sets to keep the dance floor moving. The Gammaldans Band plays a lively set that raises the energy of the room every night. Everyone is encouraged to get on the dance floor. Generally partners dance together for one to three dances before voluntarily switching partners. Snacks are provided halfway through the evening to replenish the tank. There are places to sit, listen to the music and observe, as well as an attached screened-in porch where one can socialize with new camp friends.
Will people ask me to dance?
Yes. And we hope you'll ask people to dance with you! We are a friendly community. You’ll get to know people by rotating partners in class so that will help alleviate some of the awkwardness you may feel at first. At the evening dance, if you are interested in dancing, it can be helpful to signal your interest if you stand at the side of the dance floor instead of sitting and conversing with others.
I am a beginner. Will I have fun?
We hope your experience at camp will be exciting, fun and challenging and full of great memories with all the wonderful people in the community. Yet we understand that there will be moments of confusion, frustration and awkwardness when one has never danced this type of dance before. We were all there at one point! Be sure to communicate with us as the week progresses to what would make your experience better and we will do our best to connect you to possible solutions. For example, if you are getting dizzy while dancing, which can occur for new dancers, we have some tips and tricks to help you out until your body adjusts.
What do people wear when dancing? How dressy are the evening dances? I don’t own a folk costume.
Dancers are welcome to wear whatever they feel comfortable in, that being mostly very casual clothing. Pants, shorts and skirts are all just fine. Most important is to have a pair of shoes that you wear only for dancing, preferably with a smooth leather sole to help with turning. Layers are a great option to deal with the temperature fluctuations we may experience during the week. Our evening dances are also informal but some campers like to wear something different than what they wore during that same day. The only “dressy” evening is our last night when some campers wear a traditional costume (if they had room in their suitcases for it!). Wearing something a little nicer on that evening adds a nice touch, but you do not have to have a folk costume.
Can you provide me with a sample schedule?
Sure! Take a look here.